The philosophy and approach of the synagogue is guided by a series of core commitments.

  • A core commitment to Kavanna (purpose, direction, intention, sincerity, intensity, mindfulness) in all we do in worship, study and religious (social) action.
  • A core commitment to relevance, meaning and spirituality
  • A core commitment to personal religion that speaks to the individual in their life situations and to their heart, soul and spirit.
  • A core commitment to find old rituals and teachings that can express contemporary meaning and be updated to serve as a spiritual vehicle.
  • A core commitment to creativity, which incorporates new methods, new music, and new ideas into our worship, study, social action and educational efforts and programs.
  • A core commitment to maintain fidelity to certain standards, values, ideas and teachings which foster the continuity and creative survival of Judaism and the Jewish community, even as we take from the best of culture to promote Jewish ends and goals
  • A core commitment to spiritual/ethical growth and developing a spiritual practice. Each member will grow and develop according to their own level, ability, background and personality. We seek to attune ourselves to God and God’s creatures (all living things and human beings) through mind, heart and action.
  • A core commitment to intellectual study and clarity as well as emotional experience and responsiveness.
  • A core commitment to the spoken and written word in preaching and teaching.
  • A core commitment to the affirmation of Jews not merely as an ethnicity but as a religious/spiritual community meant to preserve and promote unique Jewish values.
  • A core commitment to inclusiveness in which we have a welcoming attitude to families and people of different backgrounds, orientations, situations, and levels of belief, knowledge and observance.
  • A core commitment to the State of Israel, its survival and flourishing, especially as a cultural/spiritual center.
  • A core commitment to universalism which reaches out to the world, responding to suffering, injustice, immorality, indifference, anywhere and everywhere.
  • A core commitment to religious (social) action that promotes justice, peace and compassion.
  • A core commitment to tzedakah, the giving of charity and using our money for religious ends, called by many the greatest mitzvah (Jewish sacred deed).