Fantastic kiddish, welcoming congregation that really felt nice, with a lovely service and nice…read moreRabbis.

I whole heartedly agree with Jeff's review! The community…read moreneeds to know that the Sisterhood runs one of the best Judaica Shops in the area (2019 Winner of Best Judaica Shop by the Washington Jewish Week). The Shop is open now, even during the pandemic, but by appointment only. Call 301-770-7577 for more information.

Such an amazing synagogue!!! They are so welcoming and friendly. I have been very happy with my…read moreexperience with the temple so far. Love Rabbi Weiss!!

Not being from the area, I came across Temple Isaiah while searching for nearby Temple to observe…read morefor the high holidays. The Rabbi, Congregation and Service(s) were all extremely enjoyable; happy I chose to attend here.

A wonderful Congregation. Two great Rabbis, two cantorial soloists. One is the founder of the…read morewell known Klezmer group Lox and Vodka. Reform Congregation and very inclusive. There are many mixed marraige families who attend and all feel comfortable.

We went through a really rough patch when my wife was pregnant with our third kid. She was…read moredangerously sick with chest pains and worse that kept us bouncing from specialist to specialist, trying to tease out exactly what was wrong. I was doing my best trying to be there for her and our two girls and keep up with work as the sole breadwinner (fortunately, I work from home), and our household was kind of falling apart. I shared some of what was going on to friends at Oseh's religious school, where my oldest daughter was a student. About a day later, they had organized a Meal Train for us of fellow members who came almost daily for two weeks to bring healthy meals and help share the chores and childcare. I can't express how much that meant to us. It gave us enough breathing room to figure out the issue at last and turn things around; a few months later, our son was born happy and healthy! I'd been happy to be a member at Oseh Shalom before, but that experience really transformed the way I saw the synagogue and the people in it. This is a valuable place to be a part of through highs and lows in life alike, full of caring, multitalented people. I'm delighted that my kids will be growing up here the way my wife did.

This synagogue is exactly what we were hoping for. Oseh welcomes all; traditional Jewish families,…read moreintermarried families, mixed race and LGBT families. Oseh's religious school has done a great job accommodating student special needs without any stigma whatsoever. Some of our favorite things about Oseh: the people, the focus on Tikkun Olam through the Winter Shelter, the relationship with Elizabeth House and the Laurel Area Shelter and Food Bank, Teen Connect activities, religious school electives like cooking and Israeli Dance. One student even raised money and sought volunteers to build our own Gaga pit. It's wonderful at Oseh!

I love this synagogue and hope to spread the word to others looking for a caring community where…read moreyou can learn and grow your Judaism in whatever ways work for you. They come together not just for fun and social events but to support each other in times of need, illness and death. The clergy are amazing and you can get involved in many ways. Both adult and youth education are innovative and relevant. There are voluntary dues for young families and you should see the amazing new playground!

I grew up as a member of this is the synagogue. I have only the fondest of memories of this place,…read moreand on my very few returns since high school I have not been disappointed. Rabbi Weinblatt is an incredibly engaging and insightful speaker with a veritable command of Jewish humor. When my family joined in 1996 the congregation was less than 5 years old and thus featured a younger demographic. Since that time the congregation has aged a little bit and attendance on Saturdays is a bit lower because there are fewer Bar Mitzvahs. Nonetheless, there are a good 1000 people here on the High Holidays. Back in the day I believe the synogogue's membership included over 500 families. The pastoral Potomac campus features an absolutely beautiful building that I'd characterize as Mediteranean Postmodern. There is even a small stream on the back side of the property that is used to throw bread into the water on Rosh Hashanah (Tashlich). This is a Conservative Synagogue but the Rabbi speaks in english when delivering many of his thoughts on the Parsha. Men and women are mixed at this shul, but all of the Torah reading is done in Hebrew. This synagogue is noticably more conservative and slightly smaller than Washington Hebrew and Temple Beth-El. This very vibrant Jewish community is the bar by which I've always metered synagogues I've been to since.

My family joined Beth El way back in 1957, very shortly after it opened. My mother and aunt still…read morebelong to the congregation. My sister & I attended Sunday School there for eleven years/each and we were confirmed at Beth El. I adored Rabbi Scolnic & Judy and I've been very impressed with Rabbi Rudolph's kindness & humor. The staff - and there are many - have always been wonderful. In particular, I'm very fond of Ricardo; he's in charge of senior programs and my mother participates in those. The kitchen & the facilities staff are terrific and there's very little turnover (I fondly remember Dorothy Beverly, who ran the kitchen for eons). Cantor Lubin had an incredibly beautiful singing voice and "a heart of gold". I've also heard great things about the new cantor. The receptionist - Hattie - is very friendly. Beth El's Nursery School has always had a superb reputation. My sister & I belonged to Beth El's USY (youth group) and loved it. I have great memories of attending my sister's wedding and two of my close friends' weddings at Beth El (I met them via USY in 1965 and we're still friends). I have special memories of attending my late grandfather's 90th birthday party at the Morning Minyan, where the beloved (late) Max Cohen prepared the food. I spoke at his funeral service at Beth El....I have myriad memories of my association with Beth El throughout my life, both happy and poignant. The thing I love in particular about the congregation is that its large size doesn't detract one bit from its incredibly personal ambiance. In recent years the building has been expanded a few times due to increased enrollment and it's a beautiful place. I'm not a religious person, but I love Beth El in its entirety.

This is an odd review. I am not Jewish. I donated blood this morning through Inova Blood Donation…read moreServices at the Congregation Beth El in Bethesda. Members of the congregation were volunteering at various stations. I was so impressed with the kindness, courtesy & respect with which I was treated by the volunteering members. This was such a positive experience - I left with a warm feeling for these generous people who gave of their time to volunteer. Sincerely, Susie

I went here for High Holy Services since I was in Maryland for that this year and what a great…read morechoice!! The Cantor is honestly angelic in both appearance and voice. The Rabbi is so warm and friendly, I spoke to him on the phone for about 10 minutes before I came to pick up my tickets. The whole congregation was so warm and inviting, if I was living in the area permanently (and living closer as Gaithersburg is quite schlep) I would definitely consider membership here. Just a really great community! I am so glad I was able to spend some time here and wish I could pack the Rabbi & Cantor and take them back with me.

This is a warm and inviting synagogue. I love the music lead by Hazan Tasat and the choir Kolot…read moreHaLev. The music adds to the spiritual depth of the service. As a "transdenominational," it takes "the best from all the movements." I couldn't ask for more.

I am so excited about our great High Holy Day Services - especially the music and the Teen…read moreservices!!! Check out the website ShiratHaNefesh.org to come! This is a small warm community with a wonderful commitment to spirituality, music, education and involvement. All of our best friends are there - and we meet new friends all the time! I am learning so much about my religion, my self and our wonderful Rabbi Gerry and Hazzan Ramon give us all new insights every week. I sing in the Kolot HaLev Community Choir and we reside with Shirat HaNefesh once a month (except during July and August). I love how we can bring the prayers back to life with both age old arrangements from Vienna and Italy as well as new music written by contemporary composers - including our own Hazzan! It just turns prayer from something obligatory into something transcending. And my kids love it - they are learning so much and creating the most soulful art projects during Saturday school. I love that they can go to their learner's minyan and class while we go to services and we are all together for Shabbat. We're always looking for friendly faces to join us!

I have belonged to Temple B'nai Shalom since its inception in 1986. Never have I met a more…read morewelcoming group of Jews. EVERYONE is accepted with open arms. There is very little gossip and almost no cliques. It is the kind of synagogue I didn't think existed. Although there is, of course, a concentration of programs to educate the young, it is not a pediatric congregation. There is much for adults and seniors as well. The only criticism I have is that the entire Reform movement has leaned too far into the traditional for my taste. I liked my religion in English and with a minimum of chanting. The Union of Reform Judaism has, over the past 20 years, leaned in the other direction, so Classical Reform hardly exists any longer. This is my personal taste and does nothing to diminish B'nai Shalom as a congregation. B'nai Shalom supports the food bank at Lorton Community Action Center all year. This is done with enthusiasm, generosity, and wholeheartedness.

Our family has been members of this outstanding Reform Jewish congregation for many years. You…read morecouldn't find a more active, welcoming, and spiritual synagogue anywhere.