I have to say that after all these years that it surprises me that Temple Beth El has not been…read morereviewed on Yelp! In one way or another, I've been involved with this synagogue since about 1980 or so, even though I didn't convert until 2002. I had the privilege of meeting legendary founding Rabbi of the new location, Rabbi Rosenthal on numerous occasions in the 80s, including being the photographer for the 1987 (?) confirmation class. As coincidence goes, I attended services tonight for the first time in a long time only to find that tonight is the Yahrtzeit of Rabbi Rosenthal (as well as the first Yahrzeit of Cantor Leah Elstein). It's a beautiful, welcoming place - Rabbi Kadden has helped to make Temple Beth El such a place, and the congregation reflects this. And for those who may have a tendency to shun some of the modern Reform traditions, Temple Beth El has lots of Hebrew in the services, with many traditional melodies. Some Reform congregations have moved to "mostly English" but Temple Beth El still honors the Hebrew tradition, but in a welcoming "you don't have to speak Hebrew to belong" sort of way. I've always liked that. If you're looking for a Reform congregation in the Tacoma area, this is your place. It was for me for many years since my conversion under Rabbi Glickman. We'll very likely be rejoining after our few years' absence. It was a very nice service tonight, and very inspiring especially given the coincidence of it being the Yahrzeit of both Rabbi Rosenthal and Cantor Leah... maymay their place of rest be in Gan Eden. Dave

I'm so incredibly disheartened after my visit to Beth El. My husband and I are new to the area and…read morehad such high hopes in finding a like minded community in our new home. The Rabbi and Cantor where both kind and welcoming, but the general feeling was that kids aren't welcome. We have a two year old, who we took turns taking out into the hall to rock and try to keep quite (she's well behaved but she's also two. She wasn't screaming or yelling, just playing with a puzzle as quietly as a two year old can play). We had been given serval looks from people sitting around us, and not sympathetic, 'oh, we've been there, we understand' looks, the kind of scolding looks that left me red with embarrassment. Towards the end, someone came up and told us she was 'just a bit much too' to be in the sanctuary. I left in tears, I've never felt more unwelcomed in a place of worship.

I am learning so much here…read more The sound healing of Hebrew. The clarity of the scripture. The vast openness of surrender. This temple and her people have amplified my capacity to wonder, ponder and celebrate.

Very real and authentic people. I enjoyed the fellowship at oneg afterward.read more

I tend not to review religious organizations or facilities or groups as, when one is talking about…read moreany matter pertaining to the spiritual, it just seems way more subjective than, say, reviewing a restaurant or store. That said, here are my reasons why, for me and my family, at any rate, this is a wonderful synagogue: 1. They are all-welcoming, of everyone. My hubby is not Jewish. TSHS welcomes all interfaith couples, blended families, the LBGT community (they were very vocal in their support of same sex marriage), everyone and anyone. To me, this is what a religious-based community SHOULD be. 2.This is a community-oriented temple. There are so many opportunities to meet people here and join groups, or simply attend Shabbat services and those at holidays. There are adult-learning classes, a very active single "Tribe" group (they do so many fun activities, I kinda wish I were single again so I could join this group!), groups for teens, book clubs, pot-lucks, Temple trips, and more. In other words, you can do as much or as little as you wish. But there's a LOT to do, if you want. 3. There are two sites - one in Seattle, one in Bellevue - so that makes it a bit more convenient to go. 4. They have awesome preschool and religion/Sunday school programs, and fabulous Bat Mitzvah/Bar Mitzvah training and facilities, and will help you (the parents!) plan these events, every step of the way. 5. There's a focus on community involvement and awareness. I like how there are dialogues with Moslems and Catholics and how there are many inter-faith dialogues and meet-and-greets throughout the year, and how CHurch members come to our services and how we go to theirs. And how there are always opprotunities, through the Temple, to help others in our community (volunteering at shelters and soup kitchens, cleaning parks, clothing drives, etc.). 6. Personally, I like how they have their finger on the pulse of what's going on in the world. This is a very liberal reform congregation, led by a very charismatic senior rabbi and other super rabbis who speak in real-world terms about real-world issues. There's no emphasis on esotheric, abstract issues. The services focus on real, pragmatic themes and current events, and they are able to break down even the most fuzzy theologic material into terms us laymen understand. They have "Rock Shabbat" services where, with electric guitars in hand, they'll sing Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello or The Band tunes, and talk about the politics of the world, and how it relates to Torah. It's all discussed in ways we understand, and in an interactive format that makes us feel a part of the services itself. This is a huge contrast to the very Conservative synagogue of my youth. And I SO welcome these changes!

I love Temple De Hirsch!…read more Even though I have spent most of my time at the Seattle Temple De Hirsch, I attended some services at this Synagogue. The location can be a little confusing, but there is plenty of well lit parking (winter is dark :/). I 100% agree with Nancy, they truly are all welcoming, I enjoy the diverse, genuine atmosphere.

Inclusive and supportive Jewish community with strong Tikkun Olam efforts - make sure you download…read moretheir app or n your favorite app store!

An incredibly welcoming and intellectual congregation, whether you were raised in a Jewish…read morehousehold or have never attended synagogue. I was extremely skeptical of a "meditative synagogue," since I'm well-aware of the celebrity pseudo-Kabbalah "Kabbalah Center" trend. But this congregation is uplifting, mystical, and genuine. It truly embodies the mystic Jewish tradition without new age weirdness. There are no gimmicks. At so many other services, you don't feel like you're really digesting the Torah portion. Here, guided meditation forces you to think about the deeper implications of the text and its applications. And, as a person who has never successfully meditated before, I was able to meditate on the Torah passage with great success and find it more relevant than ever before. Converts, potential converts, and non-Jewish alike will also find a welcoming home here - none of that "cold shoulder" nonsense here, but genuine curiosity and acceptance.

Temple Beth Or has become my second home. TBO is a warm, inclusive, intellectually stimulating,…read morefriendly, and helpful Jewish community with a wonderful Rabbi!

We first experienced the warmth and welcoming community of Temple Beth Or about 5 years ago. We had…read morerecently moved to the area and were greeted as if we immediately belonged. Rabbi Marshall did our son's baby naming and since then we have gotten more and more involved. The level of religious observation runs from super secular to atheist/culturally Jewish to people who keep Shabbat in a strict sense. All are welcomed. With the addition of Rabbi Kort, the synagogue community is headed to even greater heights. We have made some of our closest friends at TBO and look forward to the future we can create there. We hope to meet you soon!

A warm, welcoming community. The religious school program at this Reform temple is vibrant (your…read morekids will not complain about Jewish cooking class or outdoor adventures). Located in the heart of Bellevue but members come from around the region. Don't miss the soul Shabbat with Chava Mirel and her band.

We've been members of Temple B'nai Torah (TBT) for 22 years and keep coming back. Why? It's warm,…read moreinviting, welcoming and open to all. Both our boys were Bar Mitzvahed there. The cantor is great and the new rabbi is a welcome new face, replacing the beloved previous rabbi, who is now on emeritus status. Although we no longer use the religious school we hear it has a great reputation too.

Not a healthy environment for the younger generation. Filled with old people like me. Something…read morefeels awfully uncomfortable here. An all white leadership, feels very unrepresentative of the Jewish community. Came to a board meeting once, the president was awfully emotionally loud, I can't imagine what he's like at home.

It's small and intimate, and offers quite a lot considering it doesn't really have critical mass…read more This does mean there are lots of opportunities to be involved. The "rock-star Rabbi" who was here for four years moved on which was a loss. Over the years, depending upon the leadership, the atmosphere, flexibility, and welcomeness waxes and wanes. When we first arrived, we felt extremely unwelcome. Then, for several years it felt like a very warm, fulfilling, active, growing community! And then it didn't. My recommendation is to drop in (when there's a service or class) as it might just be your perfect place. And then again, it might also not be. But one thing's for sure: you won't know without trying it. Wishing you the best!!!

This review is solely for the Early Childhood Center as we do not attend temple…read more The Early Childhood Center at Beth Shalom was such a blessing to our family! We initially enrolled our daughter (18 months at the time), in a time where we could not find another suitable vacancy for full-time care. As a non-Jewish family, we assumed we would keep her there until we found another opening but very quickly we realized what a wonderful place the ECC was and had no intention of moving her elsewhere. We were in both the 1-2 and the 2-3 class, and loved both! All of the teachers, parents, and other staff were so wonderfully welcoming and caring. I always felt so safe leaving my daughter there, and she came home singing sweet songs, talking about her friends at school, and was thrilled to go there every day. I often got emails and texts with photos and updated throughout the day... such a nice gesture, particularly in the early days when you're adjusting to a new place. We've since moved to the Eastside and had to find new care. We love our new place as well, but still miss ECC and everyone there! Our daughter still talks about her old teachers and sings their classroom songs. We feel so sad that we had to move and truly wish we were still part of the program. I would wholeheartedly recommend the ECC. It's open to all faiths and we never felt any less involved or included because we weren't Jewish. This daycare is such a treasure... such caring and warm staff who are true professionals and clearly love what they do! We miss Leah, Jessica... and the whole crew! - Claire and Family

This congregation offers excellent adult classes, from language to cooking. I very much enjoy the…read moresinging at Beth Shalom and the overall welcoming warmth of the people.

I used to follow Kol Ami. They sent a blog post after 10/7 that I found offensive. When I responded…read morewith dismay, I received the most unhinged screed I have ever been subjected to by a rabbi in my life. Being told once by a Conservative rabbi that I should cancel my marriage to a gentile (now in our 18th year!) was nowhere near as upsetting as her response. She singlehandedly destroyed my desire to seek a Jewish community where I live. I posted this information to Reddit in response to someone asking about Eastside synagogues. I have said nothing further on the matter publicly since then and have been trying to forget about it. Months later, this rabbi just today posted another screed in reply on Reddit, *and* sent a threatening chat message to me. Reddit agreed that this was harassment. She is still with Kol Ami. I realize Yelp is not the place to grind an axe, and so I did not post a review of the synagogue at the time. I am posting this now because I believe new potential members should really know that this is how at least one of the rabbis here behaves in her personal life.

My family and I have been members and guests of several synagogues across the country through the…read moreyears. This is one of only two at which I've felt comfortable and included. Our rabbi is thoroughly invested in tikkun olam, and walks the walk. She is serious about inclusion, and not for just a garden variety of Jews, but for people of color, interfaith families, and differing sexual orientations and genders. We are a diverse family of congregants who aren't afraid to redefine synagogue and observance conventions, and tackle tough socio-Jewish problems, but we expect our members to engage in civil discourse and non-threatening community behavior. Our congregational and religious school staff and volunteers work hard to be supportive and avoid shaming tactics, and we are mapping a course to move us into a connected, active, and brave Jewish future.