Welcome to Temple Emunah! I am thrilled that you are considering joining our community. I hope that you will spend some time getting to know us. If you do, you will find us a warm, welcoming, active community with activities and programs for people of all ages and demographic groups.
There are so many reasons that people join a particular synagogue. At Temple Emunah, we like to think of ourselves as providing many doors through which people with a broad range of interests can enter. Our Mission Statement summarizes who we are: a dynamic, engaged, and welcoming congregational family, that builds Jewish identity through learning together, praying together, caring for each other, and working to create an enduring Jewish community in the United States and Israel, in the spirit of Conservative Judaism. We try to truly live our mission; it is so much more than words on paper! This past year, we celebrated our 50th anniversary with a year-long collection of social, educational, and religious events – including a Klezmer/swing band concert , a History Weekend that saluted our founding members, and a Hanukkah/birthday party. Emunah 50 represented so many of the facets that comprise our synagogue prism.
My family has been part of Temple Emunah for over 20 years. My husband and I have two children in their twenties who grew up at Emunah, and we always appreciated that they were (and continue to be!) so comfortable here. While we have no immediate family in the Boston area, we consider the Congregation to be the extended family that we count on so often for support and community. At times of both joy and sadness, our Emunah family has reached out to us in so many ways. It’s a privilege for me to give back just a small proportion of what our family has gained over the years.
Temple Emunah’s primary focus is our commitment to prayer. We have a daily minyan, morning and evening, attended by members and non-members alike. Our services on Shabbat morning are led by lay people, creating a wonderful feeling of community. We offer alternative minyanim, and family and youth services as we strive to provide a meaningful spiritual experience for all who seek one. Our wonderful Rabbinic leadership – Senior Rabbi David Lerner and Assistant Rabbi Marci Jacobs – are inspired teachers, daveners (prayer leaders), and guides to our tradition, continuously helping us to strengthen our connections to our incredible history and traditions.
The Jewish people are known to be the People of the Book – and our award –winning Pre-School, Religious School, and Family Education programs provide compelling opportunities to enrich ourselves through learning within our community. It’s not just our educational program for children and families that makes Temple Emunah a special place. We are very proud of our Adult Education program. Run by a lay committee, Adult Education at Temple Emunah has been recognized as for its outstanding breadth and depth. Whether you are interested in beginning Hebrew, yoga with a Jewish twist, or Talmudic study, you will find a class that interests you.
We have an extraordinarily diverse range of active committees and programs at Emunah. On any given Sunday there is likely to be a brunch sponsored by Sisterhood, Brotherhood or our extremely active 55+ Club. We have social action projects providing food for poor and homeless individuals within the Jewish community and without, tutoring children in urban schools, speaking out and raising our consciousness on important social issues. We reach out to interfaith and nontraditional families, and members across the generations through our Keruv committee, and we take care of one another in times of need with our Bereavement and Hineini committees at the ready. We also have many social events during the year that provide opportunities to meet new people and make new friends. These events are a great way to find other people with similar interests.
I encourage you to spend time at Temple Emunah to find out more about us. Our dedicated staff will be happy to meet with you and answer all of your questions. Please contact our Executive Director, Amy Zaslow, to arrange a visit. If there is anything you’d like to speak with me about, please do not hesitate to call the Temple office at 781-861-0300 and I will get back to you. You can also e-mail me, at
We look forward to hearing from you, and welcoming you personally to Temple Emunah!
L’Shalom,
Marcy Lidman
Temple Emunah President, 2010-2012
PS:
We would love to know a bit more about you, your partner and/or your family. Please help us to know you better by completing our "Get to Know You" form (Click Here for Form).
Temple Emunah is a warm, welcoming, egalitarian Conservative synagogue serving the Jewish communities of Lexington, Arlington, Bedford and more than 25 other towns in Boston’s northwest suburbs. Temple Emunah offers a wide variety of religious, educational, and social opportunities for its members. From traditional and alternative worship opportunities to a vibrant preschool, religious school and adult education program, to a myriad of social and social action activities, Temple Emunah meets a broad range of congregants’ needs, from toddlers to seniors.
Dues are based upon membership category, and are available in our Membership Application Form. Although we expect that all members will pay full dues within their respective category, it is Temple Emunah’s firm commitment that membership will not be denied any individual or family due to financial hardship. Special arrangements will be made in a sensitive and confidential manner. For more information please contact the Executive Director.
We have special programs throughout the year for new members, to help integrate families into the life of our congregation, to introduce them to our professional and lay leadership, and to teach them about opportunities for participating in and contributing to all of our programs. For further details, please visit the calendar or contact the Membership Chairperson.
Seats at services for the High Holidays are included with the cost of membership. Non-members may also purchase High Holiday tickets, through the Temple Office. Any payment for High Holiday tickets will be credited towards the membership dues if you decide to join during the subsequent year.
We invite you to learn more about Temple Emunah. Please explore our website, read a letter from our President, or contact the Executive Director.
Finally, please take a minute to introduce yourself/yourselves to us. You can do that by completing our "Get to Know You" form. Click Here for Form
We also welcome you to visit us.