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Welcome to Beth Israel Synagogue

We are an independent, egalitarian Jewish community that welcomes all spiritual seekers. Proud of our ancient faith, we combine the study of our sacred texts with prayer that is engaging emotionally and spiritually. In our charming, 100-year-old building, we nurture a community that is caring and joyful.

 

Join us for an interactive educational series for children ages 3 to 8. Each session includes hands-on activities and a snack to learn about the Jewish holidays of the year. There is no fee for these programs.

Click Here for Schedule and Locations

Be Part of A Community

“I will establish My covenant between Me and you, and your offspring to come, as an everlasting covenant throughout the ages.” (Genesis 17:7)

Since its establishment with Abraham four millennia ago, God’s covenant has not been with one individual but with the entire community of Israel.  We fulfill our side of the covenant only in community.

And indeed, what better way is there to live but in community? What can be more fulfilling in our own lives than to make our neighbors’ pain more bearable or her joy more precious for being shared with others?

At Beth Israel, community is at the core of everything we do.  Being a small community, that means that young folks share their lives with our older members; that singles and couples call on each other as friends and companions along the way; that each of us individually counts in the lives of all of us collectively.

Living in community poses upon each of us the expectations and the rewards of being present in each other’s lives.  And truly, there is no more meaningful way to live.

Celebrate Our Tradition

What has become of your grandfather’s tallit?  What’s your favorite tune for L’cha Dodi? Which holiday do you most enjoy spending with your children?

Tradition is not merely “the way our ancestors of yore” did things.  It is the way our parents and grandparents taught us to do things. Respect for tradition is not something we owe to the dim past, but that which animates our present: filling us with memories and connections to those we love.

Viewed this way, we view tradition not as stodgy but as very dynamic.  And it means we must be continually engaged in the process of reevaluating that which we do, in order that those elements that are essential can continue to speak to us across the decades.  In that way, respect for tradition means a continual willingness to embrace change.

As a more than one hundred year old community, the members of Beth Israel understand that everything we do must be grounded in tradition.  But the purpose of that grounding is not to weigh us down, but to allow us to soar by making our innovations an authentic expression not only of who we are, but from where we come.

Connect with God

How does one connect with God?

It might be through the exuberance of our ancient prayers.

It might be through the insights gained in the study of our sacred texts.

It might be through the sense of having sanctified time by fulfilling its commandments.

It might be through sanctifying another’s joys or pains by being present.

Connecting with God is never easy.  It requires a commitment and a kavanah - an intentionality - that is often missing from our day-to-day lives.  But this expectation - that we will light the path of our daily lives by setting aside moments to encounter the divine - is at Judaism’s heart.

Beth Israel is committed to creating these moments of light in our lives through prayer, through study, through observance of the holidays and adoption of the mitzvot.  In this way, we seek ways for each of us to connect with God.

Thu, September 28 2023 13 Tishrei 5784