I moved to Sacramento from the Bay Area and I did not find the people or rabbi at B'nai Israel to…read morebe welcoming. My experience has been that when I've gone to a new temple the rabbi is intentional in meeting with new potential members. That was not the case here. I visited that synagogue because my research showed that its' held values included "social action and communal care" and I connect with those values. The rabbi's sermons were excellent and the cantor has a truly beautiful voice but in my three Friday night Shabbat visits no one approached me to talk and the approaches that I made went nowhere. Disappointing.

I joined this temple over 5 years ago and it has been such a blessing not only for my family but…read morefor myself as well. I have never felt as if i "Were Home" before at another temple then I do here at B'nai Israel. My son just had his Bar Mitzvah on August 26th, 2017 and it was one of the best days of my life. If you and your family are looking for the best temple for your family look no further. We have the best of any staff around, not to mention our Rabbi and Cantor both are sent from Heaven up above and are not like any you have ever seen before. Really this is the best you will ever see or find.

I finally made it to the Jewish food festival. Great advertising this year and I was in town. The…read morefood was delicious and I found some great gifts for Chanukah. I got my Aunt a set of 6 dark blue, purple and outlined in gold Star of David napkins. Very unique and reasonably priced. All of the items were reasonably priced and so many unique gift items. Lots of amazing handmade jewelry. Knitted scarfs and hats, dog jackets, wind chimes, felted items, ceramics. There were also 2 Fair Trade booths. I bought the PaperLl Picado at the one my co-worker was manning. It was great to see him there. The live music was also really good. The Rabbi and her wife did a duet. Seating was scarce, but we were able to find a place every time we came with food. The food was delicious. We started out with the falafel. They had the funniest sign over it- Vegetarian. I wanted to ask where they sold the meat version and what it was like, but I resisted. After touring all of the food. I realized they were catering to those who weren't Jewish. The coconut macaroons were labeled gluten free. I loved the falafel. You paid when you got it and then took it to the condiment table that was chuck full of hummus, mustard, lettuce/cabbage, hot sauces, and Jerusalem salad. Jerusalem salad was included in all meals and you can have as much as you want along with the hummus ect. That was a huge perk. We then had the Corn beef sandwich. It was $10 and more than enough for 2. It was hot so I passed on the matzo ball soup. I heard it was great. The Macaroons were fresh, moist and delicious. They also had free tea and coffee in the back. They had lots of baked goods and frozen items. The baked goods came from a bakery, either Grand in Oakland or the Pita House. Very nice a unique selection. They had chocolate chip challah. I've a big fan of regular and never heard of the dessert variety. According to one person this event was a fundraiser to the community. The family who manned the ice cream booth was putting their earning to a family members college fund. Another booth said 10% of proceeds go to the Temple. What a nice unique fundraiser. Logistic: It was all street parking, which worked out fine. We immediately found a space. They had several parking attendants making sure people weren't parking in the shopping center's main parking. I think that's a great idea as you want a relationship with those businesses around you. With this many people I was surprised there wasn't a line a mile long to use the bathroom. There were 2 stalls and 2 in line when I went. The weather was perfect and a true blessing as most things were out doors. I can't wait to go back next year.

Ever since moving here from the East coast, I've consistently found myself asking "Where my Jews…read moreat?!?" Seriously, the Jewish population out here just ain't like it is back in NYC (insert rant about lack of good pizza options in CA here). Anyway, I stopped by Congregation Beth Shalom for their annual Jewish Food Faire (highly recommended--they have everything from babka and lox to homemade latkes and matzoh ball soup. Oh yeah, and Dr. Brown's soda!!) As a fair-weather Jew myself, I walked in here with very little intention of becoming a regular community member. But then, every single interaction I had with the congregation members was so positive for me. It made me WANT to become involved in the Jewish community again, knowing that such a fantastic place for the Jewish-inclined exists right here in Sacramento! This is the type of place I love to see, and in earnest, it's what a place of worship SHOULD be but too often is NOT nowadays. What can I say, you won't hear me kvetching about Congregation Beth Shalom. I'm smitten!

The people were super inviting and friendly in this congregation. The service was awesome and the…read moreweekend I was there we even broke up into small groups to pray for various needs. A few of the norms for this congregation were a bit different than many other messianic congregations but if you watch and follow along it is pretty straightforward! Overall AMAZING!!!

Beautiful building. Wonderful music. Powerful sermons…read more They read from both the Old and New Testament. The people are wonderful. They are some of the most welcoming people I've encountered. Meant as a place for Jewish and intermarried people, couples, and families to practice their Jewish heritage as well as their faith in the Messiah COVID INFO: They are meeting every other Shabbat at 10:30 am. They have made provisions for social distancing, mask wearing and thorough cleaning. As well as having an online service at the same time.

This is a warm and wonderful temple which really makes everyone feel a part of the close knit…read morecommunity supportive of all it's members. Thank you to the rabbi and all others that pour their hearts and souls in to making this temple what it is!

The first time I came here was on vacation, I needed to a place to pray, eat, and do the shabbat…read morething while mountain biking in the Sierra Foothills around Folsom. After being warmly received by Rabbi Grossbaum, his lovely wife and their adorable children, it was hard not to come back. Unlike many chabad houses, the Rabbi runs a tight ship, services are timely. This is not one of those places that waits for the minyan they know isn't showing up. I've been to several chabad houses where they wait hours for the mythical minyan. Not only do services start and end in a timely fashion, they are filled with song, words of wisdom, and a very friendly atmosphere. No one is going to leave you hanging, someone will find you a seat, grab you a siddur, and if you're not fluent in the liturgy, chances are someone will show you the place. I'm especially fond of the community dinners that are held on one Friday of each month, I've "happened" to join in on a few of these and there's nothing like a good home cooked shabbat meal with freshly baked challah.

It never occurred to me that this place would be on yelp, whoohoo!…read more If you are Jewish, you owe it to yourself to attend one of their many events. If you are unfamiliar with Chabad Inc, they are a worldwide movement of Chasidic Orthodox Jews who follow the Lubavitcher Rebbe. Back in the old country, Chasidic Jews were kind of rebels who championed the piety of the common man, thus these people will always have a soft spot in my egalitarian heart. I am not a traditionally Orthodox person and I do not agree with all of the Rebbe's ideas, but you know two Jews three opinions and all that. The center is run by a wonderful and hardworking husband and wife team. I really cannot fathom how they manage to pull this off, but I am extremely grateful that such a high quality Jewish resource exists in this area. They have programs for men, women, kids and teens. There are also services on Saturday mornings and holidays.

B"SD I would like to give Chabad of Sacramento the…read morerecognition and praise it deserves. Rav Rabbi Mendy is a light whose presence here makes life a lot better. He's been a tremendous help to me over the years, always going out of his way to make things better for me and my family. When I was struck by a drunk driver in 2007, he stepped forward to give me and my husband and son a stabilizing presence that ultimately helped me to heal and move on with my life. He saw me through the big ones...my marriage, my son's Brit Milah, and sadly, my Jewish Divorce. Some things end, not with a rainbow and pot of gold, but a new road in a new direction. Please visit Chabad of Sacramento, and meet this wonderful man face to face. He is the heart of kindness and compassion. They don't come better than Rav Mendy.

Rabbi Mendy Cohen is a good man with a good heart. You will often see him in the news as the face…read moreof Jewish leadership in Sacramento. He is very welcoming and will help you feel at home in the Chabad of Sacramento. His sense of humor is something that is easily admired. The Sacbee once said of him, "with his full beard and sideburns, a wide black hat and somber clothing, looks a little strange, it's because he takes the Bible as his fashion guide. His fidelity to the ways of Hasidic Judaism makes him a highly visible presence in town and a rarity among the Sacramento area's 21,000 or so Jews. He does not mind the attention. Far from it. Cohen, who founded Chabad of Sacramento [in 1994], does not shy from controversy or publicity." The Kiddush after Shabbat services (10:00 am on Saturdays, check their site for the time each Friday evening) is a treat that warms the heart, the belly, and strengthens bonds within the community.

It's been about 5 months now since my BF Jon H. AKA: Joe K. passed away. It took me some time to…read moregain courage to write this review. His loss is still painful and hard for me to adjust. We were together for about 20 years. His brother and sister in law are parishioners at Trinity Cathedral, so they thought that having a formal church memorial would be nice for family and friends to gather and pray. It just so happened that Jon's mother passed a few months after he did. It seemed like a good time and place to celebrate both of their lives all in one worthy location. This church was a very nice and welcoming place for all who attended. The Cathedral Vicar and clergy performed comforting prayers, homily, hymns and communion, along with eulogies by close friends and family. It was still a very sad time for me, but I couldn't help but appreciate the time and sympathy that poured forth during this hour long memorial of blessings for the dearly departed and loved ones left behind...

I've been a member of Trinity since 2012/2013. - We're a…read morechurch with traditional liturgies and all the Episcopal you could ever want - LGBTQ+ affirming and embracing - We participate in ACT, or Area Congregations Together, a multi-faith group that works on justice issues in the Sacramento area - We have an extensive homeless outreach program which includes weekly meals and monthly overnight shelter through Pilgrimage Sacramento - We have a really great kids' program I can't even list it all here.

Five stars for Rabbi Greg Wolf. I'm biased because he wed my wife and I last year…read more The campus in Davis is really nice. I love the redwoods. This is a reform congregation. I come from an ultra-reform upbringing so that's good. I attended High Holiday services last year, and could have believed it was a conservative temple. But it was Yom Kippur and I was out of my head on hunger. That and I'm more a panthiest than Jew...

Everything from the Principal and Rachel, who showed us around, were passionate and professional…read more Loved the facilities and inclusiveness and most of all the caring and values.

I really hope they keep this school open for many years to come! Great learning environment, a safe…read moreplace to be. I recommend this school!