Welcome
Since its inception, Beth Jacob Congregation has been a home to many of us who seek a warm and welcoming Jewish community, a place where we can celebrate the milestones in our lives, explore our Jewish identities, and connect with others who share our values and commitments. The values that have always animated this community include embracing diversity, egalitarianism, respect for Jewish tradition, modesty, and a commitment to placing substance over style. We seek to live out these values in our communal lives, in the ways we celebrate, worship and learn together.  Even lifecycle events, which are the most personal of all religious occasions, are shaped by these values when they are celebrated within the community.
This Lifecycle Guide is an expression of these values and a guide to celebrating important milestones in your life within the context of this community. Within it you will find much useful information and practical advice offered by our professional staff and by other congregants whose experience, we hope, will be useful as you plan your special events. Here you will find established synagogue policies and practices, together with suggestions for how to make your simcha more meaningful. It is not, and was not intended to be, a comprehensive source that will answer all questions that arise in the course of planning major lifecycle events. It is provided here in electronic format with the understanding that it is sure to be revised and updated in the years ahead, as policies and circumstances change. But many of the most frequently asked questions about event planning are covered here in detail. And, of course, our rabbis and staff are always here to help you with any questions or issues that are not covered here.