Temple Beth Am of Rochester/Henrietta

Temple Philosophy

Temple Beth Am is a small Conservative congregation which, since its inception in 1960, has been affiliated with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. Our founding members wanted a different type of Conservative synagogue.

Why is our shul different from all other shuls?

• Full Egalitarianism - women and men are equal in all religious and administrative capacities.

• School Program with a unique individualized approach to Jewish learning for both children and adults

• Large enough to be a community, but small enough for everyone to be involved

• Your most valuable contributions come in the form of your participation

Family Atmosphere

In keeping with our philosophy that family attendance at services should not be limited by the attention span of the youngest member, our sanctuary is equipped with a toy and book corner for young children. Children of all ages are encouraged to participate in the service to the extent of their knowledge and abilities.

The first Friday of each month is our Family Service. We have a family discussion topic, and children are invited to lead parts of the service.

Programs

We are a friendly, people-oriented congregation that has a unique sense of community which emphasizes the importance both of individuals and families.

Members of all ages and from a large range of religious and educational backgrounds are all important contributors to our community.

We pride ourselves on our flexibility and provide various social, education, and religious opportunities for personal growth through learning and celebrations.

Our events include:

• A Rosh Hashanah Tashlich service within two blocks of the building.
• Informal luncheons and dinners to celebrate festivals
• Synagogue skills classes
• Annual summer picnic
• A lively Purim celebration including hamentaschen for all
• School and family events at which all are welcome
• Shabbat dinners including the annual Shabbat Across America program
• Small-Shul Collaborative scholar-in-residence programs

Egalitarianism

Temple Beth Am was the first Conservative congregation in the Rochester area to have full religious participation of both men and women.

Education

Our unique religious school includes a K-7 program and continuing education for teens. Some of the highlights are:

• Students are guided at their own rates through a structured program of study. Each student receives individual attention.
• Students go beyond establishing a Jewish identity and focus on understanding Jewish practice.
• Students can sharpen their skills in a friendly, non-intimidating environment that accommodates the needs of students from beginning to advanced levels.
• Students learn and understand Shabbat and holiday services. Students of all ages often choose to lead prayers or services.
• Post bar/bat mitzvah teens continues their studies at Temple Beth Am.

Youth

Children and teens participate in all aspects of synagogue life, but there are also special programs for them. We sponsor Venturing Crew 36 for young men and women ages of 14 to 20. The crew organizes its own programs throughout the year, including some outdoor activities, such as whitewater rafting and wilderness trips. It also runs fun programs for kids of all ages such as a Sukkah Sleep-In, bowling, miniature golf, a "game show day," and an annual Shabbat Lock-In.

Religious Services

We prefer to have a lively service with melodies, rather than one which mainly chanting or silent prayer. Friday evening services are conducted in a balanced mix of Hebrew and English. The prayerbook has transliteration for most of the Hebrew. The service often includes a discussion topic on the Torah or other timely subjects. Saturday morning services have more Hebrew with lots of participatory singing and an involved Torah Service. It is very important to us that services are meaningful to everyone.

Guests are always welcome at our services. Weekly Shabbat services are Friday evenings at 8:00 pm and Saturday mornings at 10:00 am. Services are also held on all major holidays.

On the third Saturday morning of each month, the Temple hosts a havurah group made up of members of local synagogues as well as unaffiliated families. The more informal service, led by many of the paricipants, is followed by a pot-luck vegetarian lunch at a havurah member's home.

Our service schedule is as follows:

Accessibility

Our synagogue and services are accessible to all. We have a ramp for wheelchair accessibility and can make areading desk available at floor level. A sign language interpreter or Braille prayerbook is available upon advance request.

Membership

We invite you to join us for a Shabbat service or any other event.

Membership information is available from the Temple office at 585-334-4855 (please leave us a message if we're not in), and we are always happy to answer your questions. We have a variety of membership levels and are always willing to accommodate special needs. We also offer incentives for new members.

Location

We are located at 3249 East Henrietta Road (Rt 15A) in the town of Henrietta. We are a mile and a half from both the E Henrietta Rd and Lehigh Sta Rd I-390 exits and a block and a half south of Lehigh Sta Rd, just minutes from the JCC, the Monroe Country Fairgrounds (Dome Arena), and Marketplace Mall.