Mission
MISSION STATEMENT
The purpose of the Synagogue shall be to maintain a congregation to perpetuate Judaism, to serve the Jewish people by providing a place where they may worship and where the teachings of Judaism may be made known, to promote Judaism in all aspects of life by means of public and private worship, by religious education, and through social welfare activities.
What have we been up to during the pandemic? (1) We have held virtual Shabbat services every Friday evening, sharing conversation, prayers, and lifting the anxieties of all us! This was a big change from our usual Shabbat services which we held once a month. It was a lifeline, letting us “be” with one another at a time when we feared being around other people. (2) We started a new program of adult education, sharing the reading of two fascinating books – one written by Michele Obama’s speechwriter on discovering her Judaism and the other on the great philosophers of Judaism. Led by Rabbi Helaine, Welearned more about our rich past, and it led us to think about our own views on Judaism and God.. (3) And last but not least, we enjoyed the rich experience of zoom High Holidays when we could bridge distances between family members, and all be “together”, shared our Haggadah for Passover, and celebrated Purim. We spiced up these special services by delivering tasty holiday reminders – cookies, apples and honey, and more – made by congregants to everyone’s home!
Thank you to all who participated!
If you would like to make a donation to PRS to support our efforts please send your gift by snail mail to: Philipstown Reform Synagogue, PO Box 94, Cold Spring, NY 10516
VALUES STATEMENT
We are coming together as a sacred community to provide a place of Jewish worship, learning and assembly. We hope to nurture the spiritual and educational welfare of the congregation and work together to fulfill our sacred obligations to those in need in the greater community.
Our focus is to cultivate a caring, inclusive community in the spirit of liberal Judaism. We are committed to a participatory and democratic process both in congregational governance and in ritual. We welcome individuals and families of varying Jewish lifestyles. We dedicate ourselves to a policy of nondiscrimination on the basis of gender, sexual orientation and interfaith family structure in all aspects of congregational membership, leadership and ritual involvement. We will work together to develop meaningful Jewish worship that includes an English transliteration of Hebrew and an emphasis on spoken English to make all aspects of ritual observance accessible.
Our personal philosophies and practices may vary widely among us. However, we are united in a common commitment to Judaism, to furthering our spiritual growth individually and communally and to engage in charitable works in the community.
We recognize that study of Torah is an ongoing lifelong process. Development of Jewish identity and knowledge of our traditions will encompass religious and educational programs for children, adults and intergenerational groups.
We hope to encourage and support one another as we grow in our studies and in loving-kindness and social responsibility.