What Brooklyn Heights Synagogue does

Brooklyn Heights Synagogue (BHS) is a non-profit Reform Jewish congregation founded in 1959 by Belle and Rubin Huffman, headquartered at 131 Remsen Street in Brooklyn, NY. It serves 500+ member families through a full lifecycle of religious, educational, and community programming, including weekly Shabbat services, High Holy Days observances, Preschool (ages 2-5), Parenting Center (ages 0-3), K-12 Religious School, B'Mitzvah preparation, adult education, Israel engagement, and a 40+ year volunteer-run homeless shelter operating four nights per week for up to 10 men. The synagogue is affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism and maintains strategic partnerships with the Jewish Agency for Israel (Shlicha/Shinshinim), the Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism (Yachdav Mifgash program), and local Brooklyn congregations. Governance is provided by a Board of Trustees led by Board President Aaron Zimmerman, with Eric Munson serving as Executive Director.

BHS operates a diversified non-profit revenue model anchored by recurring annual membership dues, tuition-based preschool and religious school fees (preschool ranges $14,800-$34,600; religious school $1,400-$2,500), annual appeal fundraising, legacy giving (BHS Fund, Legacy Society), and add-on revenue from Simcha Leaves, Memorial Plaques, facility rentals, and cemetery plot sales ($3,600 each at Maimonides Cemetery). Its technology stack is conventional and non-proprietary: ShulCloud handles donation processing and event registration, Squarespace hosts the website, Zoom supports remote education, and Vimeo streams services. Distribution is primarily in-person at the Brooklyn Heights facility, supplemented by livestream capabilities and off-site officiation for member lifecycle events.

BHS also maintains a social justice committee active on climate, reproductive rights, immigration (HIAS, SCRIC), criminal justice (JCCJR), and voting rights advocacy, and coordinates with the Religious Action Center, National Council of Jewish Women, and Center for Common Ground. The organization's marketing is community-led, relying on word-of-mouth referrals, social media (Facebook, Instagram), Vimeo video content, and community events rather than commercial promotion. No public financials are disclosed.

Name

Brooklyn Heights Synagogue

Legal name

Brooklyn Heights Synagogue

Website

https://bhsbrooklyn.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1959

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Brooklyn Heights Synagogue is a non-profit Reform Jewish congregation founded in 1959 in Brooklyn, NY, serving 500+ member families through worship, early childhood and K-12 education, lifecycle services, and a long-running homeless shelter program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Congregation Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (813110)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Religious education
• Jewish congregation
• Early childhood education
• Worship services
• Community programming

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, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Yearly Membership Dues & Fees: Annual membership commitment required for participation; membership provides access to lifecycle services, religious school, preschool, and community programming.
2. Preschool & Religious School Tuition & Fees: Tuition-based revenue from early childhood education programs and K-12 religious school. Preschool ranges from $14,800 to $34,600 annually; Religious School ranges from $1,400 to $2,500+ depending on grade.
3. Annual Appeal & Fundraising Campaigns: Unrestricted funds supporting year-round operations, facility maintenance, staff support, and ritual/educational programs. Includes Annual Appeal, BHS Fund for long-term sustainability, and Legacy Society for planned giving.
4. Donations & Contributions: Tax-deductible donations through various methods including online gifts (credit card with 3% fee), e-checks, physical checks, wire transfers, Donor Advised Funds, securities, and IRA RMD contributions. Also includes Simcha Leaves and Memorial Plaques.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Brooklyn Heights Synagogue is a progressive Reform Jewish congregation providing worship services, lifecycle event officiation, and religious education spanning early childhood through 12th grade. The congregation also operates community-facing programs including a long-running homeless shelter, social justice advocacy, Israel engagement, and adult learning.

Product overview

Brooklyn Heights Synagogue is a progressive Reform Jewish congregation offering a comprehensive portfolio of religious, educational, and community services. The core offerings include weekly Shabbat worship services and High Holy Days observances; early childhood education through its Preschool (ages 2-5) and Parenting Center (ages 0-3); Religious School (K-12) with B'Mitzvah preparation and Confirmation programs; and Lifelong Learning adult education courses. The synagogue operates community programs including a volunteer-run homeless shelter, Social Justice Committee advocacy initiatives, Israel engagement programming with youth trips and film groups, and Chesed caring committee support services. Additional offerings include lifecycle commemorations (Simcha Leaves, Memorial Plaques), cemetery services at Maimonides Cemetery, facilities rental, and various fundraising vehicles (Annual Appeal, BHS Fund, Legacy Society). The organization uses Squarespace for website hosting, ShulCloud for donations/events, Zoom for remote education, and Vimeo/YouTube for video content.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Preschool Program
• Religious School (K-12)
• Parenting Center
• Worship Services
• B'Mitzvah Program
• Lifelong Learning / Adult Education
• Maimonides Cemetery (Beit Haverim) Plots
• Simcha Leaves & Memorial Plaques
• Facilities Rental
• High Holy Days Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ families served as members
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Plymouth ChurchminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 February 2026Partner organization hosting the homeless shelter in February 2026 while BHS shelter season concludes January 29, 2026.
• Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism (IMPJ)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016BHS participates in Yachdav's educational twinning program matching students in grades 4-11 with peers in Israeli Reform Jewish schools. BHS began Mifgash Program with Hadarim School in Rishon Lezion, Israel in 2016.
• CAMBAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrooklyn's largest social service agency that screens all shelter guests for sobriety, health assessment including COVID symptoms and TB, psychiatric and psychosocial evaluations, and weapons/contraband screening prior to guests arriving at BHS shelter.
• Union for Reform Judaism (URJ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBHS is affiliated with the URJ, providing access to movement-wide educational resources, camp networks (Eisner, Crane Lake, 6 Points Sci-Tech), youth programming (NFTY), and religious action advocacy through the Religious Action Center.
• The Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides Shlicha (Israeli emissary) and Shinshinim (year of service participants) to BHS community. Shinshinim have been part of BHS since 2013, living in Brooklyn and working in Jewish schools, synagogues, and communities across Brooklyn and Manhattan.
• Religious Action Center New York (RAC/NY)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerBHS works with RAC/NY on climate crisis advocacy, lobbying local legislators for key climate legislation.
• National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerBHS members partner with NCJW to protect reproductive rights in response to the Dobbs decision.
• HIASminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBHS congregants partner with HIAS on immigration reform and refugee crisis support through advocacy and direct assistance.
• Synagogue Coalition on the Refugee and Immigration Crisis (SCRIC)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerBHS is represented in SCRIC, a coalition of synagogues working on refugee and immigration crisis advocacy and support.
• Jewish Coalition for Criminal Justice (JCCJR)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerBHS works on parole reform, prison reform, and other criminal legal system reform initiatives as a member of JCCJR.
• Center for Common Ground / Reclaim Our VoteminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBHS participates in postcard-writing campaigns to increase voter turnout, particularly in Black and brown communities.
• Congregation Shearith IsraelminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSephardic Orthodox community that BHS partners with for joint Tisha B'Av observance at their Manhattan location.
• Brownstone Brooklyn Synagogues CoalitionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBHS joins with other Brooklyn synagogues (Congregation Beth Elohim, Kane Street Synagogue, Kolot Chayeinu, Park Slope Jewish Center, Union Temple) for joint Yom HaShoah commemoration.
• Moving TraditionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBHS B'Mitzvah Family Education Programs are based on curriculum developed by Moving Traditions to address social and emotional learning.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• JCC Brooklyn: Jewish Community Center that competes with BHS for Jewish programming, summer camps, and family engagement in Brooklyn. While not a synagogue, it draws from the same Jewish family demographic BHS targets.
• 92nd Street Y: Major NYC Jewish cultural and educational institution offering adult learning, family programming, and lifecycle-adjacent services. Operates as a programming competitor and potential ecosystem partner for BHS congregants.

Broad incumbents

• Central Synagogue: Large Manhattan Reform congregation with comparable programming (early childhood, religious school, adult learning, social justice). A broader incumbent competing for the same NYC progressive Jewish family market.
• Temple Emanu-El: One of the largest Reform Jewish congregations in North America, located in Manhattan. Provides overlapping worship, education, and lifecycle services but operates at materially greater scale than BHS with broader geographic draw.

Direct peers

• Park Slope Jewish Center: Progressive Brooklyn synagogue participating in BHS's Yom HaShoah joint observance. Targets overlapping young-family demographic with similar lifecycle, education, and social-justice programming.
• Congregation Beth Elohim: A large Reform Jewish congregation in Brooklyn that BHS explicitly partners with for Yom HaShoah observances. Operates similar programming (preschool, religious school, lifecycle services) for overlapping Brooklyn families.
• Congregation Shearith Israel: Historic Manhattan Jewish congregation that BHS partners with for joint Tisha B'Av observance. While Sephardic Orthodox in tradition rather than Reform, it competes broadly in the NYC Jewish lifecycle and programming market.
• Kolot Chayeinu: Progressive, inclusive Brooklyn congregation in the Brownstone Brooklyn Synagogues Coalition with BHS. Directly comparable in mission, Reform/progressive orientation, and Brooklyn family focus.
• Union Temple: Brooklyn Reform congregation that partners with BHS for Yom HaShoah observances. Competes for similar Brooklyn families seeking progressive Jewish community, education, and lifecycle services.
• Kane Street Synagogue: Brownstone Brooklyn progressive Jewish congregation that BHS collaborates with through the Brownstone Brooklyn Synagogues Coalition. Serves a similar Brooklyn Heights-adjacent demographic with comparable Reform programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/bhs
• Facebookfacebook.com/BrooklynHeightsSynagogue
• Instagraminstagram.com/bhsbrooklyn
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/brooklynheightssynagogue

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Brooklyn Heights Synagogue