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, 115-year-old building, we nurture a caring and joyful community.

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.