Inclusion

At Temple Beth-El, we treasure diversity and welcome congregants who are young, senior, single, married, Jews-by-Choice, interfaith couples and families, LGBTQ+ people, those physically impaired or neuro-diverse, anyone interested in learning more about Judaism. Through programs and worship, we make every effort to ensure that our community is inclusive, and all who come here feel welcome.

How will we do this?

• We will invite and celebrate the diversity of ethnicities and cultures, sexual and gender identities, physical and intellectual abilities, religious observances, economic circumstances, and political perspectives.

• We will honor each other, welcome each other, and — most importantly — recognize that in our home, everyone sits and is nurtured at the same table.

• Temple Beth-El will be a community that encourages the discovery of others and in which every participant is seen and appreciated for their unique gifts.

• We will commit to ensuring that in every aspect of community life, we will embrace the diverse and ever-changing lifestyles, needs, and abilities of the people in our community.

• We will design all our offerings in a manner that recognizes our kaleidoscope of family makeup, worship style, and cultural practice and places them within the context of our Reform Jewish values.

Inclusion Team:

Our Mission: To assure that all who are present at Temple Beth-El are able to participate in spiritual, educational, social, celebratory and life cycle experiences.

Our Vision: We are a community that practices a Judaism that helps us thrive and make the world a better place.

Our Belief: We are inspired by the rabbinic teaching, “Kol Yisrael arevim zeh bazeh,” or “All Israel is responsible one for the other.”  We understand this expansively to refer to “all people.”  This belief compels us to view inclusion as reciprocal, rooted in empathy, dignity, and equity.  By prioritizing this culture of diversity and inclusion, we can realize our vision.

If you are interested in being a part of our inclusion and accessibility committee, or for inclusion assistance, please contact Jessi Hersman at jhersman@templebeth-el.org.