HOUSTON CONGREGATION FOR REFORM JUDAISM

What HOUSTON CONGREGATION FOR REFORM JUDAISM does

Houston Congregation for Reform Judaism (HCRJ) is a 501(c)(3) Reform Jewish congregation founded in 1955 and located in Houston, Texas. It serves member households through Shabbat and holiday worship services, religious school education, lifecycle events (b'nai mitzvah, weddings, funerals), and a broad slate of social and lifelong-learning programs spanning early childhood through seniors. Rabbi Steven R. Gross has served as senior rabbi since 2005, with additional clergy and education leadership identified, and the congregation is affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism.

The congregation's core offerings include weekly worship services (offered both in-person and via live streaming), K–12 religious education, youth programming, adult learning, and affinity-based social groups (e.g., watercolor, yoga, mah jongg). Operational technology is built on the third-party Shulcloud platform, which supports the congregation's website, member directory, event calendar, and online donations. The congregation also partners with the URJ Greene Family Camp to extend youth programming and collaborates with the Hey Houston initiative to support young Jewish life in the Houston area.

HCRJ's business model is a nonprofit membership-funded model. Revenue is generated through member dues, religious school tuition, lifecycle and event fees, facility rentals, and charitable donations from members and supporters. The 2024–2025 Year-in-Review publication indicates ongoing donor stewardship and member communications. No consolidated financial statements, membership counts, or budget figures are publicly disclosed, limiting revenue triangulation.

Name

HOUSTON CONGREGATION FOR REFORM JUDAISM

Legal name

Houston Congregation for Reform Judaism

Website

https://hcrj.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1955

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Houston Congregation for Reform Judaism is a Reform Jewish congregation founded in 1955 in Houston, Texas, serving member households through worship, K–12 religious education, lifecycle events, and adult and youth programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Congregation Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (81311), Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (813110)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

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

Keywords

• Religious congregation services
• Jewish worship services
• Religious education programs
• Adult learning programs
• Community social programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

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 from congregants
2. Donations: Voluntary donations from members and the community
3. Religious School Tuition: Tuition payments for children's religious education programs. Per the refund policy, tuition is due regardless of whether the student completes the year and is non-refundable except under specific circumstances.
4. Event Fees: Fees for special events such as Shabbat B'Yachad Dinner ($10 for members, $15 for non-members) and other programming
5. Class Fees and Donations: Watercolor class: free for members, $50 donation requested from non-members due to limited space

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

HCRJ delivers Reform Jewish worship services and a community programming portfolio built around weekly Shabbat services led by Rabbi Steven Gross, a Sunday Religious School for children, adult Jewish learning (book discussions, film screenings, watercolor classes), and a slate of recurring social and wellness activities (Mah Jongg, Canasta/Bridge, yoga). Membership, voluntary donations/tzedakah, religious school tuition, and selective program/event fees sustain a member-supported, nonprofit congregation.

Product overview

Houston Congregation for Reform Judaism is a vibrant, inclusive Jewish congregation offering a unified portfolio of religious worship, educational, and social programs centered around its core Shabbat Services and Religious School. The congregation provides comprehensive programming across multiple categories: weekly worship services (Shabbat Services) led by Rabbi Steven Gross, children's religious education (Religious School), adult learning (film screenings, book discussions, watercolor, yoga), social activities (Mah Jongg, Canasta, Bridge), and special family programming (Shabbat B'Yachad dinners). Additional services include membership programs, online donations, and live streaming capabilities for virtual participation. The organization operates from its facility in Houston's Tanglewood area and serves as a community hub for Jewish fellowship and spiritual connection.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Shabbat Services Weekly Sabbath worship services led by Rabbi Steven Gross and Service Leader Mike Kahn, with a dessert Oneg reception following services. Available both in-person and via live stream.
• Religious School Innovative religious education program for children held on Sunday mornings, featuring dynamic, interactive learning experiences (nature, art, cooking) that bring Jewish history and values to life. Tuition is annual and non-refundable except in specific circumstances.
• Shabbat B'Yachad Dinner & Service Family-friendly Shabbat experience featuring a homemade meal at 6:15pm followed by an interactive service at 7:15pm, led by Rabbi Gross and Mike Kahn. Priced at $10 for HCRJ members and $15 for non-members.
• Watercolor Wednesdays Wednesday adult art class for beginners and experienced artists, run in 6-week sessions focused on a medium, with all supplies provided. Members attend free; non-members are requested to donate $50 due to limited space. Maximum class size 16.
• Mah Jongg Sessions Multiple weekly Mah Jongg game sessions (Wednesday mornings, Thursday afternoons, Monday evenings, plus Friday beginners). Includes learn-and-play sessions for beginners and drop-in games for seasoned players. Free and open to the community; donations appreciated.
• Canasta and Bridge Games Weekly drop-in Canasta and Bridge card game sessions on Thursday mornings, open to all skill levels. Free and open to the community.
• Yoga Classes Monday morning yoga classes from 10:00am-11:15am taught by certified instructor Suzy Shapiro, focused on improving strength, stamina, balance, flexibility, and immune system.
• Membership Program Congregation membership offering full participation in temple life, including worship services, educational programs, and social activities. Interfaith families are warmly welcomed as full participants.
• Live Streaming Live streaming of Shabbat services that allows virtual attendance for members and prospective members who are unable to visit in person.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• URJ Greene Family CampminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerURJ Greene Family Camp is referenced under Youth Learning programs as a partner for youth learning experiences. This connection provides families with access to camp programs as part of the congregation's youth education offerings.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Congregation Beth Israel (Houston): Historic Houston Reform congregation offering worship, religious education, and lifecycle services that overlap directly with HCRJ's core offerings in the same metropolitan market.
• Congregation Emanu El (Houston): Large Reform Jewish congregation in Houston offering Shabbat services, religious school, and adult programming comparable to HCRJ's portfolio, and competing for the same Houston-area Jewish families.
• Temple Beth Sholom (Miami): Reform synagogue with similar family-oriented programming, religious school, and lifecycle services for a comparable warm-climate metro Jewish community.
• Rodef Shalom Congregation (Pittsburgh): Mid-sized Reform congregation offering Shabbat services, religious school, adult learning, and social programming analogous to HCRJ's diversified portfolio.
• Congregation Shir Shalom (Reform, similar mid-size): Mid-size Reform congregations nationally share HCRJ's structure: weekly Shabbat services, religious school, adult education, social programming, and dues-plus-donation revenue model.

Broad incumbents

• Central Synagogue (NYC): Large Manhattan Reform congregation with comparable worship, education, social action, and live-streaming capabilities; useful benchmark for programming depth and member services scope.
• Temple Israel (multiple cities): Established Reform congregations in other major cities (e.g., Minneapolis, Boston) operate with similar membership, education, and lifecycle programming at greater scale, representing the 'flagship' Reform model HCRJ benchmarks against.

Others

• ShulCloud (ShulCloud / Accounting Office): Vendor platform used by HCRJ for member management, websites, and online donations; broadly adopted infrastructure across North American congregations, framing HCRJ's digital operations.
• URJ Greene Family Camp: Reform Jewish summer camp partnered with HCRJ for youth programming; represents the broader URJ ecosystem of complementary youth and educational services congregations rely on for member engagement.

Regional players

• Merfish JCC (Jewish Community Center of Houston): Houston-area Jewish communal institution offering parallel social, educational, and cultural programming (youth, seniors, fitness) to overlapping Jewish families, though not a worship community.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/houston-congregation-for-reform-judaism

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 HOUSTON CONGREGATION FOR REFORM JUDAISM