Temple Beth Elohim

What Temple Beth Elohim does

Temple Beth Elohim (TBE) is a Reform Jewish congregation headquartered in a 42,000 square-foot purpose-built facility at 10 Bethel Road, Wellesley, Massachusetts, serving over 1,000 member families drawn from more than 40 towns across the greater Boston area. Founded in 1948-1960 by 22 women who organized as the Jewish Women's Community Group of Wellesley, the congregation offers a comprehensive lifecycle service portfolio spanning religious services (Shabbat, holidays, High Holy Days, lifecycle ceremonies including B'nei Mitzvah, weddings, and conversions), educational programs from the Gan Elohim Early Learning Center (ages 0-5) through K-12 youth education and teen Havayah programs to adult lifelong learning, wellness programming (The Well), music programs, Tikkun Olam social action initiatives, travel programs including Israel trips, pastoral care (Caring Connections), and venue rental for weddings and nonprofit events.

The underlying technology stack consists of standard religious-nonprofit infrastructure: YouTube-based live streaming for Shabbat services, the CongregationConnect member portal, ProfitStars/SmartPay online payment processing for dues and donations, a comprehensive website with events calendar and blog, and active social media presence across Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. The congregation is affiliated with the Union of Reform Judaism (URJ) and maintains a sister congregation relationship with Or Hadash in Haifa, Israel.

Revenue is generated through a diversified, primarily subscription-based model: annual membership dues from 1,000+ member households, recurring tuition from the Gan Elohim preschool and K-12 religious school, adult learning class fees, one-time venue rental income, and donations and tzedakah including annual fund appeals, planned giving, and endowment contributions. Go-to-market is community-led, relying on word-of-mouth referrals, clergy outreach, and prospective member tours. The professional leadership team comprises Senior Rabbi Joel Sisenwine (since 2000), additional rabbis Philip Sherman, Jordy Callman, incoming Rabbi Leah Sherin (2026), Cantor Shanna Zell, and two Executive Directors covering Jewish Living & Learning and Administration & Operations, supported by a Board of Trustees and elected lay leadership.

Name

Temple Beth Elohim

Legal name

Temple Beth Elohim

Website

https://tbewellesley.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Temple Beth Elohim is a Reform Jewish congregation in Wellesley, Massachusetts serving over 1,000 member families from more than 40 greater Boston towns, delivering religious services, cradle-to-adult education, wellness and social action programming, and venue rental.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious / Faith-based Community Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (81311)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues) (BPAGAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD), Faith-Based Early Learning Academies (EDACADAH), Places of Worship & Religious Facilities Operations (Cemeteries, Retreat Centers, Pilgrimage Sites) (BPAGAJAL)

Keywords

• Reform jewish congregation
• Religious education programs
• Jewish lifecycle services
• Early childhood education
• Community social action

Headquarters

HQ city

Wellesley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from member families. The temple has grown from 72 founding families in 1960 to over 1,000 families currently.
2. Venue Rental: Rental of temple spaces including sanctuary, atrium, reception halls, library, and outdoor courtyard for weddings, lifecycle events, and nonprofit events.
3. Gan Elohim Early Learning Center Tuition: Preschool/early childhood education program operating within the temple with certified teachers for toddler and preschool children.
4. Donations and Tzedakah: Annual fund appeals, planned giving, endowment contributions, yahrzeit plaques, and general donations supporting temple operations and programs.
5. Youth Education Programs: Religious school tuition for K-7, Hebrew school, B'nei Mitzvah preparation, and teen Havayah programs.
6. Adult Learning & Events: Fees for special programs, Summer Institute, classes, and community events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Temple Beth Elohim is a Reform Jewish congregation that provides religious services (Shabbat, holidays, lifecycle ceremonies), Jewish education from early childhood through adulthood, pastoral and community care, social action programming, wellness and music programs, and venue rental. It serves more than 1,000 member families from over 40 towns in the greater Boston area, supported by multiple rabbis, a cantor, executive directors, and lay leadership.

Product overview

Temple Beth Elohim is a Reform Jewish synagogue offering a comprehensive portfolio of religious, educational, wellness, and community programs. The core offerings include regular Shabbat and holiday religious services, lifecycle event ceremonies, and pastoral care. Educational programming spans from Gan Elohim Early Learning Center (preschool, ages 0-5) through youth education (K-12) including B'Mitzvah preparation and teen Havayah programs, to adult learning through TBElle, text study, and Summer Institute. The organization provides wellness programming through The Well (mindfulness, yoga, mental health support), music programs (Holy Singers, choirs, T'filah Band), social action initiatives (Tikkun Olam), and travel programs including Israel trips. Additional services include venue rental for events, live stream broadcasts of services, and Holocaust remembrance programming.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Religious Services (Shabbat, Holidays, Lifecycle Events) Regular Shabbat services (Friday evening and Saturday morning), High Holy Days (Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Selichot), and lifecycle ceremonies (B'Mitzvah, weddings, naming, conversion, end of life) for member families.
• Gan Elohim Early Learning Center Reform Jewish preschool for children ages 0-5 offering early childhood education with hands-on learning, exploration, and discovery in a nurturing environment, with certified teachers.
• Youth Education Programs (K-12) Jewish learning programs for grades K through 12, including BaDerech (K-5), B'Yachad (6-7), and Havayah teen community (grades 8-12), with Hebrew instruction and B'Mitzvah preparation.
• Adult Learning Programs Lifelong learning opportunities including TBElle Lifelong Learning, Lunch & Learn, text study, Summer Institute, Hebrew classes, and guest speaker programs for adult members.
• The Well (Wellness Program) Wellness initiative offering mindfulness, yoga, meditation, drum circle, mental health support groups, and embodied practice programs for community members.
• Music Programs Musical worship and performance groups including Holy Singers, T'filah Band, Children's Choir, Sharim Singers, Havurah Songleading Workshop, and music classes for all ages.
• Caring Connections Pastoral care and community support including bereavement outreach, meal assistance, pastoral visitors, mental health initiative, Caring Knitters, MealMakers, and support for members in need.
• Tikkun Olam (Social Action) Social justice initiatives including ending hunger, racial justice, immigration justice, gun violence prevention, climate action, refugee resettlement programs, and partnerships with GBIO and other interfaith organizations.
• Travel with TBE Group travel programs including trips to Israel, international destinations, retreats, and family/youth travel experiences.
• Venue Rental Rental of temple spaces including sanctuary, atrium, reception halls, library, and outdoor courtyard for weddings, lifecycle events, and nonprofit gatherings.
• Live Stream Services Virtual access to Shabbat services and programs via YouTube live stream for remote community participation and on-demand viewing.
• Holocaust Remembrance (Rescuing Hope) Programs preserving Holocaust survivor stories, including recordings, mapping history, and resources for remembrance and education.

Quantifiable outcome

• Grown from 22 women meeting in 1949 to 1,000+ families serving from 40+ towns

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Union of Reform Judaism (URJ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTBE is affiliated with the Union of Reform Judaism, the central body of the Reform Movement in North America. This affiliation provides access to movement-wide resources, programs, and institutional support for Reform congregations.
• The Rashi SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTBE has historical connection to the Rashi School, a Jewish independent school. Cantor Jodi Sufrin helped lay the foundation for the Rashi School in the mid-1980s. Alison Kur serves on the Rashi School Board of Directors with an honorary board position.
• Or Hadash (Haifa, Israel)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTBE has a sister congregation partnership with Or Hadash in Haifa, Israel. Danny Navisky co-chairs TBE's partnership with Or Hadash. The Anafim L'Haifa program connects TBE members with Or Hadash.
• Greater Boston Interfaith Organization (GBIO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTBE is a member congregation of GBIO, a broad-based interfaith coalition working on social justice issues in the greater Boston area. Nicole Roos serves as TBE liaison to GBIO.
• KeshetminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTBE partners with Keshet, the organization working for LGBTQ Jewish equality. TBE participates in Pride events with Keshet including Boston Pride Parade 2026.
• Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater BostonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTBE community members volunteer with Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters. Glenn Burack serves on the Board of Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Boston.
• Family Promise MetrowestminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTBE participates in Family Promise Metrowest, supporting families experiencing homelessness through hosting and volunteer efforts.
• Jewish Family and Children's Service (JF&CS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTBE partners with JF&CS Family Table for food security initiatives including the High Holy Day Hunger Drive and Passover food collections.
• Yad ChessedminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTBE partners with Yad Chessed to fulfill the Purim mitzvah of Matanot L'Evyonim (gifts to the poor) by supporting Jewish individuals and families in Massachusetts facing economic hardship.
• Greater Boston Food BankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTBE organizes volunteer sessions at the Greater Boston Food Bank to fight food insecurity in the community.
• AIPACminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTBE has an AIPAC @ TBE group for members interested in AIPAC's pro-Israel advocacy and education.
• J StreetminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTBE has a J Street @ TBE group representing pluralistic perspectives on Israel advocacy and peace politics.
• Ruderman Synagogue Inclusion ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTBE participates in the Ruderman Synagogue Inclusion Project, demonstrating commitment to accessibility and inclusion for people with disabilities.
• Women's Lunch PlaceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTBE collects for Women's Lunch Place through its Collections & Tzedakah program, supporting women experiencing homelessness in Boston.
• Partakers Reentry ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTBE members mentor through the Partakers Reentry Program, supporting individuals returning to the community after incarceration.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Congregation Emanu-El (San Francisco): A historic Reform synagogue in San Francisco with religious school, adult learning, and social action programming. Direct peer in denomination, scale, and community engagement orientation.
• Central Synagogue (New York): A large Manhattan Reform congregation with comprehensive programming across worship, learning, music, social action, and lifecycle events. Closely comparable to TBE in scale, denominational affiliation, and program breadth.
• Park Avenue Synagogue: Large, well-resourced Manhattan Reform congregation offering religious services, religious school, adult learning, and a comparable membership model. Similar in size and program diversity to TBE.
• Temple Israel of Boston: A large historic Reform synagogue in Boston with comparable cradle-to-senior programming, religious school, preschool, and adult learning. Directly comparable congregation serving the same greater Boston Jewish market.
• Har Zion Temple (Philadelphia area): A large Reform congregation serving the Philadelphia suburbs with religious school, preschool, adult learning, and a comparable dues-based membership model. Direct peer in scale and programming.
• Temple Beth Zion (Buffalo): A large Reform congregation in the Buffalo area known for its religious school, adult education, music programs, and social action. Directly comparable to TBE in congregational model and program stack.
• Temple Rodef Shalom (Virginia/DC area): A large Reform congregation in the greater Washington DC area with extensive religious, educational, and Tikkun Olam programming comparable to TBE. Strong social justice orientation and similar congregational scale.
• Stephen S. Wise Temple (Los Angeles): A large Reform synagogue in Los Angeles with a preschool, K-12 day school, and full program stack similar to TBE's. Comparable in scale, programming, and the integration of a substantial early childhood/education operation.
• Congregation Emanu-El of New York: One of the largest and oldest Reform congregations in North America, with extensive religious, educational, and social action programming on a comparable scale to TBE. Direct peer in mission, denominational affiliation (URJ), and congregational scope.
• Temple Israel of the City of New York: Historic Upper East Side Reform synagogue with religious school, early childhood programs, adult learning, and music programs. Direct peer in denomination, scale, and program diversity.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCqvcRdT1jLtUzbFc_LA814w/featured?view_as=subscriber
• Facebookfacebook.com/tbewellesley
• Instagraminstagram.com/TBEWellesley
• Xx.com/tbewellesley

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles23 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Temple Beth Elohim