Temple Beth Shalom

About

Temple Beth Shalom is a warm and welcoming Jewish community based in Melrose, Massachusetts.

Story

Temple Beth Shalom is a warm and welcoming Jewish community based in Melrose, Massachusetts. We take pride in the fact that people who join our temple have told us they found a "home" at the congregation. We believe that the main purpose of a congregation is to provide a home for its members.

We work hard to create a spiritual home through the beauty of the Jewish religion, a community home through the many ways we try to connect people with each other, a fulfilling home through our many efforts over the years to support Melrose and its institutions via our social action and larger community outreach efforts.

Mission

Temple Beth Shalom is both a Reform synagogue and a Jewish Community Center. We strive to create a spirit of community in ways seldom seen in larger religious organizations today.

We are a small family-oriented synagogue. By "family" we mean the traditional family as well as the larger community family. We have activities suitable for all of our members regardless of age, knowledge of Judaism, or previous experiences. In addition, our religious services are open to participation by everyone in the congregation regardless of background. This participation can be in English or Hebrew. Although we are affiliated with the reform tradition, there is enough Hebrew used in our services to make our conservative brethren comfortable. We believe that the beautiful liturgy of Jewish services should be known and practiced by all. If you so desire, we invite you to read a passage, chant, or partake of the honor of an Aliyah (Torah reading).

On the community side, Temple Beth Shalom provides each member with a network of friends and acquaintances from a wide background of interests and occupations. It is common for new members to find new friends quickly and a feeling of comfort within our warm environment. Our ability to provide this type of environment is the result of a mix of young and older members and the warmth they bring with them. It is a tremendous source of pride for us and a major reason people join.