Village Temple

What Village Temple does

Village Temple (legal name "The Village Temple") is a private, independent Reform synagogue located at 33 East 12th Street in downtown Manhattan, New York City. It operates as a nonprofit religious organization governed by a Board of Trustees and is led by professional clergy including Rabbi Diana Fersko and Rabbi Alex Tansky, supported by a staff of approximately 10 employees plus Cantor and program leads. The organization serves contemporary Reform Jews and Jewish families in the downtown area, explicitly welcoming Jews by birth, Jews by choice, interfaith families, and non-traditional families, and frames its purpose as "kesher (connection)" — relationships across generations and to Torah, spiritual fulfillment, and the broader Reform community.

The congregation's product portfolio spans four pillars. Worship: weekly Kabbalat Shabbat services on Fridays at 6:00 PM, both in-person and live-streamed via a YouTube channel, plus High Holy Day services at the synagogue and at City Winery venues. Education: a Religious School from Pre-K through Grade 7, Hebrew High for grades 8–12, Conversion Studies, Adult Education including Adult B'nai Mitzvah, and Bar/Bat Mitzvah preparation ($2,250 per student). Music: a Children's Choir for ages 5–17. Social action: a Saturday soup kitchen in continuous operation since 1987 serving approximately 10,000 meals annually, plus Tikkun Olam committees on Climate Justice, Immigration, and Civic Engagement. The only documented technology layer is YouTube live streaming used as a remote-worship distribution channel; no proprietary software, mobile app, or AI/ML capability is built or disclosed.

Revenue is generated through three streams: (i) recurring annual membership dues priced across tiers — Young Associate ($875), Out-of-Town ($1,315), Single Adult ($2,040), Single Adult with Children ($2,440), Family ($3,540) — for fiscal year 2026-2027, plus a $395 mandatory security fee and a $2,000 Building Fund assessment amortized over four years; (ii) recurring religious school tuition ranging from $1,280 (Pre-K/K) to $2,225 (Grades 5–7) with a $100 sibling discount; and (iii) voluntary charitable donations (Tzedakah). Membership is required for religious school enrollment and full participation, and a free introductory first-year membership is offered for first-time members with a child entering 1st or 2nd grade, suggesting an explicit customer-acquisition funnel. Geographic reach is concentrated in NYC for in-person service but extends globally via live stream and to Israel through congregational mission trips.

Name

Village Temple

Legal name

The Village Temple

Website

https://villagetemple.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Village Temple is an independent Reform synagogue in downtown Manhattan serving contemporary Reform Jews, Jewish families, interfaith households, and those exploring conversion through weekly Shabbat worship, religious education from Pre-K through Grade 12, and social action programs including a long-running Saturday soup kitchen.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Reform Jewish Religious Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

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 Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG), Faith-Based (Religious) K–12 Schools (EDAJABAC)

Keywords

• Reform synagogue services
• Jewish education programs
• Religious school
• Jewish worship services
• Social action programs

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees based on family composition, required for participation in temple community and religious school enrollment
2. Religious School Tuition: Registration fees for Hebrew School program from Pre-K through Grade 7, plus B'nai Mitzvah training fees
3. Donations (Tzedakah): Charitable contributions from members and supporters to sustain the community and support Tikkun Olam initiatives

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Village Temple is a Reform Jewish congregation in downtown Manhattan that provides weekly Shabbat worship services (in-person and YouTube live-streamed), High Holiday services, a tiered religious school from Pre-K through Grade 7, a Hebrew High program for grades 8–12, conversion studies, adult education, B'nai Mitzvah preparation, a children's choir, and a Saturday soup kitchen social-action program. The organization sells annual memberships and tuition-based educational enrollments to households, supported by charitable donations, with clergy-led programming delivered from its East 12th Street facility.

Product overview

Village Temple is a Reform Synagogue offering religious worship, Jewish education, and social action programs. The organization provides a unified portfolio of services including weekly Shabbat worship services (both in-person and live-streamed), religious education programs spanning from early childhood through Hebrew High, conversion studies, adult education, Bar/Bat Mitzvah preparation, children's choir, and community service initiatives including a soup kitchen and Tikkun Olam social action committee. High Holidays services, Israel Mission trips, and the Kesher newsletter support the overall spiritual and communal life of the congregation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Shabbat Services Weekly Kabbalat Shabbat services held every Friday at 6:00 PM at the Village Temple sanctuary, available both in person and via YouTube live stream, featuring musical, uplifting, and participatory worship. Targeted at congregation members and prospective members seeking weekly spiritual connection.
• Religious School Tuition-based Jewish education program for children from Pre-K through Grade 7, covering Hebrew language, holidays, culture, history, and Jewish values, with annual tuition tiered by grade ($1,280 for Pre-K/K, $1,600 for Grades 1–4, $2,225 for Grades 5–7) and a $100 sibling discount. Targeted at member families seeking formal Jewish education for their children.
• Hebrew High Advanced teen engagement program for 8th–12th graders ($500 annual fee), offering Shleimut (wellness), Confirmation Class (Jewish Ethics), and Israel Intensive learning tracks. Targeted at member families with middle and high school students seeking continued Jewish education after Grade 7.
• Conversion Studies Classes for individuals and interfaith couples pursuing conversion to Judaism, covering Jewish holidays, lifecycle events, history, theology, and identity, with content aligned to Reform movement conversion standards. Targeted at Jews by choice and interfaith households preparing for conversion.
• Adult Education Dynamic adult learning curriculum including Adult B'nai Mitzvah, Torah study, and high-level classes and lectures. Targeted at adult congregation members seeking continued Jewish learning across the lifecycle.
• Bar/Bat Mitzvah Preparation Individual Bar/Bat Mitzvah preparation program for students ($2,250 per student), with musical, joyful services and clergy-led family support throughout the process. Targeted at member families preparing a child for Bar or Bat Mitzvah.
• Children's Choir Choir program for children ages 5–17, directed by Rabbi Alexis Pinsky, performing at Family Services, High Holy Day Children's Services, and other holiday events. Targeted at member families with children interested in musical participation in worship.
• Soup Kitchen Free meal service for the homeless and needy every Saturday since 1987, distributing approximately 100 bagged lunches each week and supporting the East Village free refrigerator; serves approximately 10,000 people annually. Targeted at vulnerable New Yorkers in need of food assistance, with member-volunteer participation.
• Tikkun Olam (Social Action) Social Action Committee programming across three pillars — Climate Justice, Immigration (Welcoming the Stranger), and Civic Engagement — including Get Out The Vote, Welcome Campaign, and Dayenu Circle. Targeted at congregation members seeking to operationalize Jewish values through social-action work.
• High Holidays Services Annual Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur worship services held at the Village Temple sanctuary and the City Winery venue. Targeted at congregation members and the broader Jewish community seeking High Holy Day observance in downtown Manhattan.
• Israel Mission Educational mission trips to Israel offering opportunities to bear witness, learn, volunteer, and connect with Israelis. Targeted at congregation members seeking immersive Israel engagement beyond classroom study.
• Kesher Newsletter Monthly congregational newsletter 'Kesher' keeping members informed about temple activities, events, and community news. Targeted at congregation members and prospective members.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Park Avenue Synagogue: Large Conservative (not Reform) synagogue on the Upper East Side, but a clear benchmark for the Manhattan Jewish congregational market. While denominationally distinct, it competes for the same affluent Manhattan families and demonstrates the scale and programming depth possible in the same geography.
• 92nd Street Y (92Y): Manhattan cultural and Jewish community center offering adult Jewish education, cultural programming, and family programming. While broader than a single congregation, it competes for the same Manhattan Jewish families' time, attention, and education spend, particularly for adult learning and lifecycle events.

Direct peers

• Central Synagogue: Large historic Reform synagogue in Midtown Manhattan with a membership-based operating model, religious school, and extensive adult education programming. Comparable scale, comparable urban Reform Jewish demographic, and similar programming mix including social action initiatives.
• Temple Emanu-El: One of the largest Reform Jewish synagogues in the world, located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Operates with a comparable membership-and-tuition model, runs a religious school, offers adult education, and serves a similar downtown/Manhattan Jewish demographic — making it the most directly comparable peer to Village Temple.
• Temple Israel of New York: Reform synagogue on the Upper East Side offering Shabbat services, a religious school, and adult programming. Comparable operating model and target demographic of Manhattan Reform Jewish families.
• B'nai Jeshurun: Large progressive congregation on the Upper West Side known for musical, participatory worship and a robust religious school. Directly competes with Village Temple for Manhattan Jewish families seeking an experiential, musical worship style and a strong social-action identity.
• Congregation Beit Simchat Torah (CBST): Progressive/LGBTQ-affirming Jewish congregation in Manhattan with comparable inclusive positioning and Reform-aligned worship. Operates a religious school and adult education programs, and competes for the same downtown progressive Jewish demographic that Village Temple targets.

Emerging players

• Romemu: Jewish Renewal community in Manhattan offering Shabbat services, adult learning, and community programs with a progressive, spiritually-oriented brand. Targets overlapping demographic (young professional, progressive Manhattan Jews) with Village Temple but emphasizes Jewish Renewal practice rather than classical Reform.

Others

• Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (RAC): Reform movement's advocacy arm in Washington DC, where Village Temple's Teen Coordinator recently completed a fellowship. Provides civic-engagement programming (Get Out The Vote, Immigration advocacy) that the Temple's Tikkun Olam committee runs locally — a content and campaign supplier rather than direct competitor.
• Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC): Reform movement seminary that ordains Village Temple's clergy (Rabbi Fersko and Rabbi Pinsky trained there). Acts as a feeder and supplier of rabbinical talent, continuing-education pipeline, and movement-wide resources Village Temple depends on.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UChvtojYXbvB6GIfR2ccB0NA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/village-temple

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Village Temple