Congregation Adat Reyim is truly a second home for our family. My 3 kids are thriving in the…read moresynagogue's religious school and enjoy the experiential learning aspects of their Jewish education. The synagogue is incredibly diverse and prioritizes inclusion. I appreciate Adat Reyim's focus on social justice and community service. Highly recommend!

When I was looking for a new place of worship, I first looked for one within my zip code. We joined…read moreback in early 2000 and I am so thankful we did. I am not super religious as I grew up in a reform Synagogues however, I took a Hebrew class that the Rabbi's wife lead and soon I was participating in Services. I had led a Friday night Service, led a morning Shabbat Service and I am a regular Torah lifter (Hagbah). I am so happy that Congratulation Adat Reyim is a Welcoming, Inclusion and allows members to participate in all aspects of Services regardless of religious level or Hebrew knowledge. The saying "We are a community of Friends." Is true to the core.

Rabbi Ruth was very well spoken and it was very educational and humbling at the same time.read more

My son was had his Bar Mitzvah at Temple Solel. It was a great experience for our entire family,…read moreand special for my son,. Who is now in his 40's. The Rabbi at that time was exceptional. Unfortunately, he left and went I believe to a synagogue in N.Y. My husband was in the military at that time, and we transferred overseas. We are retired now, living in Dunkirk, MD. And would very much like to return on a Friday night again. Thankyou, Linda Steinberg

Low pressure, family friendly, not too formal but a respectful and gracious congregation. Many…read morediverse activities in a diverse Jewish (and non-Jewish) Temple Community. You can dive in and lead or slowly integrate at a contribution/commitment level that suits your family.

Ohev was a truly engaging group of people. They hosted our school group and gave the kids an…read moreinformative and fun field trip to learn about the Jewish faith. We visited during a holy holiday and it was great for them to have a practical and personal experience when learning something about beliefs and faith. They answered numerous questions, were able to talk about history and we got a lot of references for the students. Their members were open, interesting and knowledgeable. They encouraged everyone to come for services and to experience it first hand. It made everyone feel welcome and special.

This is a Messianic Jewish Congregation with a mix of Ashkenaz and Sapphardic traditions. It is a…read moretraditional place to learn how Yeshua ha Mashiach (Jesus the Messiah) is the fulfillment of the Torah and the prophecies. Contrary to uninformed opinions, this is most definitely NOT Jews for Jesus. (Jews for Jesus is a movement to take Jewish people from their Judaism into evangelical Christianity. Ohev Yisrael recognizes the Creator's chosen people, emphasizes and celebrates Judaism and is a safe place for Jews and gentiles to investigate and grow in faith.) Renowned Sabbath school classes for kids include Hebrew language lessons and Bar/Bat Mitzvah training; adult education programs on Torah and Jewish history as well as Jewish contemporary life; stable elder-based leadership is overseen by Tikkun Ministries and the congregation is a member of the Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations (UMJC). Small group fellowships (chavurah) help bring faith and fellowship home for those who choose to be so engaged. Professional-grade (mainly minor key, of course) music and interactive Davidic dance are part of the worship, etc., etc., etc... The motto is, "Training the next generation, restoring the body of Messiah in our community."

Welcoming community, excellent preschool and summer camp. Many opportunities for personal growth…read moreand community involvement. The clergy and staff are wonderful.

I spent a great deal of time at Temple Rodef Shalom Nursery School. I worked as an aide for one of…read morethe children enrolled, so I was not employed by TRSNS but spent several days there a week observing staff and their preschool program. I was continually impressed with the professional and caring teachers, who have great approaches towards educating children. TRSNS focuses on exploratory learning, creative play, kindness to others, and respect for others and the environment. Many of the children are not Jewish- this is a great preschool for anyone!

Wow, I can review my synagogue? Neat!…read more In case people are actually looking on Yelp for insights on whether to attend religious services when they're visiting Williamsburg, I wholeheartedly recommend Temple Beth El to you. Here are some things you might want to know before you go: -The synagogue is not affiliated with a movement. This is maybe my favorite thing about it, but it is likely not to be exactly what you're used to no matter what movement you're a part of. Certainly, the advantage is that you'll meet Jews of all shapes, sizes, and persuasions here. -Shabbat services: Ma'ariv is 7:30 year-round, Shacharit is 10:00 AM year round, but they only have Shacharit services once a month (usually first Saturday) during summer. -The congregation is small enough that visitors are usually recognized and possibly asked to introduce themselves during the announcements before the conclusion of the service. -Likewise, if you stand for kaddish, you may be asked if you would like to share a memory of your loved one. You should feel free to accept or decline this invitation. To me it's a pretty heartwarming custom, and I very much enjoy hearing others' memories, but we are all very respectful of those in mourning and do not want to make them feel uncomfortable. If anyone has any other questions about Beth El, I was a Sunday school teacher here for a year and spent many more attending services, so please feel free to send me a message.

My first visit was with a group from the NVJCC. There was a group of 55 plus dancers performing…read more They were energetic and fun to watch. Afterwards a lovely free lunch of deli was served with chips, coleslaw, drinks, and desert. The people were very friendly. The 2nd time was last Sunday to view the movie 'It's All About Friends'. The organization ARC came to discuss the film and how their organization provides support and contacts to families who may know someone with special needs. It was a charming, funny and touching program, thanks.

Back in 2016, we were looking for a synagogue to join. We visited Beth El and fell in love with the…read morewarmth of his congregants. Four years have passed and we feel we did the right choice.

Rabbi Patrick is awesome! He is always there when you need him and will help you out if you can't…read moreafford to go to an event. He is also a very good listener. Give Kehillah a try, you've got nothing to lose and a community to gain!

I am a 70 year old gay man. I have been looking for an accepting community to desperately fill my…read morespiritual void and for me to have an .. connection with a caring group. Thus, I found Kehillah to be exactly what I was craving for-- a diverse group of kind and caring people where you feel like part of a family. In fact I befriended three men close to my age and we go out for lunch every other Friday. We call ourselves the Hebros. We have a wonderful time sharing stories, jokes and our analysis of world politics. However, I had an extremely disruptive experience with the Rabbi. For Pride Month, when prejudice and bigotry are put aside, a celebration was planned where by Kehillah would join with congregation Or AtI'd for a Shabbat service follow by a meal sponsored by the JCC. When I could not get a ticket to the dinner, I contacted the Rabbi and he told me that only young people were invited excluding the mature generation--the generation that as children were bullied and called fags, queers, etc,, were excluded from social event, were repeatedly told we were an abomination, physically attacked, denied civil rights, tortured someone such as Matthew Perry, or murdered like Harvey Milk. We were an incremental victims of HIV and AIDS. As a group we were prohibited from meeting together and were attacked by the police as occurred in the Stonewall Riot. Individuals would deny us services. We were told that we were mentally ill. Employer would not hire us. It was never ending. If you are Jewish then this story should resonate with you. As a gay man I have always been on the lookout for discrimination. Yes, I am on guarc. When I communicated with the rabbi that the refusal to allow senior citizens to attend an event was blatant agism and discrimination. another very public stab in the face of men who want to be treated with integrity. It was cruel. He became irate with me telling me I am always looking for ways to be excluded. He then told for my "spiritual" healing I was to be separated from the community for at least 60 days. He refused to meet with me and handle the situation in a mature, adult manner and exercised power to deliberately cause me more emotional pain and grief. Then he went to the dinner, took selfies with the young gay men and women and posted the photos on the Kehillah website as if to show from his actions that Kehillah endorses blatant prejudice. The rabbi's actions were those of inexperience, immaturity and a blatant lack of moral judgment. I sent him a book, The Velvet Rage, written by a mature gay psychologists detailing the suffering that mature gay men have suffered the time they were children. The rabbi did not acknowledge the receipt of the book nor did he thank me. In my opinion Rabbi Patrick is an insecure and inexperienced rabbi who is in no position to be providing spiritual care or leadership. His actions are deliberate and cruel, totally inconsistent with the moral compass one would expect from a religious leader. I believe that he does have a core of kindness and concern. However, I seriously believe that he would greatly benefit from having mentors to provide him with moral guidance and the development of the leadership skills that he is lacking. I'm not sure when my shunning is over, but I will not allow the immature and insensitive prejudicial behavior of one person to keep me from my spiritual family. I hope he looks for solace and guidance to become a more effective leader. I wish him the best. Isaac K, "ike" Wood MD