Membership Committee welcomes you!
The Membership Committee welcomes you to Congregation Beth Israel. Whether you are a longstanding member, a new member, an out-of-town visitor, or someone just curious to learn more about our synagogue, our committee is here to answer your questions and be of service.
Congregation Beth Israel’s membership includes more than 200 families – mostly from Whatcom and Skagit counties in Northwest Washington state. We are a Reform congregation, affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ).
The Membership Committee is here to respond to requests from prospective members about our congregation and also our region. If you are from out of town and will be visiting Bellingham, please contact us ahead of time and one of us would be happy to show you around and give you a tour of our city. If you are new to the area and decide to attend Friday night or Saturday morning services, please introduce yourself to us. We generally have a member from the committee serving as a greeter. We want to meet you and get to know you better!
Each summer the Membership Committee holds an Ice Cream Social for prospective members in a fun, family-friendly, and informal setting. This is a great way to meet the Rabbi, the Board of Directors, and others considering joining our Jewish Community. Every winter the committee hosts a New Member Event to formally recognize and welcome those who have joined within the past year. Throughout the year we sponsor a variety of social events to encourage all members to get to know each other better and to deepen the bonds within our Jewish Community.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.
Sue Mahar, committee chair
(360) 319-5314
susansklar@gmail.com
Benefits of Membership
Beth Israel invites those who are interested in participating in synagogue activities and becoming part of the Jewish Community of Northwest Washington to join our congregation. We do require at least one member of your family be Jewish. Non-Jewish family members are welcomed and encouraged to participate fully. Currently, our membership includes more than 200 families – mostly from Whatcom and Skagit Counties and Southern British Columbia, Canada. We are a Reform Congregation and an affiliated member of the Union of Reform Judaism.
Our congregation, under the spiritual guidance of Rabbi Joshua Samuels, offers weekly Friday night Shabbat services, twice monthly Saturday morning Shabbat services, regular Torah Study sessions, and ritual observance of all Jewish Holidays throughout the year. All are welcome to attend.
In addition to High Holy Day observances, each year Congregation Beth Israel hosts a Community Seder at Passover, Purim Carnival and Purim Spiel, Hanukkah Party, and a variety of other traditional celebrations. We often host guest speakers on Jewish topics, visiting scholars, and guest cantors who share their considerable talents with us.
Among the benefits of Beth Israel membership are:
- Becoming part of a vibrant, active, and growing Jewish Community
- Having a spiritual home for observing Jewish holidays and important life cycle events
- Joining us as we reach our centennial milestone, and become part of the rich history and tapestry of our congregation
- Participating in the building and consecrating of our new synagogue – ground-breaking begins soon
- Receiving Bar and Bat Mitzvah training for boys and girls coming of age, or B’nei Mitzvah training for adults
- Enrolling in Beth Israel’s Religious School (kindergarten – confirmation)
- Becoming active in our youth group, NFTY-Northwest Chapter, that meets regularly for social and educational programs
- Enjoying special programming for young children (Tot Shabbats)
- Partaking of a variety of adult education classes on a wide range of Jewish topics
- Enrolling in conversion classes for those wishing to become Jews
- Receiving our newsletter, Shul Shofar, to stay abreast of synagogue events and activities
- Becoming active in Sisterhood or Brotherhood
We invite you to daven (pray), schmooze, and come celebrate Shabbat with us. Join Congregation Beth Israel and help us preserve our more than 5,700 year old Jewish heritage.