Interfaith

Reform Judaism & Temple Ahavat Shalom Welcome You

A House of Prayer for All People

Today most Reform congregations have a large number of interfaith families that participate in all aspects of temple life. You can learn about Judaism, participate in worship services, enroll your children in religious school and be an integral part of our community.

The prophet Isaiah said, “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” (Isaiah 56:7) From Judaism’s earliest days, individuals who lived with the Jewish community were not themselves Jewish.

Participating in Services

At Temple Ahavat Shalom, we use both English and Hebrew in the services and provide English translations for many of the Hebrew prayers and readings. If you wish to participate in reading the Hebrew aloud, transliterations (a phonetically written version) for common prayers in the service are always available in our prayer book, Mishkan T’filah (Dwelling Place of Prayer). The Rabbi will give page numbers on a regular basis.

You can feel free to read only the parts of the service with which you feel comfortable or simply listen. If you need help finding the place in the prayer book, ask someone nearby. We want everyone to feel welcome and at ease during services.

Learning About Judaism

There are many ways to learn about Judaism. The Union for Reform Judaism’s website is a great resource. There are also a number of lifelong learning classes with the Rabbi on the weekly Torah portion and many other topics such as Jewish values and ethics, commentaries on sacred texts, literature, music, and religious practice.

Although some people who take these classes may be considering conversion, many take them for other reasons. The classes can be particularly helpful to those who are not Jewish themselves but are considering raising a Jewish child and to those who wish to be more comfortable at Jewish family events, such as a Passover seder.

Embracing Jewish Life

Temple Ahavat Shalom welcomes any individual who chooses to embrace Judaism as their own religion. Our sages, however, have made it very clear that a conversion is not valid if it results from any pressure or coercion. Therefore, you are welcome in any Reform synagogue as a friend of the Jewish people.