RENEWALS ARE COMING: GET READY FOR ANOTHER YEAR @ TJ!

To many people, summer is a time to slow down. The academic year draws to a close. Days get longer and lazier, the traffic lightens, vacations are scheduled, and with the warmer temperatures comes an unhurried pace. Here at Temple Judea, summer means things are just starting to heat up as we enter one of our most important seasons: renewals! Over the next few weeks, we’ll be inviting you to renew your annual commitment to Temple Judea for the coming fiscal year of July 2026-June 2027.  

Commitment means many things to many people. Yes, it’s a financial commitment. Like any cooperative, Temple Judea is lovingly sustained by you and the congregants who call it home. Without your financial contribution, we could not exist to provide meaningful worship, lifelong learning, deep friendships, pastoral support, community programs, and countless moments of connection. But renewing is also another kind of commitment: it's a personal commitment to your friends, your classmates, the people sitting next to you in the sanctuary. It’s committing to standing strong for what you believe. It’s committing to each other, to the strength of Judaism, to the understanding that being Jewish means doing your part. Your commitment is - literally and figuratively – the future of the Jewish community here, and around the world. 

With that shared responsibility in mind, Temple Judea’s Board of Directors has approved some changes that will be reflected in this year's renewal packages. Temple Judea's Security & Maintenance Fee will increase by $100 annually to help offset rising campus safety costs. Supporter and Patron membership contribution levels are also increasing in response to growing operational expenses. At the same time, we made the intentional decision not to increase membership contribution rates for enrolled school families, recognizing that tuition across our programs increased 5% this year to support the high level of care, staffing, and Jewish education our students and families rely on. 

For additional context, while our standard Supporter membership is now $3,600 annually, the actual cost to sustain Temple Judea is significantly higher. It costs more than $4,300 per household each year to support our clergy and staff, maintain and secure our campus, keep facilities running, and make the many programs and experiences at Temple Judea possible. Of course, most families are not expected to contribute that full amount. Our membership structure is designed thoughtfully, recognizing that many families are balancing other financial commitments to the Jewish community, like tuition. It’s one of our core values to care for one another—and to ensure that everyone has a place at Temple Judea. That naturally creates a gap between membership income and the true cost of operating the synagogue. One of the most important ways we bridge that gap is through our Pillars - members who voluntarily choose to increase their annual contribution beyond the the full level for their membership category. Pillar giving plays a crucial role in keeping Temple Judea fiscally strong while keeping participation accessible for so many families. If becoming a Pillar feels meaningful and possible for you, you can select a Pillar level directly on your renewal form. If you’d like to learn more about this program, simply email Kimberly Birbrower at   or call her at x203 and she will be happy to assist you. 

Please know: however you give, however you show up, your commitment matters. When you renew, you’re saying yes to Jewish life, yes to community, and yes to the kind of sacred belonging that makes Temple Judea feel like home. Here’s to another meaningful year as a Temple Judea family!