Congregation Agudas Achim was established in 1967 and is overseen by Rabbi Ari Weiss. The congregation is a member of the Union of Orthodox Congregations of America, and is committed to the religious, ethical, and communal principles and practices of Orthodox Judaism. It hopes to enrich spiritually and culturally the lives of its congregants through religious, educational and social services and programs, and through fostering ties and support for the State of Israel. It also aims to strengthen links with the Greater Hartford Jewish community and to foster and support programs that benefit the community at large.
Both conservative and egalitarian in its beliefs and practices, Temple Beth El is a welcoming place for interfaith families, Jews by Choice and those in the LGBT community. Founded in 1920 and headed by Rabbi Joshua Hammerman, Temple Beth El provides a wide variety of classes, activities, workshops and special events for adults, children and senior citizens. The synagogue, which currently serves approximately 575 families, also has a Hebrew School for children in grades k through seven; a nursery school was scheduled to open in the fall of 2011.
In the community for more than 40 years, Temple Shearith offers a range of Reform Jewish programs including: Shabbat, High Holiday and Hanukkah services; religious school, bar and bat mitzvah education, adult education, social action, youth groups, guest speakers and special music services.
The Temple has been located at the former Doubleday mansion, built in 1890, since 1969. A Judaica store with traditional Jewish items and handcrafted gifts is located at the synagogue.
Located on Farmington Avenue, Congregation Beth Israel is one of the Northeast's largest Reform congregations, serving about 1,000 families of diverse backgrounds. Clergy are Senior Rabbi Michael Pincus, Assistant Rabbi Dena Shaffer, and Cantor Pamela Siskin. The progressive congregation offers religious services and learning programs for all ages. The synagogue’s history dates back to 1843, the first year Jews were given the legal right to establish a synagogue in Connecticut.
The Conservative Synagogue is part of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. The synagogue holds weekly Shabbat and Minyan services. The religious school has programs for students grades K-12 that explore Jewish history and culture, Israel, Hebrew classes and prayer. Adult education classes are also offered.
Congregation Beth El is a conservative Jewish temple, offering very traditional services. With less than 300 families, the congregation is tight-knit and well-rooted in the community. The temple has been at its current location for more than 76 years and finds its Saturday morning service to be the most popular.
Located on Hebron Avenue, Congregation Kol Haverim is a Reform Jewish congregation focused on brotherhood, community action and social outreach. Kol Haverim was established in 1984 as the first synagogue in Glastonbuy. The congregation is lead by Rabbi Craig Marantz. Check out Kol Haverim's website for further information on staff, a calendar of events and ways to participate in community outreach through the congregation. The Shirley Reaback Early Childhood Center is also located on the premises of Kol Haverim.
Josh Whinston, was installed as rabbi in November 2010. The temple opened in 1968 in the location of the old Methodist Church on Main Street. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places. It is decorated with locally made stained glass windows. Temple Beth David is a Reform synagogue.
Founded in 1948, Temple Israel is a reform Jewish congregation with a longstanding commitment to social activism. In addition to weekly services, the Temple offers several adult and children's educational programs. The Temple also has women's and men's clubs and a number of youth groups.
Westport's Beit Chaverim is a modern orthodox synagogue committed to outreach, charity and prayer. The synagogue provides a broad range of adult education classes and lectures for men and women, geared to all levels of background and learning, as well as youth activities. These include a Hebrew school for grades K-8, an integrated bar mitzvah and bat mitzvah program, and educational and social programs. The congregation is committed to political activism and other issues relevant to the Jewish community at large.
The Greater Hartford Chapter of Hadassah is one branch of the International Hadassah Organization that was founded in 1912 by Henriette Szold. She began by providing help to European immigrants, teaching them English and helping them gain citizenship. Today there are over 300,000 members, making it the largest women's organization in the world! It is a Zionist organization and they began this initiative by helping children in Israel gain medical help. To this day they are heavily involved with health and education issues in the United States and Israel as well as places all over the world.