Attending meetings at the New England Buddhist Center has been a refreshing and uplifting…read moreexperience for my life and spirit, even on days when I'm not feeling my best. The community here is incredibly diverse, warm, and welcoming--you truly won't find such a wonderful group of people anywhere else. We also adore the bookstore and they even have a lovely collection of children's books. I highly recommend attending an Introduction to Buddhism meeting and giving it a shot. It's a life-changing philosophy!

I am a vietnamese buddhist that grew up in Brookline, Mass. I drive by the Brookline center and…read moredecided to go in and introduce myself. When I went into the building I was surprise to see an interior that looks like a business complex. I went in and ask a man in a suit if there was any meditation rooms or if they did any buddhist teaching from monks. The man explained the location was for the bookstore and paid events. Than he ask if I wanted to become a member and instantly I felt a bad feeling about this place. I've been to alot of buddhist institutions here in America and overseas and I have never been ask to become a member and maybe even pay for access. IDK what they're up to in Brookline but i don't think it's kosher.

Serene. Peaceful. Healing. Wonderful energy. Beautiful space for meditation, quiet contemplation &…read morecommunity.

What a great gentle, spiritual meditation & yoga class!!! Loved it!read more

Cambridge Zen Center, or CZC as it's commonly known, is a Buddhist temple and residential zen…read morecenter located in a busy urban section of Cambridge, MA. It welcomes any and all to public practice hours every day of the week with the exception of scheduled zen retreats that occur once monthly and last an entire weekend. Free introductory classes in meditation are offered each Thursday night at 6:45-7:15pm week and you can attend this class as many times as you like. Anytime during scheduled public practice you are also welcome to join in. If you are usure of what to do feel free to ask a resident for guidance. Residents at CZC are happy to help you get your bearings and will try to answer questions or direct you to someone else who can assist you. Please be aware that shoes are not worn inside the building and there is a shoe rack where you can leave your shoes. If you choose to come practice please silence your phone before entering the practice hall. Also hats may not be worn the practice hall. All things considered CZC is a unique community of zen practitioners with residents of all ages and backgrounds from around the world. Join us for a vegetarian public dinner on Tuesday nights before practice and get to know us! For further info about scheduling please check the CZC webpage cambridgezen.org

The Cambridge zen center is an amazing place, for many months I woke up at 4:30 am so I could take…read morethe hour long ride from dorchester to sit meditation for 30 minutes. They have weekend retreats that are amazing and not that it should matter, but the food is great. They have meditation morning and night (even noon sometimes), an on Sundays and Tuesdays they occasionally have Kong an (Koan) interviews with one of the Guiding teachers. Thursday is usually a dharma talk by members or residents (it's a residential center too). CZC is part of the Kwan Um zen school which translates to Perceive Sound, so I would highly recommend sitting and perceiving sound there.

Beautiful temple with many different statues. Extremely calm and quiet environment which is…read moreessential for prayers. While I no longer practice Buddhism myself, I went back with my mother and grandmother to this temple I have been to since I was little. It has changed a bit and grown (with the school and library across the street) but is still a welcoming place to all I remember it to be. Be wary that although there is parking there isn't a ton.

We lived the next street over for ten years, and my wife (who grew up Buddhist) swore she could…read morehear chanting on the summer breeze. So we investigated, and found the temple. The sanctuary is a serene place to meditate or pray, and my wife spent some time here over the years. This came with some degree of bewilderment from the monastics who live here, not at all used to white folks showing up. There's also a bit of a language barrier, as the congregants are all from Quincy's Vietnamese community, and most of the monastics are monoglot Tieng Viet speakers.

Very peaceful ambience. They have dedicated priest and regular aarti is performed daily in the…read moremorning at 9am and evening at 7pm. All religious festivals are celebrated with great enthusiasm. Very friendly volunteers. Every Sunday there is event in the evening and dinner is served after aarti.

I grew up in a Conservative-oriented family, but I have the spiritual sense of a (modern…read moremachine-cut) brick and no interest in practicing Judaism, but the loss of my wife to cancer earlier this year and some things surrounding that got me feeling more culturally Jewish, and I started looking at synagogues. Temple Israel hadn't even been on my list, but they were hosting Tisha b'Av this year (the Reform synagogues in that area rotate it annually) and I decided to check it out. I found that I really liked the larger size, active and varied (in age and other characteristics) community, and inclusive approach. "Inclusive" in this regard doesn't simply mean diverse -- Temple Israel certainly is -- but also the participatory atmosphere. For example, they called all new members up -- quite a few of us -- for the aliyah on Yom Kippur morning (and followed that up with the entire congregation during the afternoon). Rabbi Elaine Zecher, the senior rabbi, is very influential in the Reform movement, and listening to her and talking with her it's very apparent why, but one wouldn't necessarily know that the way the clergy interact. I've seen synagogues where the assistant rabbi(s) would better be described as rabbi's assistant or even apprentice, filling in only as needed, but that is not the case here. They rotate who delivers the sermon and tag team during services such that all of the rabbis lead for roughly equal amounts of time and don't "specialize". They are all very approachable and have their own distinct personalities. Despite (or not) it being a large synagogue, I find it very easy to talk with people, which isn't something that comes naturally to me. The clergy is very innovative indeed, but I cannot think of anything that we do that I can say is fundamentally out of line with Jewish tradition. It likely would not be to the taste of someone familiar and comfortable with Orthodox practice. They do use different (and varying) melodies for many of the usual prayers and songs, but that makes it more interesting. As far as the building and location goes, it's historic but well-maintained and updated and fully accessible. Fully validated parking in an enclosed garage right across a street that's really a driveway, along with convenience to the Longwood T stop, make it very easy to attend.

In the hunt for a synagogue in Boston, there were many to choose from! I think I made a good choice…read morewith Temple Israel for many reasons: + It is very accessible via bus or car, and they validate parking in a secured garage. + The facility is old and historic, and very very beautiful + The congregation is the most diverse and varied I've ever, ever experienced. They are open to interfaith, homosexual, young, and old. + Very affordable dues and payment options. The only downsides to this synagogue is that despite the fact that I love the inclusion and diversity, it is a little too "modern", I guess. They break away from the usual "Gates of Repentance" book that most of us are familiar with, using different melodies for standard prayers (sh'ma, viahavta, avot, etc.) that, unless you have always gone to this temple, you won't know.

I totally didn't expect to feel compelled to write a review on Yelp of my first-ever experience at…read morea Shabbat service! (I wasn't raised in the Jewish tradition and I view religion and religious services as things that are very personal and quite subjective.) However, I actually *do* want to add my two cents because... Hands down, Temple Beth Zion has the most genuinely friendly *and* lovingly close members I've ever seen and been welcomed by on my first time attending any kind of religious service as a newcomer. I would have been more comfortable with the the service itself if I'd called ahead and met with one of the rabbis before hand to have them explain it in greater detail. However, I came in right behind a woman who grabbed a program for the service from the half-open drawer on the right side of the lobby. Because of the translations at the bottom of the pages, I was able to understand the meaning of the beautiful Hebrew reading, chanting, and singing that fills the room throughout most of the service. I basically just let it all wash over me and participated where I could figure things out. (If you're not familiar with Hebrew, remember that Hebrew is read from right to left, unlike English, so the program will seem like it's bound backwards at first. You've got this though!) If you're curious about this what a non-denominational synagogue is like, I *highly* suggest that you attend a shabbot service and/or give them a call. My heart was warmed and fortified by this down-to-earth, genuinely loving and welcoming community. I was expecting for my fairly impulsive attendance to be a one time deal, but I might just go back..

Come for Friday night services, and you will feel a lovely energy as the Kabbalat Shabbat psalms…read moreare sung with real ruach and feeling. Stay for no-holds-barred Torah study on Saturday mornings, and you will learn from rabbis, mystics, Buddhists, red-diaper babies, and even skeptics. This is a wonderful Jewish community, and full of love, learning, and mutual respect. After two visits, I felt I had to become a member, and years have gone by and I still feel lucky to be a part of this place.

5 stars for Neenee, for kindness,expertise and patience . I…read morestarted end of August coming to the Temple and enjoying every session. I am learning about learning about the Buddha culture and obtaining Inner peace. Thank you Neenee

I have spent my life searching for peace of mind, tranquility and serenity. I thought I was doomed…read moreto live a life devoid of meaning and purpose. My life has changed since I began my meditation journey at DMC. Thanks to the direction and patience of my instructor Neeni, I have begun experiencing true change and a desire to keep seeking inner peace through the practice of meditation. I don't know where I would be without her, and I am so grateful to her and everyone at DMC who has made me feel so welcome and accepted. If you are searching for the elusive solution to the chaos of life, I highly recommend coming to DMC for meditation classes.