Our Story
A Shul Built Family by Family
A vibrant shul in Marine Park, Brooklyn NY — from fewer than twenty families in a basement to over one hundred families in a home of our own.
Summer 2015 · 5775
A minyan in a basement
The Sephardic Torah Center of Marine Park was established as a small basement shul at the home of our Rabbi, Rabbi Eliyahu Chaim Aboud of Ateret Torah. It was the only Sephardic minyan in the neighborhood, and the shul was comprised of fewer than twenty families. From its inception it was a massive success, creating excitement and commitment from a small yet fast-growing community.
2016 · Growing Fast
Outgrowing the basement
Barely a year later, we outgrew the basement shul and rented a place on Quentin Road and East 36th Street to accommodate the fast-growing kehila. News spread of a successful Sephardic shul in Marine Park, and many new families moved in quickly, filling the shul beyond its capacity. Programs were initiated to uplift entire households — classes for ladies, youth minyan programs and beyond — and the shul established a night-time Kollel for Ateret Torah Avrechim, solidifying a foundation of Torah and kedusha for the kehila.
June 2021
The New Building Campaign
With the congregation well over one hundred families, we launched the New Building Campaign to acquire a permanent home — with one primary goal: more space for our fast-growing congregation, more Torah classes in the shul's Bet Midrash, more daily minyanim and programs.
December 2023
A home of our own
We purchased a new, expansive property across the street from our rented location — 3609 Quentin Road. Large-scale renovation and expansion followed, to create a beautiful Torah center that accommodates all our congregation's needs: more minyanim, more events, and more space for our kahal's semachot.
Today
Bet Aharon Torah Center
The kehila has moved from paying rent into its own building. The shul proudly carries the name Bet Aharon, dedicated through the extraordinary generosity of our benefactors, Mr. Harry and Alice Adjmi — whose partnership crowned this journey and gave our community's home its name. With daily minyanim, weekly classes, youth programming, women's programs, and a full calendar of community events, the shul continues to grow — with bitachon in Hashem, confident in what comes next.
Our Rabbi
Rabbi Eliyahu Chaim Aboud
Of Ateret Torah, Rabbi Aboud opened his own home to found the first Sephardic minyan in Marine Park and has led the kehila from its first Shabbat. Under his leadership the shul grew from a handful of families into a full Torah center — with vibrant minyanim and Torah classes all year round!
Our Benefactors
Mr. Harry & Alice Adjmi
The name Bet Aharon stands above our doors through the dedication of Mr. Harry and Alice Adjmi, whose generosity toward the building of Torah in Brooklyn and beyond is legendary. The kehila is honored to carry the name they dedicated, and every tefillah in this building stands in their merit.
The Building Committee
The Hands That Built the Home
Eliyahu Kholi · Aaron Levy · Jack Alkhabaz · Shimon Benatar · Yosef Sasson · Eli Pinchas · Aaron Abramov