North Shore Congregation Israel

What North Shore Congregation Israel does

North Shore Congregation Israel (NSCI) is a Reform Jewish congregation and 501(c)-equivalent nonprofit headquartered at 1185 Sheridan Road, Glencoe, Illinois, in the North Shore Chicago metropolitan area. The organization delivers weekly Kabbalat Shabbat worship both in-person and via simultaneous streaming on StreamSpot and Facebook, with archived sermons hosted on a dedicated YouTube channel. Its operations are powered by ShulCloud, a third-party content management system purpose-built for synagogues that handles member accounts, event registration, donations, and online payments.

NSCI's product surface spans the full lifecycle of its members: NSCI Tots, the Goodman Center for Jewish Education (Preschool–12th grade), B'nei Mitzvah preparation, Adult Learning and Adult B'nei Mitzvah, music and prayer programming, lifecycle officiation, and a Tikkun Olam portfolio that includes Adult Mitzvah Corps, Family Promise hosting, Feed the Hungry, Mitzvah Garden, Operation Backpack, Thanksgiving Baskets, Tzedakah Table, and refugee resettlement projects. Specialty adult programs include Greatest Hits of the Talmud, Senior Connections, Spirituality Walks at the Chicago Botanic Garden, and curated theater outings with Writers Theatre.

NSCI is funded through three recurring streams: annual membership dues, donations and Tzedakah (including tribute gifts and a multi-tier capital campaign), and program fees that are waived for congregants and charged to non-congregants ($144 Talmud series, $18 Spirituality Walks, $15 Senior Connections lunch). It also accepts Donor Advised Fund grants and stock/bond donations. The congregation is affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) and led by Senior Rabbi Wendi Geffen, Rabbi Ryan Daniels, Executive Director Todd Braman, and Director of Jewish Education Dr. Roberta Goodman, under a Board of Trustees that includes newly appointed officer Kevin Friedmann. NSCI differentiates on progressive, inclusive Reform Judaism and was the first congregation on the North Shore to officiate same-gender marriages.

Name

North Shore Congregation Israel

Legal name

North Shore Congregation Israel

Website

https://nsci.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1920

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

North Shore Congregation Israel is a Reform Jewish synagogue in Glencoe, Illinois, providing worship, religious education, lifecycle events, and social-action programming for individuals, families, youth, and seniors in the North Shore Chicago community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Synagogue / Religious Congregation Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Educational Support Services (611710), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Religious Education, Kids & Family Faith Programming (MPABALAM), Faith-Based Preschools (EDACABAF)

Keywords

• Reform Jewish worship
• Religious education
• Lifecycle events
• Jewish community programs
• Social justice programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Glencoe

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from congregants, providing access to worship services, educational programs, and community events.
2. Donations and Tzedakah: Voluntary contributions including general donations, tribute gifts, and dedicated sponsorship opportunities such as the Transforming the NSCI Entryway campaign.
3. Program Fees: Fees charged for specific programs including educational courses and cultural events. Free for congregants, with fees for non-congregants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

North Shore Congregation Israel is a Reform Jewish synagogue delivering weekly Shabbat worship (in-person and streamed), Jewish religious education for preschool through 12th grade, lifecycle officiation (B'nei Mitzvah, weddings, baby namings), adult learning programs, and Tikkun Olam social-action initiatives. The congregation funds operations primarily through annual membership dues, voluntary donations, and program fees for non-congregants.

Product overview

North Shore Congregation Israel operates as a Reform Jewish synagogue offering a unified worship and community platform centered around Shabbat services, religious education, and social action programs. The core offering is the weekly Kabbalat Shabbat service, available both in-person and via StreamSpot/Facebook streaming. Supporting the core worship function are educational modules including the Greatest Hits of the Talmud Summer series, Senior Connections programming, and Youth Education (preschool-12th grade). The congregation also provides lifecycle event support, Tikkun Olam community service initiatives, and specialty programs such as the Transforming the NSCI Entryway landscape campaign. The platform is powered by ShulCloud, a proprietary content management system for synagogues, which handles member accounts, donations, and event registrations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kabbalat Shabbat Services Weekly Friday evening Shabbat worship services held in-person at the Glencoe campus and simultaneously streamed via StreamSpot and Facebook, from 6:15 PM to 7:15 PM, for congregants and the broader community.
• Greatest Hits of the Talmud Summer A summer educational program led by Rabbi Wendi Geffen covering selected Talmud texts, held weekly on Monday afternoons at the Rebecca K. Crown Social Hall. Free for NSCI congregants; $144 for non-congregants.
• Senior Connections Adult programming series featuring presentations on topics of interest to seniors, such as the Gershwin brothers' musical legacy, with lunch provided. $15 for congregants, $20 for non-congregants.
• Spirituality Walks Summer/Fall Seasonal walking program at the Chicago Botanic Garden guided by Rabbi Nina J. Mizrahi, using the garden's landscapes as a metaphor for spiritual growth. Free for congregants; $18 for non-congregants.
• NSCI Goes to the Theatre: Leopoldstadt Community outing to see Tom Stoppard's Tony and Olivier Award-winning play Leopoldstadt at Writers Theatre, with pre-show reception and book discussion led by Rabbi Greene.
• Transforming the NSCI Entryway Campaign Landscape transformation project along the front entrance featuring Entry Gardens ($60,000 each), Shade Groves ($40,000-$50,000), Flowering Crabapple Groves ($25,000), and Individual Trees ($7,500), with dedication plaques. Goal is fall 2026 or spring 2027 implementation.
• Youth Education (Goodman Center for Jewish Education) Jewish religious school for children from preschool through 12th grade, offering choice-based, hands-on learning with progressive education approaches. Directed by Dr. Roberta Goodman at the Goodman Center for Jewish Education.
• Streaming Services Live streaming of Shabbat services and select programs via StreamSpot and Facebook for congregants with mobility or time limitations, ensuring accessibility to worship.
• Tikkun Olam Programs Social action and community service initiatives including Adult Mitzvah Corps, Family Promise, Feed the Hungry, Mitzvah Garden, Operation Backpack, Thanksgiving Baskets, Tzedakah Table, and refugee support projects.

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Writers TheatreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNSCI organizes theater outings for congregants to attend Writers Theatre productions, including pre-show receptions and book discussions related to productions like Leopoldstadt.
• Chicago Botanic GardenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Spirituality Walks series led by Rabbi Nina J. Mizrahi, using the garden's landscapes as a framework for spiritual growth and meditation practices.
• Family Promise Chicago North ShorecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate of national Family Promise organization helping temporarily homeless families. NSCI hosts families on a rotating basis as part of its Tikkun Olam (social justice) programming, providing meals, overnight accommodations, and support.
• Union for Reform Judaism (URJ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNSCI is affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism, the central body of the Reform Movement in North America, providing connection to broader Reform Jewish community, resources, and programming.
• Steans Institute (Ravinia)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the Steans Institute for Piano & Strings Program, bringing approximately 30 violinists, violists, cellists, and pianists for Post-Kabbalat Shabbat concerts featuring talented student musicians.
• Glencoe Clergy AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal interfaith clergy association for collaboration with houses of worship of different faiths in the Glencoe community.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Am Shalom: Reform Jewish congregation in Highland Park, IL (formed from merger with Congregation Solel), serving the same North Shore Chicago market as NSCI with similar lifecycle, education, and Tikkun Olam programming.
• Beth Emet The Free Synagogue: Progressive Reform Jewish congregation in Evanston, IL, with a comparable emphasis on inclusivity, social justice, and lifespan programming. Directly competes with NSCI for North Shore families seeking progressive Reform Judaism.
• Temple Jeremiah: Reform Jewish congregation in Northfield, IL, located just minutes from NSCI on the North Shore. Closest direct competitor serving a similar affluent suburban Reform Jewish demographic with comparable programming, lifecycle events, and progressive positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Temple Emanu-El: One of the largest and most historic Reform Jewish congregations in the United States, based in New York City. Shares NSCI's Reform Jewish identity and inclusive progressive ethos but operates at substantially greater scale with broader programming portfolio.
• Wilshire Boulevard Temple: Major Reform Jewish congregation in Los Angeles with progressive values, extensive lifespan programming, and significant Tikkun Olam/social justice initiatives. Comparable in progressive Reform positioning though much larger in scale.

Regional players

• North Shore Unitarian Church: Progressive religious community in Deerfield, IL, serving a similar North Shore Chicago demographic seeking inclusive, values-driven spiritual community. Comparable in progressive positioning though faith-tradition differs.
• Temple Anshe Sholom: Progressive Reform Jewish congregation in Hamden, CT, with comparable emphasis on inclusive Reform Judaism, lifespan education, and community engagement. Mid-size congregation comparable in scale to NSCI but serving a different regional market.
• Har Zion Temple: Reform Jewish congregation in Penn Valley, PA, serving the Philadelphia suburbs with comparable inclusive Reform Judaism, lifespan programming, and social-action focus. Geographic peer with similar mid-size congregation profile.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@NorthShoreCongregationIsrael/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/NSCIGlencoe
• Instagraminstagram.com/we.are.nsci
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/north-shore-congregation-israel

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 North Shore Congregation Israel