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On a nice late July day in 1984, the man who says he was the only rabbi in North Dakota flew out of Fargo International Airport's only gate into Newark, for an interview at Temple Beth Am of Bayonne. Twenty-five years later, Rabbi Gordon Gladstone is the longest-tenured rabbi in Hudson County.

Rabbi Gladstone, who grew up in Cleveland, served as a youth director at the Cincinnati Jewish Community Center and had pulpits in Middletown, Ohio for nine years and Fargo for two years before landing in the Peninsula City.

While Gladstone was one of Beth Am's youngest members when he arrived, he is still one of the youngest a quarter-century later, indicative of his congregation's aging and difficulty finding new members.

Nevertheless, Gladstone is optimistic that the revival of Jewish life in Hudson County will trickle down to his synagogue, which makes its presence felt by running several adult education programs as well as a joint religious school with Jersey City's Temple Beth El (attended by 34 children).

As Gladstone put it, "we see our job as keeping the light burning until we have enough oxygen with new Jews for it to come back to a flame."

Gladstone has also been the President of the Bayonne Interfaith Clergy Association since 1990. He took time to talk with Jewish Life of Hudson County last month to discuss his congregation's aging dilemma, his interfaith work, and Judaism in North Dakota.

What special responsibility comes with being the county's senior rabbi?

"It's not official; I've just been told ‘you've been a rabbi here longer than anyone else.' That's all it means, there's nothing that goes with it. A quarter-century in one pulpit, though, is an achievement."

What kind of membership do you have?

"We are an elderly congregation with only two children of school age. There aren't any younger families. We used to have four of five bar mitzvahs a year, but the next one will be in 2010, then a bat mitzvah in 2011. Then we have no more kids."

"We are a Reform synagogue, but there aren't a handful of Reform Jews by birth in the congregation. Many of our members were born Orthodox, but drifted toward the liberal branch of Judaism."

Considering the age dilemma, how do you go about recruiting new members?

"If you have any ideas, we'd be willing to listen. We are visible in the community, and you can attract new people with vibrant programming."

"One of our gems in adult education is an omnibus program on Tuesday from 1:30-3 p.m. We draw people from synagogues here and in Jersey City to discuss Jewish issues of interest and current events, as well as the parsha. Most of our people aren't on the Internet, and we bring them news that isn't published on the front page. We also have a beginner class in Hebrew."

What is the most unique aspect of your synagogue?

"We are an open and welcoming congregation. We have integrated interfaith couples. When a stranger comes in for services, we will give them an aliyah. We have some handicapped and mentally-disabled members."

"We are also open to doing some things a little differently. For example, we read the Torah on Friday night, because that's when most of the people come to shul."

What does your interfaith work entail?

"A couple of Catholic churches, Protestant churches, and two synagogues actively participate. At one point in our history we had regular monthly meetings. We have an interfaith Thanksgiving service that is well-attended; I write the service for that."

"We also sponsored the largest religious gathering in the history of Bayonne the Sunday after 9/11 at St. Henry's Roman Catholic Church. When the city needs cooperation from the religious community, they come to us."

Are there any striking differences between being a rabbi here and in Fargo?

"The religious background is completely different. In North Dakota, everyone is Lutheran. Here, everyone is Catholic. I prefer working here, since it feels more accommodating. Everything is closed on Sunday in North Dakota."

"Also in North Dakota, one kind of Jew has been there for generations, and the other half of the people are from here and ran away from Jewish life on the east coast and west coast. They are so far removed that they develop their own routines."

How do you see your congregation five-10 years from now?

"We keep getting older and older. The treasurer is in her 90s, and we are also recycling leadership. People who used to be president are now president again. So we need new blood."

"On the other hand, we have a revitalization of Jewish life in Hudson County. So the long-term prospects are not gloomy, but they are not very bright either."