What Kolot Chayeinu does

Kolot Chayeinu is a progressive Jewish congregation based in Brooklyn, New York, offering religious services, Jewish education, and community programming to Jewish individuals and families. Its core services include weekly Shabbat services (hybrid in-person at Gethesmane in Park Slope and Zoom), daily Morning Minyan via Zoom, Torah Study, a multi-year B-Mitzvah program with an accompanying social-justice 'What's Up?!' track for 8th graders, adult learning, High Holy Days observances, and a Race Working Group. The congregation is differentiated by its 'Open Tent' philosophy welcoming diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, races, and Jewish backgrounds, and by explicit commitments to ending structural racism.

The organization operates on a member-supported non-profit model. Membership is offered on a sliding-scale dues basis with recommended tiers ranging from $300 to $2,500+ annually (with a 'Name Your Own' option for those with financial hardship), plus donations, tribute contributions, and a recurring 'Keep Kolot Thriving' annual fundraising campaign targeting $350,000+. A Planned Giving program offers bequests, Charitable Remainder Trusts, Charitable Gift Annuities, and beneficiary designations. Dues and open-door High Holy Days contributions cover just over half of operating expenses, with the campaign filling the gap.

The technology stack is deliberately minimal: Zoom for virtual worship and programming, and ShulCloud for member management, dues processing, and donations. The congregation is governed by a Board of Directors (Cynthia Greenberg as Board President) and led by clergy including Rabbi Sam Kates-Goldman, Cantor Lisa B. Segal, and Student Rabbi Molly Schulman, with executive leadership from Executive Director Brett Parker and Managing Director Hara Connell. The organization is currently navigating a rabbinic transition following the retirement of founding Rabbi Ellen Lippmann.

Name

Kolot Chayeinu

Legal name

Kolot Chayeinu

Website

https://kolotchayeinu.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kolot Chayeinu is a progressive Jewish congregation in Brooklyn, NY offering Shabbat services, Torah study, B-Mitzvah education, and social justice programming. It serves Jewish individuals and families seeking an inclusive spiritual community, funded primarily through sliding-scale membership dues and an annual fundraising campaign.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Brooklyn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from congregants who commit to regular payments to support the congregation. Sliding scale dues based on individual financial capacity. Dues cover just over half of expenses.
2. Donations and Contributions: Additional donations throughout the year from members and non-members for special occasions, High Holy Days, and general support. Includes tribute donations (in honor or memory of loved ones) and campaign contributions.
3. Keep Kolot Thriving Campaign: Annual fundraising campaign targeting $350,000+ to cover operational expenses. Dues and open-door High Holy Days policy cover just over half of expenses, requiring additional campaign giving from the community.
4. Planned Giving: Legacy gifts through estate planning including bequests, life income gifts via Charitable Remainder Trusts, Charitable Gift Annuities, and beneficiary designations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Kolot Chayeinu is a progressive Jewish congregation in Brooklyn, New York that delivers weekly religious services (Shabbat, daily Morning Minyan, High Holy Days), Torah study, B-Mitzvah preparation, adult and youth learning, and social-justice community programming. Programs are offered in-person at its Park Slope worship space and via Zoom live-streaming, supported by sliding-scale membership dues, annual fundraising campaigns, and donations.

Product overview

Kolot Chayeinu is a Jewish congregation in Brooklyn offering religious services, educational programs, and community engagement. The organization provides in-person and virtual Shabbat services, Torah study, youth and family programming including B-Mitzvah preparation and a social justice-focused 'What's Up?!' program for 8th graders, High Holy Days observances, and community membership with sliding-scale dues. The congregation operates primarily through their website for member management, donations via ShulCloud, and virtual participation via Zoom.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Shabbat Services Weekly Saturday morning worship services at 10:30 a.m., led by Rabbi Sam Kates-Goldman and Cantor Lisa B. Segal, held in-person at Gethesmane in Park Slope and live-streamed via Zoom, with Kabbalat Shabbat on 3rd Fridays. Open to all regardless of membership status.
• Torah Study Weekly Saturday morning informal study session from 9:00-10:00 a.m. on Zoom and in-person, offering discussion of the weekly Torah portion for congregants and visitors.
• B-Mitzvah Program Three-year B-Mitzvah education program including B-Mitzvah classes for 6th and 7th grade with Hebrew tutoring, family classes, weekly learner minyan, plus the "What's Up?!" 8th-grade program focused on social-justice projects.
• High Holy Days Services Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur observances including drashes, musical offerings, virtual streaming access, and a digital Yizkor book for memorialization, offered on an open-door basis.
• Morning Minyan Daily Morning Minyan prayer service held Monday through Friday from 9:00-9:45 a.m. via Zoom.
• Member Drashes Library Repository of member-written drashes (Torah teachings) organized by Torah portion and topic, including work on racial justice and Torah, available to the community via the Kolot Chayeinu website.

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• TirdofminorOthersCommunity collaborator listed on Kolot's website. Tirdof is a community organization that Kolot partners with for mutual support and shared programming.
• Jews for Racial & Economic Justice (JFREJ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJFREJ is a key community collaborator aligned with Kolot's commitment to racial and economic justice. Kolot's stated commitment to ending structural racism aligns closely with JFREJ's mission.
• Jewish Studio ProjectminorOthersCommunity collaborator providing creative and artistic Jewish programming that complements Kolot's approach to spiritual exploration.
• SVARAminorOthersA traditionally-oriented yeshiva that is queer-friendly, SVARA is listed as a community collaborator. Provides text study and Jewish learning opportunities.
• 13th ForwardminorOthersCommunity collaborator listed on Kolot's website, working on social justice and community organizing.
• Caring MajorityminorOthersNYC-based organization focused on care work and economic justice. Listed as community collaborator.
• Be'chol LashonminorOthersOrganization celebrating the diversity of global Jewish identity. Aligns with Kolot's commitment to inclusivity across race, ethnicity, and background.
• Rabbis for CeasefirecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKolot's clergy actively participate in Rabbis for Ceasefire, signing statements and organizing Shabbat for Ceasefire events. This represents a key advocacy partnership reflecting Kolot's public positions on Israel/Palestine.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Romemu: NYC-based progressive, spiritually creative Jewish community blending Jewish renewal, meditation, and inclusive values. Closely comparable to Kolot in progressive orientation, seeker-friendly framing, and emphasis on spiritual experimentation alongside social justice.
• B'nai Jeshurun: Large, progressive egalitarian congregation on Manhattan's Upper West Side known for musical, spiritually serious services and robust social justice programming. Comparable as a fellow NYC progressive congregation with similar service, learning, and justice offerings.
• Jewish Community Project: Upper West Side egalitarian Jewish community combining religious services, learning, and social justice engagement. Comparable to Kolot as a progressive NYC congregation emphasizing inclusive Jewish community-building.
• Congregation Beit Simchat Torah: Progressive, LGBTQ+-inclusive Jewish congregation in New York City offering Shabbat services, learning, and social justice programming. Directly comparable to Kolot in mission, inclusivity stance, NYC footprint, and progressive social-justice orientation.
• East End Temple: Reform Jewish congregation on Manhattan's Lower East Side with progressive social justice programming and inclusive membership policies. Directly comparable in scale, NYC footprint, and progressive mission profile.
• Park Slope Jewish Center: Brooklyn-based egalitarian Jewish congregation serving the Park Slope neighborhood with Shabbat services, education, and community programming. Highly comparable as a fellow Brooklyn progressive congregation operating in the same neighborhood.
• Town & Village Synagogue: Progressive, inclusive egalitarian synagogue on the Lower East Side serving a diverse, justice-oriented membership. Comparable to Kolot as a small-to-mid-size NYC progressive congregation with similar values around inclusivity and social action.

Broad incumbents

• Central Synagogue: Large Reform congregation in Midtown Manhattan with extensive worship, education, and social justice programming. Comparable as a fellow NYC progressive-leaning Jewish congregation but at meaningfully greater scale and institutional capacity.
• Temple Emanu-El: One of the largest and most established Reform Jewish congregations in NYC, offering full-service worship, learning, and programming. Comparable to Kolot in Reform/progressive Jewish category but operates at much larger scale with broader programming portfolio.

Others

• Jews for Racial & Economic Justice (JFREJ): NYC-based Jewish organizing group advancing racial and economic justice, listed as a core community collaborator of Kolot. Comparable as a thematic/ecosystem partner reflecting Kolot's justice values rather than a direct congregational peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@KolotChayeinu
• Xx.com/kolotchayeinu
• Facebookfacebook.com/kolotchayeinu
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kolot-chayeinu

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Kolot Chayeinu