What Stephen Wise Free Synagogue does

Stephen Wise Free Synagogue is a 501(c)(3) Reform Jewish congregation founded in 1907 and located at 30 West 68th Street on Manhattan's Upper West Side. It operates as a single-site religious institution serving Jewish individuals, families, and lifecycle needs, and runs weekly Shabbat services (Friday Kabbalat Shabbat at 6 p.m. and Saturday morning services at 10 a.m.), holiday observances, and lifecycle officiation for births, b'nai mitzvah, weddings, illness and loss. Its educational arm comprises an Early Childhood Center serving children ages 18 months through five years (employing a Reggio Emilia-inspired curriculum), a Religious School for K-12 students, and adult learning offerings including Adult B'nai Mitzvah, Lay-Led Torah Study, and a Conversion: Pathways to Judaism program.

The synagogue's technology footprint is utilitarian and consumer-grade rather than proprietary: livestreaming of services via its website (swfs.org), Facebook, and YouTube; a member portal; a podcast titled "In These Times with Rabbi Ammi Hirsch" distributed across Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RadioPublic, Spotify, and Stitcher; and multiple email newsletters (Friends of SWFS, Family Experiences, Adult Learning & Community, Israel Interest, Social Action). No public APIs, SDKs, or AI features are offered. There is no proprietary software platform; the "products" are program offerings rather than technology products.

The revenue model is a hybrid nonprofit structure combining membership dues (subscription-style recurring contributions from congregants), tax-deductible donations and Planned Giving, Early Childhood Center tuition (subscription recurring), and event-based fundraising such as the annual Spring Benefit. The organization is led by Senior Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch (since 2006) with four additional rabbis, a cantor, and a Director of Youth Education, supported by a staff headcount of 11-50. Marketing is primarily community-led and digital, relying on the website, email, social media, podcast content, and word-of-mouth among Upper West Side households.

Name

Stephen Wise Free Synagogue

Legal name

Stephen Wise Free Synagogue

Website

https://swfs.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1907

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Stephen Wise Free Synagogue is a 501(c)(3) Reform Jewish congregation on Manhattan's Upper West Side, founded in 1907, serving members through weekly Shabbat services, an Early Childhood Center, Religious School, adult learning, social action programs, and a global podcast.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Congregation Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (81311), Community Food Services (624210)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Religious Education, Kids & Family Faith Programming (MPABALAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Religious Music & Worship Broadcasting (MPABALAN)

Keywords

• Religious worship services
• Jewish education programs
• Early childhood education
• Lifecycle event officiation
• Community social action

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Congregants pay membership fees to join the synagogue community and access religious services, educational programs, and community events.
2. Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible donations from members and the broader community, including the Humanitarian Relief Fund and Planned Giving programs. The synagogue is a 501(c)(3) religious organization (Tax ID #13-1628215).
3. Event Revenue: Spring Benefit event and other special events generate fundraising revenue from ticket sales and donations.
4. Early Childhood Center Tuition: Educational programs for children ages 18 months through 5 years, including programs like Baby Buds, Seeds of Wonder, and Summer Camp.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Stephen Wise Free Synagogue is a Reform Jewish congregation that provides weekly Shabbat and holiday worship services, lifecycle event officiation (birth, bar/bat mitzvah, weddings, mourning), and a continuum of educational programs from an Early Childhood Center (ages 18 months-5 years) through Religious School and adult learning. The synagogue also runs social action initiatives (Emergency Food Program, Amplify Israel), produces the 'In These Times with Rabbi Ammi Hirsch' podcast, and offers livestreamed services for remote participation.

Product overview

Stephen Wise Free Synagogue offers a suite of religious, educational, and community programs as a unified portfolio of services rather than a technology product platform. The core offerings include weekly Shabbat Services (Friday Kabbalat Shabbat and Saturday morning services with livestreaming), the Early Childhood Center (ECC) for children 18 months to 5 years with age-based programs from Baby Buds through 4s/5s, Religious School for children's Jewish education, and Adult Learning programs including Adult B'nai Mitzvah and Lay-Led Torah Study. The synagogue also produces the 'In These Times with Rabbi Ammi Hirsch' podcast distributed across major platforms. Social action programs include the Emergency Food Program and Amplify Israel initiative. All services are integrated through the synagogue's website with digital livestreaming capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Early Childhood Center: Early childhood education program for children ages 18 months through five years
• Religious School
• In These Times with Rabbi Ammi Hirsch

Products and services

• Shabbat Services Weekly Shabbat worship services including Kabbalat Shabbat on Friday evenings and Saturday morning services, accompanied by a full band, available in-person and via livestream. Designed for congregants, Jewish families, and visitors seeking inclusive Reform Jewish worship.
• Livestreamed Services Digital livestreaming of weekly Shabbat services, High Holy Days, and annual Purim spiel via the synagogue's website, Facebook, and YouTube, enabling remote participation for individuals unable to attend in person.
• Early Childhood Center (ECC) Play-based early childhood education program for children ages 18 months through five years using the Reggio Emilia approach, infused with Jewish values and traditions. Includes Baby Buds, Seeds of Wonder, age-based 2s/3s/4s/5s classrooms, and Summer Camp. Designed for young Jewish and interfaith families in NYC.
• Religious School Jewish education program for school-age children (kindergarten through 12th grade) covering Hebrew language, Jewish identity, core values and traditions, Bar/Bat Mitzvah preparation, and teen programming. Includes Hebrew Catch Up and Portals: At-Home Learning. Aimed at synagogue member families.
• Adult Learning and Community Programs for adult learners including Adult B'nai Mitzvah preparation, Community Connections small groups, Conversion: Pathways to Judaism, and Lay-Led Torah Study. Designed for adults seeking Jewish learning, conversion, and community connection.
• In These Times with Rabbi Ammi Hirsch (Podcast) Podcast hosted by Senior Rabbi Ammi Hirsch featuring intellectually honest conversations about current events viewed through Jewish wisdom. Distributed via Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RadioPublic, Spotify, and Stitcher to a global audience.
• Emergency Food Program Community service initiative in the spirit of tikkun olam (repairing the world) that prepares and distributes food packages to individuals in need every Saturday at 8 a.m. Open to community volunteers and food recipients.
• Amplify Israel Israel engagement initiative encompassing the Amplify Israel Rabbinic Fellowship and Reform Movement Alumni For Israel, supporting rabbinic fellows and alumni advocating for Israel and progressive Jewish life.
• Family Experiences

Quantifiable outcome

• Services held every Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 10 a.m.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 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

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• AfterimagingminorOthers · 1 January 2026Film production company that produced 'A History of Leadership' video for the 2026 Spring Benefit event.
• J2 AdventuresminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Travel partner organizing the Winter 2025 Mission to Israel for Stephen Wise Free Synagogue congregants.
• Upper West Side CommunityminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Partnership with the Upper West Side community for events such as the Israel Day Parade on 5th Avenue.
• American Friends of Unit 669 (AFU669)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Organization established to build connection between U.S. Jews and Israel's elite helicopter-borne combat search and rescue Unit 669 veterans. Stephen Wise hosts events to support this connection.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Congregation Beit Simchat Torah: NYC-based progressive Jewish congregation with a strong focus on inclusivity and social justice. Comparable as a Manhattan synagogue offering similar worship, adult learning, and lifecycle services in the Reform/progressive tradition.
• Park Avenue Synagogue: Large, prominent Conservative (Egalitarian) synagogue on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Comparable in scale, programming breadth, and high-profile congregant base, serving a similar NYC Jewish demographic.
• Central Synagogue: Large Reform congregation in Midtown Manhattan with a robust early childhood center, religious school, and adult learning programs. Directly comparable as a Manhattan-based Reform synagogue with a similar cradle-to-adult programming portfolio.
• Congregation B'nai Jeshurun: Historic Reform congregation on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Directly comparable as a UWS neighbor offering Shabbat services, lifelong learning, social justice programming, and a well-known musical worship style.
• Temple Emanu-El: One of the largest Reform Jewish congregations in the world, located on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Directly comparable to SWFS as a flagship NYC Reform synagogue offering worship, religious education, early childhood programs, and social action.
• Congregation Rodfei Sholom Anshe Minsk: Reform synagogue on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Directly comparable as a neighborhood peer offering Shabbat services, religious education, and community programs for NYC Jewish families.

Broad incumbents

• 92nd Street Y: Jewish community and cultural center on the Upper East Side offering programming across education, the arts, and Jewish life. Comparable as a major NYC Jewish institution that complements (rather than directly competes with) synagogue membership.
• JCC Manhattan: Jewish Community Center serving Manhattan with fitness, cultural, educational, and Jewish programming. Comparable as a Jewish communal organization overlapping with SWFS on family programming and Jewish identity formation.

Emerging players

• Romemu: NYC-based Jewish spiritual community blending Judaism with mindfulness and embodied practice. Comparable as a NYC congregation offering Shabbat services, adult learning, and community programming targeting a similar progressive urban demographic.
• Hebrew Union College: The primary seminary of the Reform Jewish movement in North America. Comparable as a Reform Jewish institution focused on Jewish education, rabbinic training, and lifelong learning—overlapping with SWFS's adult learning and conversion programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/freesynagogue
• YouTubeyoutube.com/stephenwisefreesynagogue
• Facebookfacebook.com/SWFS.NY
• Instagraminstagram.com/swfs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stephen-wise-free-synagogue

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Stephen Wise Free Synagogue