Our Vision, Mission & Values

Our Vision

To inspire lives of Jewish meaning, purpose, and practice in order to be a "light unto the nations."

Our Mission

Congregation Beth Or is a Reform Jewish synagogue inspiring our members and striving for excellence as a Kehillah Kedoshah, or a sacred community. We care for one another, welcome those who seek to join us, work to repair the world, foster lifelong Jewish learning, support Israel and the Jewish people everywhere, and continually reach for that which is holy.

Our Core Values

Core Values are essential enduring tenets; a set of timeless guiding principles that do not change. These 8 principles guide us throughout the strategic planning process and in all our endeavors as a sacred community.

Talmud Torah: We are committed to lifelong Jewish learning.

• We engage all ages of our community in the study of Torah. We believe in lifelong learning -- learning begins early and should never stop.
• We integrate Jewish practice into home and family life through education and creative programming.
• We encourage our members to increase their knowledge of Judaism, strengthen their Jewish identity, and continually grow as Jewish individuals.
• We believe that sustaining an active and vibrant learning community strengthens our connections with each other and ensures our future as a people: L’dor V’dor - From generation to generation.

Kehillat Chesed: We are a caring community.

• We provide a warm and welcoming environment for all members.
• We are a caring Jewish community that focuses on acts of loving-kindness. We support one another in times of need. We welcome the stranger, comfort the mourner, and rejoice with the bride and groom.

Betzelem Elohim: We are all created in the image of God.

• We welcome all who come to Beth Or regardless of sexual preference, racial background, special needs, or country of origin.
• We welcome and actively encourage participation of individuals and all types of families, including single families, adoptive families, conversionary families, and interfaith couples and families choosing to raise Jewish children.
• We actively engage all of our members, particularly our youth, through the highest standards of education, innovative and engaging activities, and social service projects.

Kehillah Mishutefet: We are a participatory, open community.

• We value openness and participation, teamwork and consensus building. We want every voice to be heard.
• We desire full involvement of our membership - regardless of gender or background.
• We welcome new members and offer them full participation in all of our activities, including our bima, our committees, and in our hearts.
• We enthusiastically embrace Jews-by-Choice and we delight at their participation. We welcome interfaith families and offer support to our members of a different faith who help to raise Jewish children and maintain Jewish homes.

Tefillah and Mikraei Kodesh: We affirm the essential nature of prayer and sacred holidays and moments in our members’ lives.

• We maintain our Jewish way of life and connection with God.
• We encourage our members to worship frequently, not only on Shabbat and the festivals, but also at times of personal stress and joy.
• We seek to reach the highest and the noblest in the human spirit through our worship.
• We affirm personal autonomy in our ritual observance. We seek to educate our members in our rich traditions so that they may choose meaningful paths for themselve

Kavod: We value the respect that must exist among our clergy, staff and lay leaders.

• We honor the principle of “freedom of the pulpit.”
• We value the education and experience of our staff.
• We have an open governance structure that maximizes the effectiveness of our lay leadership.

Tikkun Olam: We are responsible for repair of the world.

• We follow our faith that calls us to righteousness and moral engagement within our world.
• We seek opportunities for our congregants, clergy, and staff to become intimately involved in activities that sustain our moral values and position Congregation Beth Or as a leader and role model for social action.
• We support social justice projects because we believe in fulfilling our biblical mandate to care for widows, orphans, and strangers by feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and housing the homeless.
• We encourage all congregants to give Tzedakah as part of our call to Tikkun Olam.

Am Yisrael and Medinat Yisrael: We are a part of the people of Israel and have a special relationship with the State of Israel.

• We ensure that our programming - including our educational programs for all ages - reflects the centrality of Medinat Yisrael to the survival of the people of Israel.
• We affirm our special connection with the Jewish people everywhere.