About JCNP

Since our founding in 1964, Kehillat Ahavat Achim, the Jewish Congregation of New Paltz, has been a vibrant, egalitarian and intergenerational community, open to all Jews (by birth and by affiliation): singles, families, LGBTQ, interracial, interfaith couples and families. We are a place of prayer where individuals with varied spiritual goals and leanings find a comfortable home, and we are committed to creative education and meaningful Jewish study for our children and adult members. JCNP is in a vibrant community that leverages its proximity to a vast array of amenities to bolster the intellectual and spiritual life of the congregation. JCNP is a reconstructionist synagogue and a member of the Ulster County Jewish Federation.

Our Rabbi

Adam Cerino-Jones

Rabbi Adam Cerino-Jones (he, him) has been the spiritual leader of the Jewish Congregation of New Paltz since 2022. Ordained by the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, Rabbi Adam previously worked for congregations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey and for the Hillels of the University of Delaware and Haverford College. He is a skilled musician and composer of Jewish music, a passionate teacher of Torah, and an approachable pastoral presence dedicated to meeting Jews where they are and accompanying them on the unique path of their lives.

About Reconstructionist Judaism

"Reconstructionists approach Judaism—and life—with deep consideration of the past and a passion to relate it to the present. Applying our understanding of Judaism as the evolving religious civilization of the Jewish people, we draw from the rich wellsprings of Jewish tradition to face the challenges and opportunities of the current moment."

"We believe that an embrace of diversity—in ways of being Jewish, in religious practice, in who is centered in community life and leadership—is both a strength and a requirement. Following Kaplan’s lead, we continually work to expand the boundaries of the Jewish community without watering down what it means to be Jewish."

"We seek to engage the glorious range of Jews and the people who love us as community members and conversation partners. We believe we find our humanity most powerfully in communal conversation. We are clear that the Jewish community must make space for all individuals in our fullness, and that in doing so, the community itself will be continually remade."