Congregation Adath Israel

What Congregation Adath Israel does

Congregation Adath Israel is a 120+ year-old egalitarian Conservative Jewish synagogue headquartered at 8 Broad Street, Middletown, Connecticut, with auxiliary facilities at the Nester Center (16 Broad Street) for religious school and programming, and a member cemetery at 714 Pine Street. Founded in 1904 and incorporated as an independent nonprofit, the congregation serves member families across central Connecticut, including Jews by birth or choice, interfaith families, and traditional and non-traditional households. It operates under a board-led governance model with elected officers (President, Vice President, Secretary, Co-Treasurers) and is spiritually led by Rabbi Nelly Altenburger, the congregation's first female rabbi, hired in July 2020. The congregation absorbed Temple B'nai Abraham via a 2019 merger, inheriting members, ritual artifacts, and a Holocaust-era Memorial Scrolls Trust Torah (#903 from Mělník, Czechoslovakia).

Its core products span the full Jewish lifecycle: daily minyan, weekly Shabbat services, tuition-free K-12 religious school with 30+ students, free Mazel Tots early-childhood program, adult Torah study and lectures, Kadima/USY youth programming (organized under the BEBLUSY Superchapter), and lifecycle services including Brit Milah/baby naming, B'nei Mitzvah preparation, weddings, conversions, and Chevra Kadisha-led funeral and cemetery services. Additional offerings include the Auerbach lending library, Judaica gift shop, scholarship programs (including the Thumim Scholarship for Jewish camp and Israel travel), and the monthly Kolot newsletter.

The business model is a multi-stream nonprofit funding structure. The primary revenue stream is membership dues (introductory $180/year for singles or families, with regular tiers and contribution review for financial hardship), supplemented by donations and Tzedakah (processed via PayPal across named funds including plaques, memorials, and the Simcha Menorah Fund), event-based revenue (ticketed via Eventbrite), cemetery plot sales, and gift shop income. The technology stack is conventional and non-AI: WordPress website, Zoom for hybrid service participation, Constant Contact for email, Eventbrite for ticketing, and Google Forms for registration. Go-to-market is community-led, driven by word-of-mouth referrals, interfaith partnerships, and multi-generational member loyalty rather than conventional marketing.

Name

Congregation Adath Israel

Legal name

Congregation Adath Israel

Website

https://adathisraelct.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1904

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Congregation Adath Israel is a 120+ year-old egalitarian Conservative Jewish synagogue in Middletown, Connecticut, serving member families across central Connecticut with tuition-free religious education, lifecycle services, daily worship, and community programming supported by dues, donations, and event revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Services (Synagogue)

NAICS

Religious Organizations (813110), Educational Services (611)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Religious services
• Jewish education
• Life cycle events
• Community programming
• Nonprofit congregation

Headquarters

HQ city

Middletown

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 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 fees for individuals and families. Introductory rate of $180/year for singles or families. No individual or family is denied membership due to financial limitations.
2. Donations and Tzedakah: The synagogue accepts donations for various funds including plaques, memorials, Simcha Menorah Fund, and general operating support through PayPal and other means.
3. Event Revenue: Revenue generated from community events, programs, and social activities organized by various committees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Congregation Adath Israel is an egalitarian Conservative Jewish synagogue offering religious services (daily minyan, Friday evening and Saturday morning Shabbat services), K-12 tuition-free religious education, early childhood programming (Mazel Tots), adult education, and a full suite of life cycle services including weddings, Brit Milah, B'nei Mitzvah, conversions, funerals, and cemetery plots. The congregation serves individuals and families in central Connecticut, with hybrid in-person and Zoom participation.

Product overview

Congregation Adath Israel is a vibrant, egalitarian Conservative synagogue in Middletown, CT offering a comprehensive suite of Jewish religious, educational, and community services. The core offerings include in-person and Zoom-streamed religious services (daily minyan, weekly Shabbat services), tuition-free K-12 Religious School, Mazel Tots early childhood program, Adult Education (weekly Torah study and lectures), and Kadima/USY youth programming. Life cycle services encompass weddings, Brit Milah/baby namings, B'nei Mitzvah preparation, conversion support, and funeral/bereavement services including cemetery plots. Additional services include the Helping Hands outreach program, scholarship programs for Jewish camp and post-secondary education, the Kolot monthly newsletter, a Gift Shop, and the Auerbach lending library. The congregation also maintains a Holocaust Torah (Memorial Scrolls Trust #903) from Czechoslovakia. The synagogue recently merged with Temple B'nai Abraham in 2019 and welcomed its first female Rabbi Nelly Altenburger in 2020.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BEBLUSY: Youth programming chapter (USY/Kadima) uniting Jewish youth from participating synagogues including B'nai Tikvoh-Sholom, Beth El, and Adath Israel in the West Hartford area.

Products and services

• Religious Services Daily minyan (Monday-Friday 8am, Sunday 9am), weekly Friday evening services (7pm), and Saturday morning services (9:30am) offered in-person and via Zoom. Open to the public.
• Religious School Tuition-free K-12 Jewish religious education program including Sunday sessions (K-7th grade), Wednesday Hebrew instruction (3rd-7th grade), Post B'nei Mitzvah classes, and curriculum covering Torah, holidays, values, Israel, and Hebrew literacy.
• Mazel Tots Free early childhood education program (infant-PreK) providing 'parent/guardian and me' style Jewish learning through music, games, stories, crafts, and Hebrew alphabet introduction.
• Adult Education Weekly Torah Study with Rabbi Nelly (Wednesday 10:30am and Thursday 6pm on Zoom) plus periodic lectures, discussions, and guest speakers on Jewish life, current events, history, and environmental issues.
• Kadima & USY Youth Programming Youth groups affiliated with United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism: Kadima for 5th-8th graders and USY for high school students, offering social, cultural, religious, and educational events at chapter, regional, and international levels.
• Wedding/Marriage Services Rabbi officiation for heterosexual and same-sex member couples, spiritual counseling, venue rental (sanctuary and social hall), and lifecycle ceremony guidance including ketubah and chuppah traditions.
• Brit Milah/Baby Naming Circumcision ceremony for boys (Brit Milah) and naming ceremony for girls (Simchat Bat) conducted at home or synagogue, including Torah service participation and special blessings from the Rabbi.
• B'nei Mitzvah Program Bar/bat mitzvah preparation program framed by Torah study, prayer (avodah), and acts of loving-kindness (gemilut hesed), with individualized mitzvah projects and parental involvement.
• Conversion Program Welcome and supportive process for conversion candidates including study with Rabbi, Beit Din appearance, mikveh immersion, and community integration.
• Funeral & Bereavement Services Jewish burial coordination including Chevra Kadisha support, tahara preparation, shiva minyan arrangements, cemetery plots at Pine Street location, and mourning practice guidance including Kaddish recitation and yahrzeit observances.
• Helping Hands/Bichor Cholim Volunteer outreach program providing hospital and home visits, shopping assistance, rides, and person-to-person support for members undergoing illness or recovery, including the monthly MeSheberakh healing prayers list.
• Scholarship Programs Educational scholarships including Thumim Scholarship (funded by Mark and Luanne Paley) for Jewish camp and Israel travel, and multiple named post-secondary education scholarships administered by the Scholarship Committee.
• Kolot Newsletter Monthly synagogue newsletter published in print and digital format covering news, events, religious school updates, and community announcements.
• Gift Shop Judaica gift shop offering Seder plates, challah covers, mezuzah cases, kippot, tallitot, candlesticks, and holiday-specific items located in the small sanctuary.
• Auerbach Library Lending library with books covering Jewish life and culture including novels, biographies, non-fiction, and Book Club collection. Also houses research materials in the Auerbach Research Library.
• Cemetery Services Burial rights at Congregation Adath Israel Cemetery on Pine Street in Middletown, including original synagogue section and multifaith section dedicated summer 2013.
• Holocaust Torah Program Custody and display of Memorial Scrolls Trust Torah #903 from Mělník, Czechoslovakia, originally from Temple B'nai Abraham, housed in small sanctuary and used for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services.

Named customers3 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

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Jewish Historical Society of Greater HartfordminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2025Co-sponsored a cemetery beautification event in May 2026 along with Valley Beit Midrash and Adath Israel's Chevra Kadisha. Also co-sponsored Women's League for Conservative Judaism Museum Tour.
• Valley Beit MidrashminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2025Co-sponsored cemetery beautification event with Jewish Historical Society of Greater Hartford and Adath Israel's Chevra Kadisha.
• Mem Global's Moishe House Without WallsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2025Event co-sponsor for Lag Ba'Omer archery event and cemetery beautification event. Represents partnership with emerging leadership programs.
• Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford - Emerging Leadership ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2025Co-sponsored cemetery beautification event with Adath Israel and other partner organizations.
• St. Pious X ChurchminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2022Adath Israel and St. Pious X Church conducted joint ventures at St. Vincent de Paul, sharing responsibilities for preparing and serving meals. The partnership demonstrates interfaith community engagement and social action.
• Temple B'nai AbrahamcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2019Effective July 1, 2019, Congregation Adath Israel and Temple B'nai Abraham officially merged into one congregation. This merger brought new members, resources, and the beautiful bimah and memorial boards from Temple B'nai Abraham to Adath Israel. A merger gala was held November 9, 2019 to celebrate.
• Doolittle Funeral HomeminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMost funerals for Adath Israel members are coordinated in close cooperation with Doolittle Funeral Home, located near the synagogue. The funeral home provides professional funeral services that work with the synagogue's pastoral and ritual requirements.
• Mandell JCCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a partner organization in the Links page. Co-sponsored Women's Seder with The Emanuel Synagogue and Mandell Jewish Community Center.
• The Emanuel Synagogue (West Hartford)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsored an all-female Women's Seder along with Mandell Jewish Community Center of Greater Hartford. Multiple Adath Israel members attended including Rabbi Nelly Altenburger.
• Wesleyan Israel Studies ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a partner organization on the Links page, providing resources for members interested in Israel studies.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (USCJ): The denominational parent body for Conservative synagogues in North America. Adath Israel's youth programming (Kadima/USY) is affiliated with USCJ, and USCJ provides the broader movement infrastructure and resources the congregation draws upon.
• Mandell Jewish Community Center (JCC): Central Hartford's Jewish community center offering religious-school-adjacent programming, cultural events, and social services. Listed as a partner of Adath Israel and a co-sponsor of community events like the Women's Seder.
• Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford: Regional federation coordinating Jewish community services across Greater Hartford. Adath Israel is an active partner, and the Federation provides community-wide programming, fundraising infrastructure, and emerging leadership programs that overlap with synagogue offerings.

Direct peers

• Congregation B'nai Israel: Conservative synagogue in Danbury, CT, where Rabbi Nelly Altenburger previously served for 14 years before joining Adath Israel. Directly comparable in denomination, scale, and life-cycle programming.
• Congregation Or Shalom: Conservative synagogue serving Orange/Woodbridge, CT. Comparable in denomination and life-cycle programming, operating in the broader New Haven-area Jewish community overlapping with Adath Israel's geographic reach.
• Beth El Temple: Conservative synagogue in West Hartford, CT, and member of the BEBLUSY 'Superchapter' alongside Adath Israel. Operates in the same regional Jewish community with overlapping programming and member base.
• Temple B'nai Tikvoh-Sholom: Conservative synagogue in Canton, CT, fellow BEBLUSY chapter member. Comparable in denomination, religious school offering, and central Connecticut geographic market.
• Temple Sinai: Conservative/Reform-leaning synagogue in New Haven, CT. Operates in the same Connecticut market and competes for Jewish families across the New Haven-to-Hartford corridor referenced in Adath Israel's Jewish Speed Dating outreach.
• The Emanuel Synagogue: Conservative egalitarian synagogue in West Hartford, CT, part of Adath Israel's BEBLUSY youth coalition and co-sponsor of Women's Seder events. Directly comparable in denomination, geography, and programming breadth.

Others

• Jewish Theological Seminary of America: The flagship rabbinical school of the Conservative movement and ordination source for rabbis including Rabbi Nelly Altenburger. While not a direct competitor, JTS shapes the talent pipeline, educational curricula, and movement identity that Adath Israel operates within.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Adath-Israel-1135184926491972
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/congregation-adath-israel

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 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 Congregation Adath Israel