Welcome

Who We Are
 

At Beth El, we strive to BE ambitiously experimental, exploring new approaches to engagement, leadership, and giving while safeguarding the legacy practices that remain essential to our congregation. We strive to BE adaptively traditional, celebrating Jewish life together with a commitment to tradition that embraces multiple expressions of observance. We strive to BE purposefully intergenerational, fostering a Jewish ecosystem where people of all ages and stages connect through friendship, celebration, and shared wisdom. We strive to BE courageously curious, welcoming diverse perspectives and lived experiences in an environment grounded in empathy, kindness, and respect.

Our vision is for Beth El to be a thriving, engaged, and inter-generational Jewish community.

Our mission is to nurture diverse and dynamic continuity from generation to generation l’dor vador - לדור ודור - through many doors.

We BElieve in belonging:
Friendship, familiarity and family frame all interactions, making Beth El a magnet for gathering, connection, involvement, inclusivity, communal celebration, and a haven for support in challenging times. Belonging inspires the creation of an environment where every member feels seen and at home, not always aligning while still being accepted, and forging a strong spirit of togetherness.

We BElieve in action:
Active engagement looks different for everyone. For some it is giving of time, funds, skills and/or something else. We invite charitable acts and kindness expressed through experiential tzedakah, which goes beyond giving money to participating and co creating through hands-on efforts to advance our mission. Leadership can be gained, refined and exercised through service and volunteering, and is supported with skills development to enhance abilities that positively impact others.

We BElieve in Jewish peoplehood:
We welcome everyone in our space, and encourage a connection to and responsibility for the Jewish people world-wide through religious, cultural and ethnic expressions. This includes a distinct relationship with the people, the land and the State of Israel, and framed by complexity and nuance that is an inextricable part of this distinct relationship.

We BElieve in learning:
Jewish wisdom is what fuels Jewish growth. Finding and immersing in personal Judaism and nurturing a relationship with Torah, the history of the Jewish people and contemporary issues complements any lifestyle with enrichment, skills and insights applicable to today's disruptive world. Accessed through text, conversation, experience and experimentation, the Torah is in the people all around Beth El just as much as it is in the scrolls, the clergy and the synagogue building.

We BElieve in spirituality:
Holiness appears in various ways, and we celebrate seriously spiritual Judaism. We blend traditional structure and rigor (Keva - קבע) with personal intention and meaning (Kavanah - כונה) to deepen connections and elevate any Jewish experience.