During the first shabbat I attended, the Rabbi noticed my new face immediately and I felt welcome…read more The shabbat service framed the next 24 hours so much that I truly rested and felt grateful for being Jewish. The synagogue offers a variety of activities, each night or event I've attended has been so different from any other. Friendly, warm and welcoming people.

My husband and I really enjoyed working with Rabbi Steve. He got to know each of us, with our…read moredifferent backgrounds and was able to create a ceremony that was very special, weaving in Jewish traditions. He even worked with us picking a Saturday for the ceremony! It was definitely the favorite part of the whole wedding. Thank you!

Since we were having our wedding in Santa Rosa and do not live nearby, we decided to find a local…read moreofficiant, and we are so glad we found Rabbi Finley. From the very beginning, Rabbi Finley was welcoming and helped make both the planning process and the wedding ceremony feel comfortable, personal, and meaningful. In the months leading to our wedding, he took the time to get to know us through frequent calls, in-person meetings, and a pre-wedding questionnaire. That care and attention made our ceremony feel even more special. We were also invited to visit the rabbi's congregation, where his congregants warmly welcomed us with open arms. Rabbi Finley thoughtfully walked us through the steps, customs, and rituals of our wedding ceremony. He worked with us closely to make sure we felt prepared, on track, and comfortable with what to expect, which helped create an amazing ceremony and overall experience. What stood out most was the way he personalized the entire process. He made our wedding ceremony memorable, meaningful, and truly special. We highly recommend Rabbi Finley to anyone looking for an outstanding wedding officiant and a genuinely wonderful person to get to know.

I don't feel like I belong two years later political differences with the rabbi losing my…read moremembership unfairly has led me to choose another congregation. I do not feel I am included here anymore. I am sorry I set my expectations so high two years ago

Reconstructionist/renewal Judaism at its very finest. This lovely community repurposed an already…read moregorgeous women's club as a sanctuary, and seems to be growing mindfully to fill a need for worship and social justice in North Bay. Don't believe me, just log onto a (mixed presence or fully online) Friday night Shabbat service sometime!

If you are seeking a place to actually be yourself and explore your relationship to Judaism in a…read moresupportive, caring community, this is the shul you've been looking for. A warm, very very welcoming, diverse and interesting congregation calls this spot home. It's constructionist, progressive LGBTQI welcoming and one of the few places of any denomination that truly seems like a place where people are attempting to make a community based on love, spirituality and compassion. Come as you are -- everyone and his or her own relationship to Judaism, religion and Jewish services is invited. Whatever your reason for coming, there is someone else there with that reason too. Also, the music is absolutely lovely and gets better every year. And, get this -- services with a sense of humor! All here in the North Bay. Who would have guessed??! Check it out!

I went to pre-school here over thirty years ago. I have been to a couple of Bar Mitsvahs and…read moreservices and always liked the congregation. The mission of B'nai Israel Jewish Center is to provide an inclusive center for Jewish life that addresses the cultural, religious, spiritual, educational, and social needs of those who wish to identify with the Jewish community in Petaluma and surrounding areas. They carry out this mission well!

Very friendly and outgoing people. The Rabbi is a dear! Not to mention her 'angelic' voice!read more

Lana is right about the setting at CBT. It is peaceful and understated with a beautiful big tree…read morethat you glimpse from the pews and that shades the sweet little outdoor amphitheater. Though more importantly to me, it is a welcoming community of friendly and down to earth people. Our family has made many good friends at CBT over the years. When we were "temple shopping" the friendly manner and helpfulness we encountered from the front office was an immediate plus. Adding to that, the Cantor has a beautiful voice, the Religious School Director is full of positive energy and the Rabbi always greets you with a smile (and usually by name). Though we have friends at several local synagogues, CBT feels like home to us.

I went to a large shul for years. Then I found Beth Abraham. WOW! So friendly. I love the services…read morewhich range from peaceful to wild/energized. The kids really do whoop it up. Lots of well educated young kids and teens. Sometimes the rabbi just calls out, "Julie/Sam/Aviva (some kid's name) come lead the next part." Up the kid(s) pop and with a big smile shows off their stuff. Rabbi Bloom is funny, tender, easy to talk to. Lots of Jews by choice here too. LBGT members. Jews of color. Feels very Oakland. I love that the rebbetzin (Rabbi's wife) is so involved with the congregants. She's a big reader, plays (and will teach anyone) mahjong, leads spontaneous dancing at Rock n' Roll Shabbat and Israeli folk dancing at various holiday celebrations - like in the Sukkah. A trans friend wanted to convert and I took him there for his very first erev Shabbat dinner and service. He asked, "Am I going to feel like I landed on Mars?" I answered, "You sure are! There will be kids dancing in the aisles." We are located on a busy street right off the freeway so we do a quarterly street clean up. The photo is from one of those days.

Warm and vibrant, lots of kids, top notch preschool and religious school, great Kiddush lunches…read moreevery week.

I grew up in a Catholic and Jewish background. This was my first Shabbat service since my family…read morepassed away. Everyone was very welcoming. The service was quite long ( 3 hours) and there was a lunch. The majority of the service was sung in Hebrew. My brain shut off at about an hour and a half but very nice service.

I was a Kol Shofar member from age 5 to age 23 (the last year I could go to high holiday services…read morefor free under my parents membership). My family has seen Kol Shofar change over the years from the leadership of Rabbi White to our current Rabbi, Rabbi Derby and now, Rabbi Levy as Co-Rabbi. High Holidays at Kol Shofar hold many cherished memories for me. Todd Silverstein's soulful interpretation of the holiday melodies is a delight to witness. Rabbi Derby's sermon's are always powerful yet accessible. And even though there are many people in attendance, the atmosphere is still warm and familiiar (probably because my mom *always* insists on sitting in the front row, even when we show up late!) There are truly some remarkable teachers here. Fred Cherniss, Rabbi Derby and Yetta Robinson to name a few. I'm not super fond of the Co-Rabbi, Rabbi Levy, but Rabbi Derby is an amazing spiritual leader who more than makes up for Rabbi Levy's shortcomings. If you are synagogue shopping in Southern Marin, I'd definitely recommend you take a look at Kol Shofar. Be advised that Rabbi Derby is on sabbatical for the next 9 mos.

I thought Congregation Rodef Sholom was unbelievable. Frankly, I was blown away by the warmth, the…read moresincerity, and the meaningfulness of the bar mitzvah/bat mitzvah I attended there. I thought Rabbi Stacy and Cantor David were warm, lovely people, so inclusive. If you are looking for someplace to join, boy, this seems to be the place. Everyone I know (okay, three families at this point) feels the same way about the place. I don't want to say anything bad about any place else in comparison, because that's not what I am saying. I am just saying that the congregation here is very lucky. They just went on a working post-Katrina trip to New Orleans with high school students, and they have many other community programs. Caring is the word I would use to describe Congregation Rodef Sholom. It was wonderful.

Friday nights & Saturday mornings services, sometimes meals served. [ pot luck] after or before…read moreservice Rabbi & Staff & Martin & Cheryl are fantastic people. V.friendly group- for the Most Part! Shalom

These are conservative Reconstructionist Judaism devote Jews and are wonderful people to…read morefellowship with in interfaith services, at the synagogue . For almost 2 years my mom and I visited the synagogue to get a real Jewish experience and first hand look at what Israel and Jews are going through in a state of war and anti semitism around the world ! As a messianic Jew who has the guts to enter a synagogue and study them , so as to emulate the preserved Jewish strain of knowledge and authentic Jewish thinking on Torah that persist in longevity in Elohim's grace . Although, my mom and myself were officially kickEd out the synagogue , due to what I posted on Facebook about Judaism general belief that Jesus Christ is boiling in animal feces in the second hell called "Tarturus "; and they only believe that Jesus is down their not the fallen watchers . I only addressed this in a general Judaism statement not what this wonderful synagogue actually believes. The Synagogue felt offended that I pointed out a secret belief that I uncovered in research and spoke that truth not any assumption. I never tried to proselytize or speak evil of these amazing people. But it is the order of Yeshua and the Apostle to speak or represent the Gospel in Jewish circles who still preserve the hope of a Messiah , and allow them to decide to banish me or kick me out the synagogue. I truly want to thank them for my Messianic Jewish authentication of Jewish service , Jewish Spirit and a place that I felt love having to be restrained in efforts to preserve distinctions that will be removed soon by the Messiah. I respect their wishes for the sake of Yeshua my Messiah and the authenticity of His Branch Order of Grafted Israel from elected Jew and Elected Gentile as One House. B' nai Israel holds a mystery that the originator Freemason women brought to the united states from Eastern Europe and Israel missions to the world. Is B'nai characterized or has connotations to the "Nail " hieroglyphics of YHWH , as in the "WH " ? Check them out and have your own experience!