Membership Reimagined. 

When synagogues thrive, Judaism thrives. Belonging to a synagogue is like a spiritual insurance policy, guaranteeing community and cultural support for your family at every stage, and a strong Jewish future for our world.  Becoming a member of the Temple Judea community represents a family’s commitment to the Jewish people. 

Temple Judea is committed to ensuring a lifelong connection to Judaism through excellence - in programming, education, staffing, and service. When you become a part of the Temple Judea community, your commitment of financial support  assures a home for a vibrant Jewish community, an amazing clergy team that provides pastoral and worship experiences for all our members, all kinds of innovative services and programs, and more! 

We exist because our members recognize and fulfill their responsibilities toward our preservation.

Annual commitment -- Making your pledge of financial support

Why must we make an Annual Commitment to the Synagogue? Each of us has a stake in maintaining Temple Judea. By committing on an annual basis, you help our synagogue predict and budget, which ensures we meet our day-to-day operating expenses, plan successful programs, and provide support to community members in need. Our annual operating costs average approximately $3,830 per member household, but we understand that not all members can contribute at or above that level. Therefore, we provide annual congregational commitment levels that take into account your other financial obligations to the Jewish community as a whole: 

Friend - Young Adult*, Affiliate Members, Jewish Day School families
Builder - One or more children enrolled in the Temple Judea ECC (Beginner-Gesher)
Partner - One or more children enrolled in Temple Judea Religious School (TK-7)
Patron -  Supporters who elect to donate a bit more than my fair share to sustain our synagogue
Supporter - Anyone 36 and over who is not a Friend, Builder, or Partner. Includes families with one or more children enrolled in Judea Teen Journeys (RS 8-12)
Pillars - Those who give $1,000 and up over their minimum expected annual contribution and are not receiving financial assistance from Temple Judea
* Young adult households are where all members are adults under the age of 36 and all children are 12 months or younger.

Are there any additional required fees? The safety of our community is of paramount importance to us. Since October 7, we’ve increased our security presence on campus, increases that we anticipate will continue for the foreseeable future. In addition, after 12+ years of continuous use, our beautiful campus has begun to "show its age," and needs ongoing maintenance and repair. As a result, Temple Judea charges each household an additional Security & Maintenance fee to help cover these necessary and ongoing expenses.   

Do I need to be a member? You do not have to be a member of Temple Judea in order to worship here. If, however, you plan to worship here regularly and you feel connected to our community, we hope you will join our congregation and cover your fair share of the temple’s costs. In addition, enrollment in Temple Judea's renowned ECC, Religious School, Camp Sababa, and B'nei Mitzvah programs* are limited to members. By joining our extended family, you will also be eligible to reserve complimentary tickets to Temple Judea High Holy Day services* and will receive support from Temple Judea's Rabbis and Cantors for your lifecycle events at no additional charge (after 1 year of membership). Temple Judea wants to be there for you and your family for your spiritual needs, your life cycle events, your educational needs and your social needs. We want to be an important part of your life, and we ask you to contribute to temple life with your time, energy, talent, and financial support.  

Do we turn away those families that cannot pay? Temple Judea does not turn away anyone for legitimate financial reasons, we strongly encourage individuals to make a meaningful commitment according to their means. If you are financially able, we ask that you  work a full annual commitment into your budget and make temple membership a priority investment in your Jewish lives. Consider giving at the highest level for which you qualify, or even something extra. Through this personal commitment to sustain the Jewish community, we can ensure Temple Judea exists for future generations. 

Do congregants pay according to the set levels?  When families experience hardship and legitimately cannot pay full annual commitment, we work with them confidentially to determine an appropriate annual commitment level. However, if you are able to make a meaningful commitment, we hope that you will strive to support us at the highest level so that Temple Judea can be there for you in times of joy and times of difficulty.

*To receive your High Holy Day tickets, you must be a "Member in Good Standing" with no outstanding balances from the previous year. All members will be entitled to reserve general admission High Holy Day tickets good for all Goor Sanctuary services at Temple Judea. Purchase of additional tickets or Youth and Family Programming will be available prior to the services. Tickets must still be reserved by members in advance of the High Holy Days. **School, Camp, B'nei Mitzvah, and other programming may carry additional tuition or fees. These fees are not included in membership.

Have questions? Our Frequently Asked Questions is for some answers!