Beth Emet The Free Synagogue

What Beth Emet The Free Synagogue does

Beth Emet The Free Synagogue is a Reform Jewish congregation founded in 1951 in Evanston, Illinois, operating as a member-governed nonprofit with approximately 32 employees and a single location at 1224 Dempster Street. The congregation provides Shabbat and holiday worship services (Kabbalat Shabbat, Kahal Shabbat, Sunday Minyan, High Holy Days), religious education through Beit Sefer (Tot through 7th grade) and adult programming, lifecycle event officiation from birth through end of life, and an active social action portfolio including a soup kitchen, tzedakah fund grants, and Black-Jewish and Jewish-Muslim interfaith partnerships. Its technology stack is limited to commodity tools — LiveControl livestreaming, Zoom, and the MyBethEmet member portal — used primarily to support hybrid worship delivery and member administration rather than as differentiated product surface.

Revenue is generated primarily through annual membership dues, supplemented by the Mitzvah Appeal annual fundraising campaign (stated goal of $250,000 representing approximately 10% of operating budget, implying total operating budget near $2.5 million), general donations and Tzedakah contributions (including the Dor L'Dor planned giving program), and modest facility rental income. Pricing tiers for membership are not publicly disclosed. The go-to-market motion is community-led, driven by member referrals, organic engagement through services and lifecycle events, and the weekly EmetMail e-newsletter, with a defined intake process welcoming new members via celebratory events such as the summer Oneg and Shabbat introductions to clergy.

Leadership is in active transition: Rabbi Andrea London retired in May 2026 after 26 years as Senior Rabbi, and Rabbi Brian Immerman was welcomed as her successor in July 2026, accompanied by a community-wide programming rollout. Operational leadership includes a President (Karen Isaacson), Vice President (Lee Weintraub), Director of Operations (Geoff Prass), Director of Congregational Engagement (Bekki Harris Kaplan), Director of Lifelong Learning (Lauren Reeves), Cantor Young (2026 Ba'al Chazon Award recipient), and a Safety and Security Task Force chaired by Barry Miller.

Name

Beth Emet The Free Synagogue

Legal name

Beth Emet The Free Synagogue

Website

https://bethemet.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1951

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Beth Emet The Free Synagogue is a 75-year-old Reform Jewish congregation in Evanston, Illinois, serving approximately 32 staff and a member base through Shabbat and holiday worship, religious education, lifecycle events, and social justice programming, funded primarily by membership dues and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Congregation Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Jewish religious services
• Religious education
• Lifecycle ceremonies
• Community programming
• Social action initiatives

Headquarters

HQ city

Evanston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues and Fees: Annual membership commitments and fees that form the primary base of synagogue operations, supplemented by the Mitzvah Appeal campaign targeting approximately 10% of operating budget
2. Mitzvah Appeal Donations: Annual fundraising campaign with a stated goal of $250,000, representing approximately 10% of annual operating costs. Community members contribute through pledges.
3. Facility Rental: Synagogue facilities available for rental for events, as indicated by the Facility Rental section on the website
4. Donations and Tzedakah: General donations including Tzedakah Fund contributions and planned giving program (Dor L'Dor, From Generation to Generation)

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Beth Emet The Free Synagogue is a Jewish congregation providing weekly worship services, religious education for children and adults, lifecycle ceremonies (b'nai mitzvah, weddings, funerals), social action programming, and community events. Founded in 1951 and based in Evanston, Illinois, the congregation operates as a member-supported, non-profit synagogue serving Jewish families and individuals in the North Shore Chicago area.

Product overview

Beth Emet The Free Synagogue is a Jewish congregation offering religious services, educational programs, and community engagement activities. Core worship services include Kabbalat Shabbat (Friday evening), Kahal Shabbat (Saturday morning), Sunday Minyan, and High Holy Days services (Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Simchat Torah). Religious education programs include Beit Sefer (children's religious school from Tot to 7th grade), Kabbalat Mitzvah preparation, and teen education. Community programming includes youth groups, young family engagement, adult education, worship music programs, and lifecycle event services (birth, wedding, conversion, end of life). Social action initiatives include volunteer opportunities, a soup kitchen, advocacy, and tzedakah fund grants. The synagogue also provides facility rental options.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Weekly Shabbat Worship Services In-person and livestreamed Jewish worship services held weekly for congregation members and the broader community.
• Religious School (K-12 Education) Jewish religious education program for children and youth, including preparation for b'nai mitzvah.
• Adult Learning Programs Torah study, Hebrew language, and adult Jewish learning classes for congregation members and community participants.
• Lifecycle Ceremonies B'nai mitzvah, weddings, funerals, baby namings, and other lifecycle rituals led by congregational clergy.
• Social Action Programming Community organizing, advocacy, and volunteer initiatives on social justice issues including refugee support and racial equity.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully transitioned leadership from Rabbi serving 26 years to new Senior Rabbi with community-wide celebration events
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• J Street ChicagocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 October 2022J Street Chicago is a Jewish organization advocating for Middle East peace. Rabbi London serves as co-chair of J Street's National Rabbinic and Cantorial Cabinet. She received the 2022 Tzedek v'Shalom (Justice and Peace) Award from J Street Chicago.
• Black-Jewish PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBeth Emet has established successful and growing Black-Jewish partnerships in Evanston, fostering cross-cultural relationships and dialogue. This includes organized civil rights journeys taking Black and Jewish Evanston teenagers through the American South to connect with the civil rights era.
• Jewish-Muslim PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBeth Emet has developed strong and lasting Jewish-Muslim partnerships as part of its bridge-building mission across lines of faith and race under Rabbi London's leadership.
• North Shore NAACPminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe North Shore NAACP has recognized Rabbi London for her work on peace in Israel and Palestine and racial justice advocacy in Evanston.
• JCC Chicago Early ChildhoodminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBeth Emet partners with JCC Chicago Early Childhood for early childhood education programming, as indicated in the Learn section of the website.
• URJ (Union for Reform Judaism)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBeth Emet participates in the URJ High Holy Days Courtesy Seating Program, allowing members to attend services at other congregations and visitors to worship at Beth Emet during High Holy Days.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Temple Emanu-El: Major Reform congregation in Chicago with a much larger membership base and program breadth; serves as a broader incumbent for the same Reform congregational market Beth Emet addresses.
• Temple Sholom: Established Reform Jewish congregation in Chicago with a broader program portfolio and larger staff than Beth Emet; overlaps in worship, education, and social-action offerings but at meaningfully larger scale.

Direct peers

• KAM Isaiah Israel: Historic Reform Jewish congregation in Chicago with a similar mix of Shabbat services, religious school, adult learning, and social justice programming — directly comparable to Beth Emet's offerings.
• Temple Jeremiah: Reform Jewish congregation in Northfield, IL serving the same North Shore community as Beth Emet, with comparable program mix (religious school, adult education, social action) and scale.
• North Shore Congregation Israel: Large Reform Jewish congregation based in Glencoe, IL on Chicago's North Shore — directly comparable to Beth Emet in movement, geography, congregant demographic, and progressive orientation.
• Anshe Sholom B'nai Israel: Chicago-based Reform Jewish congregation offering the same core worship, education, and lifecycle-service model as Beth Emet; comparable in scale to Beth Emet's roughly $2.5M operating budget.
• Congregation Sukkat Shalom: Reform Jewish congregation in Wilmette, IL, immediately adjacent to Beth Emet's Evanston catchment — near-identical congregant base, lifecycle services, and Reform progressive orientation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/beth-emet-the-free-synagogue

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Beth Emet The Free Synagogue