Amazing Rabbanim, great services and a huge congregation. Almost every Shabbat service I've…read moreattended there has been a bar mitzvah. Decent parking, particularly for DC and did I mention that the services are beautiful??!!! I love service in general, so it's not like you'll hear me say there was a bad one, however the services here are especially uplifting. Maybe this is because there seems to be a great age mix and they provide options for each one. If I were staying in the DC area, this would probably be the best place to make my Shul home. The ethnicity mix is nice too; it is always uncomfortable when I go and stand out, then all the questions start pouring in about how did I get to be Jewish (wait...you mean I'm black?!?!...kidding). Thankfully, this has NEVER happened here...but that may be because of the reason I deducted one star... I did not go 5 stars because despite all the amazing things about Adas, the congregation itself hasn't been so welcoming. They weren't rude either, but we definitely were not warmly welcomed (except by 1 sweet Rabbi and 1 person at a young adult event) and everyone just kept to their cliques. Aw well, after a year in DC area, I'm headed out next month anyway. Neshikot vehibukim!

Big, busy, friendly. They have a newbie welcome group that hosts nice regular Sabbath lunches…read more There's something.... I dunno... anesthetic... about this place. One star off for meat market vibe on Friday night... but I suppose that depends on the ever changing DC crowd.

I have to pile on to the previous review. You can't find a warmer, kinder or more progressive…read morecongregation. It is filled with caring souls who reflect the light shed by their wonderful clergy, all under the leaderships of their most wonderful senior rabbi, Danny Zemel. I would not have found the need to even comment about this nationally renowned rabbi and this congregation were it not for a totally unfounded, ill informed review posted by someone else previously. It is sometimes hard to overcome negative comments, but this derisive one, to which I refer, should be dismissed by anyone with even the least degree of discernment.

Temple Micah is an extraordinary place. Welcoming, open-minded, spiritual and fun. A great place…read moreto check out if you're looking for a non-judgmental, spirited synagogue environment!

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

So much of our time in secular Washington DC is consumed in the accumulation of visible…read moreachievements, and it's by those externalities that we are judged and measured. How we make a living, our financial and professional rank, how many boards we sit on, what we've published, where we live, where our kids go to school, where we vacation, and on and on--these are the externalities that largely govern the relationships we form. We go to Tifereth Israel to lay down those embellishments, and be more truly ourselves, in the company of people who have embraced lives of meaning and engagement. Simply show up to morning services (even if you don't care for services, just be patient and hang there a couple of times), and then stay for the Kiddush and talk and listen to people. You do that often enough, then you'll notice over time that you've begun to form deep, lasting, values-driven, and authentic relationships that sustain and nourish you in a way that you rarely, if ever, find in the secular world. Yes, Tifereth Israel checks the other boxes: the rabbi is phenomenally talented, services are mostly lay-led and intellectually challenging, the congregation is extremely LGBTQ-friendly, there are several active social-action initiatives, it's got a ton of young families with children, and a vibrant education program serves kids and adults. But the main asset at TI that you can't have anywhere else? It's the people.

Conservative. Very…read morefriendly and inviting. Medium sized. Simpler (less jappy) than other DC shuls.

My first visit was with a group from the NVJCC. There was a group of 55 plus dancers performing…read more They were energetic and fun to watch. Afterwards a lovely free lunch of deli was served with chips, coleslaw, drinks, and desert. The people were very friendly. The 2nd time was last Sunday to view the movie 'It's All About Friends'. The organization ARC came to discuss the film and how their organization provides support and contacts to families who may know someone with special needs. It was a charming, funny and touching program, thanks.

Back in 2016, we were looking for a synagogue to join. We visited Beth El and fell in love with the…read morewarmth of his congregants. Four years have passed and we feel we did the right choice.

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!

​​​​As a 20-something, I have gotten used to being the youngest adult in a synagogue by at least…read more15-20 years, so I was absolutely thrilled to find a vibrant, active Conservative congregation with a large, engaged, and welcoming cohort of young professionals. There are tons of ways to get involved spiritually and/or socially, the rabbis give thoughtful d'varim and are active in the larger Northern Virginia Jewish community, the we​​ekly kiddush lunch is almost always delicious, and the building (particularly the sanctuary) is beautiful. I can't say enough great things about this warm community.

Welcoming community, excellent preschool and summer camp. Many opportunities for personal growth…read moreand community involvement. The clergy and staff are wonderful.

I spent a great deal of time at Temple Rodef Shalom Nursery School. I worked as an aide for one of…read morethe children enrolled, so I was not employed by TRSNS but spent several days there a week observing staff and their preschool program. I was continually impressed with the professional and caring teachers, who have great approaches towards educating children. TRSNS focuses on exploratory learning, creative play, kindness to others, and respect for others and the environment. Many of the children are not Jewish- this is a great preschool for anyone!

Founded in 1975 as Washington's gay synagogue, Bet Mishpachah is an excellent worship space for…read moreboth LGBT Jews and those seeking a small, independent Jewish congregation close to DC's city center. Weekly Friday night services at 8 pm are led variously by the congregation's part-time rabbi and lay leaders. The liturgy is first-rate -- the congregation wrote its own prayer book -- although the performance of the service leaders can vary. The congregation prides itself on its close-knit family spirit; although it sometimes takes a bit of effort, newcomers are often quickly welcomed into the community. There are regular congregational dinners and educational programs.

Machar is my home! After being schooled in Reform Judaism, saying words I didn't really believe in,…read moreI found myself in a congregation that not only respects a variety of views, but also encourages logical thinking-- all in the pursuit of our common goals: to make sense of our place on earth so that we can do tikkan olum , we can repair the world and have fun at the same time. Machar is my home!

My wife and I joined Machar because we want our daughters to experience Jewish life, but we are not…read morecomfortable with a lot of the traditional theistic prayers. Machar's perfect for us, and the new rabbi, Nehama Benmosche, is energetic, thoughtful, and great with kids. (Full disclosure: I was until recently a board member of Machar.)