What Washington Hebrew Congregation does

Washington Hebrew Congregation (WHC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Reform Jewish congregation founded in 1852 and headquartered in Washington, D.C. It operates a two-location physical footprint — the main Temple on Macomb Street NW in Northwest Washington, D.C. and the Julia Bindeman Suburban Center in Potomac, Maryland — supplemented by two affiliated cemeteries (Memorial Park in Southeast D.C. and Garden of Remembrance in Montgomery County, MD). Its core offerings span weekly Shabbat services, High Holy Days and holiday observances, lifecycle officiation (b'nei mitzvah, weddings, funerals, conversions), Early Childhood Centers, K-12 Religious School, Adult Learning (lectures, Torah study, classes), youth and adult affinity communities, and social justice programs operated through the Charles S. Bresler Tikkun Olam Values (TOV) Center, including the WHC Hunger Project which packages over 10,000 meals monthly.

The congregation runs on a tiered membership-subscription revenue model with thirteen disclosed pricing tiers for the July 2026 – June 2027 fiscal year, ranging from $290/year for young members under 30 to $25,380/year for the Preserver sustaining tier. Standard membership for adults age 36+ is $3,580 annually, against a stated true cost of approximately $5,000 per household. Membership dues and ECC/Religious School tuition together cover approximately 57% of operating costs; the remaining 43% gap is funded through the Lewis S. Wiener Annual Fund plus more than 50 restricted and endowed funds, plus capital pledges and facility rental income. Digital infrastructure includes livestreamed services, a Salesforce-based member portal, a sermon podcast distributed across Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube Music, weekly email newsletters, and a monthly print journal.

WHC is affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism as a member congregation, governed by a Board of Directors and led by Senior Rabbis, Cantors, and lay leadership. Management includes a Director of Member Engagement and a Director of Development who oversees the Annual Fund. WHC markets to and serves member households across all life stages in the Washington metropolitan area, with explicit outreach to families with young children, young professionals (2239 group, ages 22-39), K-12 youth, seniors, LGBTQ+ members and allies, Jews of Color, interfaith families, and socially engaged members focused on tikkun olam.

Name

Washington Hebrew Congregation

Legal name

Washington Hebrew Congregation

Website

https://whctemple.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1852

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Washington Hebrew Congregation is a 501(c)(3) Reform Jewish congregation founded in 1852, serving Washington, D.C. and Potomac, MD members through worship services, Jewish education from early childhood through adulthood, lifecycle events, and social justice programs funded by tiered membership dues and an annual philanthropic fund.

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 worship services
• Religious education programs
• Community social action
• Lifecycle pastoral services
• Reform congregation membership

Headquarters

HQ city

S Central Washington Co

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from congregants covering approximately 40% of operating expenses. Multiple membership tiers including standard, young member, sustaining, ECC, non-resident, and dual membership categories.
2. Educational Tuition and Fees: Tuition revenue from Early Childhood Centers and Religious School. Combined with membership dues, covers 57% of operating costs.
3. Lewis S. Wiener Annual Fund: Central unrestricted philanthropic fund supporting annual budget. Covers the 43% gap between membership/tuition revenue and total operating costs. Accepts donations at various levels ($18 to $18,000+).
4. Restricted and Endowed Funds: Over 50 endowed and special funds supporting specific programs, purposes, or areas including worship and music, lifelong learning, humanitarian aid, cultural arts, and inclusion. Many established in perpetuity.
5. Facility Rental: Rental fees for hosting events including weddings, b'nei mitzvah celebrations, and other gatherings in congregation spaces.
6. Capital Pledges: Building Fund supporting major facility upgrades. New members age 36+ pledge $5,000 payable over time.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Washington Hebrew Congregation is a Reform Jewish congregation providing worship services, Jewish education from early childhood through adulthood, lifecycle pastoral services, and community programs. It operates across two main facilities in Washington, D.C. and Potomac, MD, and sustains operations through tiered membership dues, tuition, donations, and facility rentals. The congregation delivers programming both on-site and via livestream, podcast, and a member portal.

Product overview

Washington Hebrew Congregation offers a comprehensive suite of Jewish community services centered around worship, education, and social justice. The organization operates on a platform-plus-programs model, combining core worship services (Shabbat, High Holy Days, holidays) with digital delivery (livestream, podcast) and in-person programming. Educational offerings span Early Childhood Centers, Religious School, and Adult Learning, while community programs include affinity-based Adult Communities and Youth Groups. Social justice is channeled through the TOV Center, DEIJ initiatives, and antisemitism fighting programs. The congregation operates multiple membership tiers (Standard, Young Member, Sustaining) with associated benefits, and raises funds through the Lewis S. Wiener Annual Fund and legacy giving. Digital touchpoints include a member portal, livestream services, and the Rooted & Rising podcast.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Shabbat Services Weekly Shabbat worship services for congregants featuring various service styles from traditional liturgy to musical and soulful services.
• High Holy Days Services Major Jewish holiday observances including Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur services held at Temple and Julia Bindeman Suburban Center.
• Holiday Celebrations Observances for Sukkot, Hanukkah, Passover, Purim, and other Jewish holidays with themed services and programming.
• Livestream Services Virtual access to Shabbat services and special programs for remote participation with real-time streaming and on-demand replay options.
• Early Childhood Centers (ECC) Jewish early childhood education programs for children from birth through pre-K at locations in Maryland and the main Temple, including Camp Keetov summer programs.
• Religious School Jewish education for children from kindergarten through 7th grade, including pre-confirmation, confirmation, and next phase programs.
• Adult Learning Programs Lifelong learning offerings including lectures and talks, classes, and Torah and Text study for adults at all stages of Jewish knowledge.
• Life Cycle Events Clergy support and officiation for lifecycle milestones including baby naming, B'nei Mitzvah, weddings, funerals, and conversions.
• Standard Membership Standard temple membership for individuals age 36 and older, including spouse or partner and children under 30, providing access to worship, lifecycle, educational, and community programming.
• Young Member Membership Reduced-cost membership for members under 36 without children in Religious School, ranging from $24/month for under-30 to $60/month for ages 30-35.
• Sustaining Membership Enhanced membership with additional benefits at higher commitment levels: Patron ($382/month), Pillar ($482/month), Guardian ($657/month), Founder ($865/month), Benefactor ($1,532/month), and Preserver ($2,115/month).
• Facility Rentals Rental of congregation spaces for weddings, b'nei mitzvah celebrations, and other private gatherings.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 10,000 meals packaged monthly through WHC Hunger Project for D.C. area food insecurity
• +1 more outcomes

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles6 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.

• Union for Reform Judaism (URJ)coreOthersWHC is a member of the Union for Reform Judaism, the national organization of the Reform Movement. Membership in URJ is included as a benefit of WHC congregation membership.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sixth & I Historic Synagogue: Jewish congregation and cultural center in downtown Washington DC offering worship, cultural programming, and community events. Operates in the same metro area with overlapping Reform/egalitarian audience and comparable programming breadth.
• Congregation Har Shalom: Conservative Jewish synagogue in Kensington, Maryland serving the DC suburbs with similar comprehensive programming including religious school, adult education, and lifecycle services.
• Temple Rodef Shalom: Reform Jewish congregation in Falls Church, Virginia serving the DC metropolitan area with similar programming, social justice focus, religious school, and early childhood education offerings.
• Congregation Beth El: Reform Jewish congregation serving the same DC suburban corridor as WHC's Julia Bindeman Suburban Center, with comparable religious school, adult education, and lifecycle programming.
• Ohr Kodesh Congregation: Egalitarian, Conservative-leaning congregation in Bethesda, Maryland serving the DC suburban corridor with comparable religious school, adult learning, and community programming.
• Temple Emanu-El: One of the largest Reform Jewish congregations in the United States, located in New York City. Offers comparable comprehensive programming including worship, education, and social action with a similar membership-based revenue model and sustaining-tier structure.
• Har Sinai Congregation: Reform Jewish congregation in Owings Mills, Maryland serving the greater Baltimore area with similar religious school, early childhood center, and lifecycle programming.
• Central Synagogue: Large Reform Jewish congregation in New York City with extensive educational, social justice, and community programming. Comparable scale and similar approach to multi-generational member engagement and digital outreach.
• Congregation Emanu-El: Major Reform Jewish congregation in San Francisco with comprehensive worship, education, and social action programming. Comparable large urban Reform synagogue with similar membership-dues and donation-driven revenue model.
• Adas Israel Congregation: One of the largest Jewish congregations in Washington DC, operating in the same metropolitan market as WHC with comparable programming, religious school offerings, lifecycle services, and member engagement model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/whctemple
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/washington-hebrew-congregation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Washington Hebrew Congregation