NEW MILFORD - On May 16, 1965, members of the New Milford Jewish Center/Congregation Beth Tikvah gathered at their newly built synagogue on River Road for its dedication.

They recited prayers, a keynote address was given, "America the Beautiful" was sung. And a time capsule was buried near the front entrance to preserve a record of the day.

Since 2013, the former synagogue has been the Top Stone Korean Church, where a few weeks ago contractors doing work on the exterior found the time capsule.

Bob Nesoff and Howard Cohn, former presidents of the New Milford Jewish Center/Congregation Beth Tikvah, (since merged with the Jewish Community Center of Paramus) were presented Wednesday with the time capsule by Top Stone's pastor David Yi at the church.

The steel container, worn down from decades in the earth, was hammered open by Nesoff, a former news reporter and New Milford councilman who still lives in town.

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Cohn removed the contents, which turned out to be a roster of the synagogue's members written in calligraphy and the keynote address, which noted the synagogue's origins in 1951 as the Tri-Borough Jewish Center.

Nesoff said he got "goosebumps" seeing the items unveiled for the first time.

"Anytime you open up something that's been buried for 50 years, you get goosebumps," Nesoff said. "It's interesting, it's a connection to a half-century ago until today."

Cohn said he was expecting to find other items in the capsule, such as money from the time and other memorabilia, but still found it "interesting" to have it in his possession.

Nesoff said the capsule and the contents will be presented to the congregation of the Congregation Beth Tikvah/Jewish Community Center of Paramus.

Email: kaulessar@northjersey.com