Interfaith Membership

The Community Synagogue is a home for many interfaith couples and families – including members who are of different faith traditions or no religious background, or living Jewishly, members who were raised by interfaith parents, or who have siblings or children who have partners who are not Jewish. Our congregation has a growing number of supportive non-Jewish members who participate in, and contribute to our spiritual, cultural, educational, community service, and recreational initiatives. We know there are many questions when choosing a kehillah k’doshah, a sacred community, and we hope the following responses will help answer these for you.

Common Questions from Interfaith prospective members:

Will I be welcome at The Community Synagogue and are there other members like me?

TCS proudly welcomes Interfaith couples and families to our congregation. Non-Jewish partners are considered full members of our synagogue. We currently have over one hundred interfaith members. In addition, our Interfaith CommUNITY group is great way to meet other members and to participate in synagogue activities and worship. We also have an Interfaith committee who would be happy to answer any questions you may have and will reach out to you once you join our community.  

When our child becomes Bar/Bat Mitzvah, how will their non-Jewish parent, participate in the service?

Your child's Bar/Bat Mitzvah is an important Jewish lifecycle event and parents are active participants in the service. For example, parents participate in the lighting of the candles and the blessing of the wine during the Erev Shabbat service, and participate in the B’Nai Mitzvah service. There are various ways for grandparents and other family members to participate in the service as well. For specific information please see our Bar/Bat Mitzvah section or speak to the clergy.  

What synagogue activities can I participate in if I am not Jewish?

We welcome and encourage all of our members, regardless of their faith background, to participate fully in congregational life. Whether it’s social action, committee work, the theater group. educational programs, holiday events or religious services, we value what each member adds to our sacred community. If you have interests or questions about any of the specific offerings, please contact our Clergy.