Congregation Sherith Israel

Your Jewish Journey Through Meaningful Connection

The true magic of Congregation Sherith Israel goes well beyond our spectacular sanctuary—it’s what’s inside that really matters. With no size fits all here, enthusiastic clergy and community members embrace Jewish, interfaith and Jewish-adjacent people wherever they are in their journey, allow space to wrestle with today’s many challenges, and provide inspiration, direction and hope through Jewish culture, wisdom and rituals.

Meaningful and thought-provoking programs, open and respectful discussion of tough topics, a packed calendar of dynamic events and joyful services all provide ways to engage in both Jewish exploration and personal growth. A long history of vital volunteer and social action programs offer opportunities to make impactful change while becoming part of an active, powerful network helping to better the world.

And throughout, Sherith Israel is a gathering place for caring, can-do people spanning generations—to meet, find purpose and belonging, and forge lasting connection.

Our Mission and Core Values

Community: Warm, inclusive, nimble, supportive and intergenerationa; our congregation welcomes and embraces differences and similarities, including interfaith families, LGBTQIA+, and the full diversity of today’s reform Jewish community. Gathering in right-sized groups based on interests and needs helps us build real connections and a sense of
belonging.

Activism: A leader in social justice work for over a century, we are committed to social action programs, reflecting and applying our Jewish values in direct ways to build a more just world. Lay leaders, working with the clergy, design projects and maximize relationships with a wide network of partners to realize this goal.

Learning: We foster learning as a lifelong endeavor, with programs that span generations. We explore the richness of Judaism’s religious traditions and cultural heritage and look to Jewish theology to inform our understanding and processing of the contemporary world.

Meaning: Grounded in rich religious and cultural traditions, we provide opportunities for spiritual reflection and personal growth, adding meaning and purpose to our lives. A full calendar of events, and musical and joyful services in our historic, breathtaking sanctuary, bring people of varying backgrounds and experiences together to celebrate and explore.

Relevance: Adaptive and responsive, we address pressing issues most important to our community, locally and globally. Our clergy provide a compass during challenging times, a safe space allows for a spectrum of opinions and actions, and on-going communal support, pastoral guidance and pertinent, thought-provoking programs and gatherings are available throughout the cycle of life.