In Tribute to Dr. Bruce H. Greene, z"l
Dr. Bruce H. Greene, elected the twenty-seventh President of Temple B’nai Abraham, began his term of office on March 1, 2017.
Bruce had served on the Temple’s Board of Trustees since 2005, in key positions including Vice-President, Secretary, and Co-Chair of the Ritual Committee. He had also taken on leadership roles in numerous Temple initiatives.
Bruce grew up in Livingston and attended Livingston High School. After graduating from Franklin and Marshall College, he attended UMDNJ-School of Osteopathic Medicine. He maintained his Child & Adolescent Psychiatry practice in West Orange from 1990 to his death in 2020.
Bruce resided in Short Hills with his wife, Dr. Susan Wolf Greene, and their son Mark. Upon election as President, Bruce explained his family’s connection to the congregation: “TBA is also a second home for my family. Our son, Mark, is TBA through and through…his earliest learning experiences were nurtured in B’nai Abraham’s early childhood education program and day camp; his Judaic knowledge and bond to Jewish life and Israel have been fostered by the Jewish Learning Program; and he became a Bar Mitzvah here. Susan loves the Temple just as much as me. She loves the spirituality, the sense of community, and the opportunity to help others. The depth of our commitment to this congregation is both familial and individual.”
In addition to his various Temple B’nai Abraham responsibilities, Bruce served with distinction as a Board member and Board Vice President of JESPY House in South Orange.
In his speech to the congregation at the 2017 annual meeting, Dr. Greene reflected upon his gratitude on becoming the Temple’s president. “It is truly one of the greatest honors of my life to be elected and installed as the 27th President of Temple B’nai Abraham. I am deeply grateful to the Nominating Committee and to you, the congregation.” He continued, “During my time here, I found that the more I gave to TBA, the more I received and continue to receive — in personal satisfaction, in friendship and comradery, and in my spiritual life. That happens at worship services, doing community service, at committee meetings, at board meetings, and at social events. TBA is truly my second home. I invite each of you to become or remain involved. You will find it’s worth it.”
Dr. Bruce H. Greene lost his life to COVID-19 on April 16, 2020 at the age of 61.