It's nicer on the inside…read more Don't tell my rabbi, but if my family was ever to leave our current temple, this would be where we would go instead. I love Rabbi Don, who presides over Albany's smaller reform congregation. He loves food, grows his own hot peppers, cooks, and plays a mean guitar. A rabbi who can carry a tune is a rare commodity and not something to be overlooked. Plus he's funny, and just a really nice guy. Reform Judaism is a funny thing. And there are a lot of people who go for glitz and glamor in their synagogues. That's not really my scene. I want a place where I can come as I am, and B'nai Sholom is like that. Some might dismiss the place out of hand, given the building's exterior design. It looks a bit more like an industrial warehouse than a house of God. I wasn't joking when I said that it's nicer on the inside. It is. And not just the physical aspects of the building. But there is a warmth in there, that I think emanates from Rabbi Don, which I find to be particularly appealing.

It feels a bit weird to say this after just being a member for a couple of months, but I love this…read moreplace. My family and I kicked around the Jewish community in Albany for a couple of years looking for our spiritual home. And of all places we found it in Schenectady. We feel it is a great fit for us. It's not too big, it's not too small. It's not too religious (I don't feel guilty about my love for bacon), it's not too secular. It's not too fancy, it's not too drab. There is a word in yiddish that sums it all up nicely, and that is haimish. For those who don't know what that means, it's "having qualities associated with a homelike atmosphere; simple, warm, relaxed, cozy, unpretentious, etc." They also have an annual Jewish Food Festival, which I have to say I'm excited to be participating in this year. Don't tell the rabbi, but it also doesn't hurt that I can drop my kid off at Sunday school and then hang out at the Schenectady Greenmarket. I love it there, and I love any excuse to make the trek out to the Electric City.

From the owner: Gates of Heaven is the oldest Jewish congregation in Schenectady, NY, with over 300 member…read morefamilies, many of whom are multi-generational members, and a senior rabbi who has served this community for over 30 years. We offer a variety of programming for young families, single adults, and senior members, including social, educational, and spiritual experiences, in following with the Union of Reform Judaism. Our supplemental school, Gates Quest, provides high-quality education to children from preschool through 7th grade, followed by an enriching high school-level social group we call GOHTY (Gates of Heaven Temple Youth), and adult education programs throughout the year. Holidays like Purim, Passover, High Holy Days, Sukkot, Hanukkah, and more, bring opportunities to come together to celebrate our history and our culture. Join us for a Shabbat service, Shabbat family dinner, Torah Study, or one of our many upcoming weekday programs, and see what sets us apart from other congregations in the Capital District! No commitment necessary for your first visit; our Gates are open to all!

This is a lovely building housing a wonderful congregation. The people who practice their faith…read morehere are like family and welcoming to new members and visiters. The school is inclusive and the annual Carrot Festival, open to the public, is a fabulous community event for all family members, including children.

hi, i am a young married mother of two beautiful kids. my husband and i love to travel and see…read moredifferent places. well when my husband and i were traveling to lake George and our car broke down we decided to stay in the town nearest the exit where our car would be fixed. turned out to be troy. so my husband and i both being modern orthodox decided to look up the local synagogue to see if there was a place to have services for Friday night, since our car broke down on Friday. well, we called up Rabbi Morrison, and he told us to come, so we went and had such an amazing time there! there was really i mean really good food! The synagogue is just one of the most beautiful synagogues I've seen in New York and the congregation is really warm, and friendly. we sad to leave and as my husband and i were about to go we offered to pay for the meal and services, which common in places like Manhattan and flatbush, Rabbi Morrison refused to take the money. He said that he couldn't take the money because that's what fellow Jews do for one another, they help each other out. Needless to say, my husband and i were really impressed. So i would rate and say Beth Tephilah synagogue is one of the most warm, generous, and beautiful places i, my husband and my kids been too. i would definitely revisit !

I have two children attending TI both through the lottery. We love this school so much. When I drop…read moremy kids off at school I am filled with a sense of peace and joy knowing they will be safe, loved, and cared for. I find the staff all to be very passionate about teaching and well-suited for their roles. The communication between the teachers, director, and parents is excellent. We get weekly (sometimes more) updates on what they are learning and what is needed from us / is coming up. Although my family is Christian - we love the Jewish aspect of the school. A Muslim acquaintance of mine is also looking forward to sending her child here soon. Personally, my family has enjoyed learning about the Jewish faith and celebrating the Jewish holidays. There are many kids of all faiths, races, and backgrounds in the UPK and 3PK classes. The diversity is wonderful. Packing a vegetarian lunch took a little getting used to but like other reviewers have mentioned my kid's lunches are very healthy because of it. I send them scrambled eggs, PBJ, lots of fruit, nuts (they have nut-free classes if needed), and lots of cheese and crackers. Both of my kids attend TI currently. When one was at daycare and the other at TI it was hard to manage the Christian and Jewish days off as they weren't all the same - but it was worth it because my kids are thriving at the school. Lastly, I want to say that although we have two lottery spots we loved it so much with our first child we put a deposit down for a private spot in the school just in case we didn't get a spot in the lottery. The director refunded the deposit for us when we heard from the district that we had won the lottery again. (The only lottery I ever expect I'll win, and that's okay lol)

It's understandable why nobody would leave a review for their child's nursery school. The…read morerelationships between parents and teachers is remarkably close. And by the time your child has moved on, the school may be a very different place. Regardless, I thought I would share my experiences. Both kids went through the program at Temple Israel Nursery School. We call it TI for short. And it was great. Was it the best ever? Maybe just a hair below some of the experiences with nursery schools we had in Berkeley and Princeton. But I would be hard pressed to think of a better school in the Capital Region for our needs. Yes, most of the teaches that my kids had and loved have moved on. The administration is different. But if we ended up having another kid, this would be the first place I would call to book an appointment and check out the current program. It was important for me for my kids to have a Jewish education, so I loved that this was in the same building as the sanctuary and the students were able to build relationships with the rabbi and cantors. And that is unchanged. And this may be stupid, but I really loved that little lobby where parents would wait for their kids to be done with school. I met some other parents there back in the day, and we're still friends after all these years. Not only that, but this is "smallbany" after all, so the kids keep bumping into some of the peers from nursery school. It's amazing how that works out.