Asalaam Alaikum - This is a small, convenient masjid (mosque) north of Boston and about 15 minutes…read moresouth of Salem. It does not look that great from the outside, but inside is quite big and holds at least 100 people for jumuah. I had no idea there was a small, but thriving Muslim community in this area - mostly Arabs, with a smattering of other nationalities and ethnicities thrown in for good measure. There were even a couple of Arab, halal meat stores nearby!

My dad and I walked there on Friday nights and Saturday mornings many years ago. I so remember the…read morecantor as well as the men dovening. Extremely peaceful as well as respectful.

To this day, I'm still ever super glad that I chose to say yes to coming here with a team from RCC…read morein NJ last July. Such a life-changing week and it definitely transformed the lives of everyone in my team. We literally lived on their 2nd floor for a whole week through a mission organization called Touch The World and got to experience all the joy and blessings that came through serving the people of Lynn alongside the awesome folks at ECIC :) Their arms are so stretched out and touching everyone in the community. From the Haven Project, the MetroKids, the food pantry, the LOTH coffee shop, to the My Brothers' Table - everything they do have the well-being of the people of Lynn in mind, physically, mentally, spiritually. I highly recommend checking out the Sunday services at 9:45, 11, and 12:30 (dang - I still remember it after saying it hundreds of time throughout that one week). Everyone is welcome and when they say everyone, they really mean EVERYONE. They will welcome you with open arms. There is also children program called "All City Kids" and youth program called "All City Youth" if you got kids of those age.

AMAZING is the first word that comes to my mind as I write this review…read more I was first invited by a friend and decided to attend a Sunday service with my children. I was surprised by the diversity and acceptance of all that were in attendance. People of all ages and backgrounds just appeared to be at ease. Everyone was all smiles and very welcoming. Being in my twenties and not knowing what to expect, I was super nervous to attend as I have mostly been to Catholic churches in the past and not regularly. But I was at ease almost immediately. I signed my children into the kid's programs they offer before service started. There are various programs for kids of all ages (Lil' City Babies for ages 0-2, a nursery; Lil' City Kids for ages 3-4; and All City Kids, for ages 5-11). They really interact in such a positive way in all these children's lives. My children left so happy, excited to share their experience, and with a desire to return. I mean what kids honestly say they cannot wait to go back to church????? Well, here at ECIC, your kids will!! The adult service is so refreshing and relatable. There is music, a great sermon, and even good coffee lol. They also have a Wednesday service that follows with small groups so that you can reflect on what was discussed. I have gone every week since and wouldn't have it any other way. For the first time EVER, I feel like I can get close to Jesus in a way I didn't know was possible and it is because of this loving, accepting community. ECIC gives back to the community on so many levels, check it out, don't be shy. There is no parking lot which can be a bummer, but there is street parking available.

The pastor was literally crowd funding during a sermon telling the congregation that Jesus wanted…read morethem to buy the property next door, pressuring people to contribute more than they normally would. He's also gone on incoherent rants about astrology and generally makes no sense. Dude thinks he's a rockstar, but he's really a misguided idiot. Save your brain cells.

My family visited the church a few times. The leadership seamed to be very solid and the community…read morewas very welcoming.

Over the past few decades, many North Shore communities saw a decline in their Jewish populations;…read moremany synagogues shrank or shut down. Yet some communities have stayed strong, like Marblehead and Swampscott. And some places offer new life to the community. Chabad of the North Shore is one many new outreach centers (nationwide and worldwide) that reaches out to Jews of all backgrounds and observance levels. Chabad has a point of view, like any group worth respecting does. It's Orthodox, an open-hearted Orthodoxy that meets Jews where they are, offering pathways to a meaningful Jewish life. They're not missionaries; rather, they inspire Jews to become educated about their own heritage, and to take a step up the ladder of observance, from wherever they are. As is traditional, some rituals are for men, some are for women; only men can be rabbis; and there is a tasteful mechitzah (divider) between the men's and women's sections during prayer services, made simply of a row of trees in planters. Women and men are both valued equally. Chabad encourages women to study Torah and Talmud, and to teach. At their community seder, the service was led equally by the Rebbetzin and Rabbi. The Rebbetzin teaches classes on Talmud and on Kabbalah. That's egalitarian, even if not Reform style. My family has been to the Chabad Community Synagogue for their community Purim party, a traditional Shabbat morning service, and to their community Passover seder. We felt most welcome! I have been to many kinds of synagogues, and what matters most is this: Is there joy? Ruach (spirit)? Does it encourage people to come to again, and inspire children to think "Judaism is worth doing, learning, celebrating." Chabad of the North Shore succeeds in this. Their Purim celebration and Passover seders were lively, and a joy. If you haven't been to one, you are missing out. The Shabbat service could use more Shlomo Carelebach-type melodies and harmonies. But that's true of nearly all synagogues nowadays. It also could use a few more moments of prayers in English, which helps keeps people involved if they don't know the format. That aside, this is a place very much worth coming to, and a worthy addition to the Jewish community of the North Shore.