FAQ’s

Temple Solel is a Reform synagogue, affiliated with the national and international Reform movement. Reform Judaism is considered the most “liberal” stream of American Judaism. Of all the streams – Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist, and Orthodox – Reform Judaism’s embrace of the modern world and its lessons is the strongest. Reform Judaism prioritizes making informed Jewish choices; ongoing Jewish learning; meaningful, beautiful worship; gender equality; and tikkun olam (repairing the world through social justice).

You will find our services to be a sweet blend of old and new, traditional and experimental. Much of the service is in Hebrew, and much of it is sung – both by Cantor Israel Rosen and by the congregation itself. Temple Solel uses the Reform movement’s current liturgies, and Rabbi Plost always adds teaching and introspective moments to the worship experience. Services on Friday evening (erev Shabbat) begin at 7:30 pm, and last for about an hour, followed by a Oneg that all are welcome to attend.

Yes – regularly! The first Shabbat of every month includes honoring those who are celebrating birthdays and anniversaries, and usually contains instrumental music that adds to our joy in worship.

For the Summer, we will not be conducting Shabbat Morning Services.  We hope to start again in the Fall.

We have a mixture of evening services and morning services, especially when yizkor (memorial) prayers are offered.

Temple Solel requires four years of Jewish education, and regular attendance, in order for children to be eligible to celebrate bar/bat mitzvah. Religious school is on Sunday mornings.

Where do we start? Our continuing education program is dedicated to making Judaism meaningful – through Torah study on Shabbat mornings (9:30 am), book groups, evening classes, Hebrew classes for adults, our theater group…..whatever your interest, you will find it here at Temple Solel.

Absolutely. We are committed to the ongoing engagement of all of our people, and providing opportunities for socializing and friendship.

Our Tikkun Olam committee is committed to outreach to the Liberia community. We have an annual mitzvah day that benefits the community outside our walls. We have been involved in the eradication of modern-day slavery and hunger issues. We are one of the few Reform synagogues in the United States that has become active in the Sea Level Rise issue, and we have been working with other faith and community groups to raise consciousness about this massive challenge.

Solel has historically been very supportive of Israel and Zionism. Rabbi Plost and Rabbi Frazin are strong Zionists who visits Israel regularly, and who preaches and teaches about Israel on a regular basis. Temple Solel sponsors trips to Israel, and we encourage our young people to spend significant time there as well.

Absolutely. We have many families in which one spouse is not Jewish, and we pride ourselves on making them feel included. We are dedicated to fostering Jewish life, and we are eager to help people find their own GPS in doing so.

Absolutely – and unequivocally. We at Temple Solel recognize and embrace the fact that Jewish family life comes in all shapes and sizes, and we are here to help you feel welcome.

Of course, we encourage all Jews in our community to become affiliated with a synagogue – preferably Temple Solel. For those who are not ready to make that commitment at this time, we offer a “passport” to Temple Solel for the High Holy Days that will allow you to worship with us. For security purposes, all worshippers must have a passport in order to gain entry into our synagogue for the High Holy Days.

We at Temple Solel recognize that some people find synagogue dues structures to be a little challenging. Nevertheless, we are committed to building the Jewish community and helping Jews find meaning. We will work with you. We are simply happy to have you with us. Please call or email the Temple Office at info@templesolel.com if you need assistance.