Congregation Shaare Emeth

What Congregation Shaare Emeth does

Congregation Shaare Emeth is a private, nonprofit Reform Jewish congregation headquartered at 11645 Ladue Road in St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1867, it is the oldest and largest Reform Jewish congregation in St. Louis and serves approximately 1,600 member families representing nearly 3,000 members of the Jewish community in the metropolitan area. The congregation is governed by a Board of Trustees with a professional clergy team and is affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism.

The congregation's offerings span the full member lifecycle and include weekly Shabbat worship services (Kabbalat Shabbat, Shabbat Morning Torah Study, and the non-traditional Prayer Lab), a religious school from Pre-K through 12th grade, the Shirlee Green Preschool, summer day camps Camp Emeth (K–8) and Camp Micah (infants–Pre-K), adult learning programs (Texting Tuesdays, Intro to Judaism, Hyman A. Rubin Library), B'Mitzvah preparation, youth groups, and dedicated segments for young adults, interfaith families, seniors, and the LGBTQ+ community via the Keshet committee. Pastoral care, lifecycle support, and social-action programming (voting rights, mental health, environmental stewardship, welcoming immigrants, reproductive justice) round out the portfolio.

Revenue is generated primarily through recurring annual membership dues from approximately 1,600 families, supplemented by voluntary donations, tiered giving societies (A.V. Club at $100; Emet Society from $18,000 to $50,000; Ner Tamid and Natan Circle), program and event fees (Shabbat dinners, Purim carnival wristbands, Charcuterie boards, senior lunches), preschool and camp tuition, and the signature annual Jubilation fundraiser (October 24, 2026) with sponsorship tiers from $1,000 to $25,000 and $154 individual tickets. The underlying technology layer is modest: livestreaming infrastructure for services, Zoom-based virtual programming, and a Shulcloud-hosted member portal, with no disclosed AI/ML capability. The 54-employee organization operates four wholly-owned program subsidiaries (Shirlee Green Preschool, Camp Emeth, Camp Micah, Jewish Mindfulness Center of St. Louis).

Name

Congregation Shaare Emeth

Legal name

Congregation Shaare Emeth

Website

https://sestl.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1867

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Congregation Shaare Emeth is the oldest and largest Reform Jewish congregation in St. Louis, founded in 1867, serving approximately 1,600 families through worship, religious education (Pre-K through 12th grade), preschool, summer camps, and lifecycle programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Congregation Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD), Faith-Based Childcare Centers (EDACAAAN), Faith-Based Preschools (EDACABAF)

Keywords

• Reform Jewish congregation
• Religious education
• Jewish summer camps
• Jewish preschool
• Adult Jewish learning

Headquarters

HQ city

St. Louis

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, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership contributions from approximately 1,600 families supporting temple operations and programming
2. General Donations and Tributes: Voluntary donations, tribute gifts, and contributions to various named funds including the Shaare Emeth Endowment Fund
3. Giving Societies: Structured giving programs including Emet Society (tiered from $18,000 to $50,000), Ner Tamid Society (additional pledges), and Natan Circle (legacy commitments)
4. AV Club Membership: Annual $100 donation supporting technology and accessibility initiatives including livestreaming capabilities
5. Event Revenue: Program fees including Shabbat dinners ($18-24 per person), carnival wristbands ($15-20), and special event tickets
6. Jubilation Fundraising Event: Annual signature celebration generating sponsorship revenue through tiered packages from $1,000 (Titanium) to $25,000 (Jubilee), plus individual tickets at $154

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Congregation Shaare Emeth is the oldest and largest Reform Jewish congregation in St. Louis, founded in 1867. It provides weekly Shabbat worship services, lifecycle ceremonies, Jewish religious education from preschool through 12th grade, summer camps, adult learning programs, and community social-action initiatives. Programming spans all life stages and includes preschool (Shirlee Green Preschool), religious school, Camp Emeth and Camp Micah, B'Mitzvah preparation, youth groups, and the Jewish Mindfulness Center of St. Louis.

Product overview

Congregation Shaare Emeth is a Reform Jewish synagogue offering religious, educational, and community services. The organization provides worship services (including Kabbalat Shabbat, Torah Study, and Prayer Lab), Jewish education (Religious School from Pre-K to 12th grade, Shirlee Green Preschool), summer camps (Camp Emeth for K-8th grade, Camp Micah for infants-PreK), adult learning programs, B'Mitzvah preparation, youth groups, the Jewish Mindfulness Center of St. Louis, Keshet LGBTQ+ inclusion programming, and senior community programs. Technology services include A.V. Club for live streaming and hybrid events. The congregation serves as the oldest and largest Reform Jewish congregation in St. Louis, founded in 1867.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Shirlee Green Preschool: Preschool education program for young children operated by the congregation.
• Camp Emeth
• Camp Micah
• Jewish Mindfulness Center of St. Louis
• Keshet LGBTQ+
• Prayer Lab
• Boker Tov Shabbat
• Texting Tuesdays
• L'Dor VaDor

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

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Union for Reform Judaism (URJ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliation with URJ, the central body for Reform Judaism in North America, providing access to resources, camps, youth programs, and Movement-wide initiatives
• Jewish Community Center (JCC) of St. LouisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint programming including Lag B'Omer family picnic celebrations and pool party events for families with young children
• PJ LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for family programming including Shavuot on the Farm, providing Jewish children's books and family engagement resources
• United Hebrew CongregationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIntercongregational Shavuot programming including A Community Shavuot Evening of Learning, Memory, and Meaning; collaborative musical Shabbat services
• Temple EmanuelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint Chanukah Senior Lunch & Program co-hosted with United Hebrew Congregation, Shaare Emeth, and Temple Israel; joint Shavuot programming
• KeshetcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational LGBTQ+ Jewish organization providing Pride Shabbat programming, Language Matters training, and inclusive community resources
• Jewish Mindfulness Center of St. LouisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosted mindfulness movement programming including Roots & Branches and Rededicated & Renewed Chanukah sessions
• Access MOminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsorship of Faith Perspectives interfaith panel and Repro Shabbat on reproductive justice; member Dana Sandweiss is co-founder
• NCJWSTL (National Council of Jewish Women St. Louis)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsorship of reproductive justice programming including Faith Perspectives panel
• Central Agency for Jewish Education (CAJE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative religious education initiatives and community Jewish education programming
• National Museum of TransportationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue for All Aboard Shabbat family programming featuring train rides and museum exploration
• Millennium Park (Creve Coeur)minorOthersOutdoor venue for Splish Splash Shabbat splash pad celebration and summer programming

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Stephen S. Wise Temple (Los Angeles): Large Reform Jewish congregation in Los Angeles with integrated day school, religious school, and family programming. Similar model of operating educational subsidiaries alongside congregational services.
• Temple Beth Am (Los Angeles): Large Conservative-leaning Reform congregation with preschool, day school, and comprehensive programming. Comparable in scale and educational subsidiary structure.
• Temple Emanu-El (New York): Major historic Reform Jewish congregation in Manhattan with extensive programming across all life stages, comparable in scale and operational complexity. Direct peer as flagship large Reform congregation.
• Congregation Emanu-El (San Francisco): One of the oldest and largest Reform Jewish congregations in the western U.S., founded 1851, with comparable multi-generational programming, preschool, and social justice focus. Operates with a similar heritage-and-programming brand positioning.
• Temple Sinai (Toronto): Major Reform Jewish congregation in Toronto with full lifecycle programming including preschool and adult education. Comparable comprehensive programming model serving a regional Jewish community.
• Temple Sholom (Chicago): Large Reform Jewish congregation serving the Chicago metropolitan area with comparable programming model, preschool, and lifecycle services. Regional peer in similar Midwest market dynamics.
• Temple Israel Minneapolis: Large historic Reform Jewish congregation in Minneapolis with similar comprehensive lifecycle programming, preschool, and community engagement model. Comparable in scale and Midwest market positioning to Shaare Emeth.
• Congregation Beth Israel (Houston): Large historic Reform congregation in Houston with comparable programming breadth and educational subsidiaries. Similar positioning as flagship congregation for its metropolitan area.

Others

• Jewish Community Center (JCC) of St. Louis: Local community partner that co-programs events with Shaare Emeth. JCCs serve overlapping audiences with Jewish programming but as broader community centers, making them adjacent rather than direct competitors.

Broad incumbents

• Union for Reform Judaism (URJ): Central denominational body for Reform Judaism in North America. Shaare Emeth is a member congregation; URJ provides resources, camps (including 6 Points), and movement-wide programming that overlap with congregational offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/sestl
• Facebookfacebook.com/shaareemeth
• Instagraminstagram.com/shaareemeth
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shaareemeth

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries4 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 Shaare Emeth