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From the Rabbi
B'ruchim Haba-im! Welcome to the website of Congregation Beth Israel in Charlottesville, Virginia. Our congregation is proudly affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism. As the only synagogue in the Charlottesville area, we strive to be warmly welcoming and inclusive of many modes of Jewish expression.
Founded by Jewish merchants and community leaders in 1882 one block away and residing on our current location for one hundred years, we are an old congregation. However, it has only been since 1979 that Congregation Beth Israel has had sufficient membership to be able to hire its first full-time rabbi. Since then, the membership has steadily grown to its current size of about 390 households, strong and robust enough to support a significant diversity of activities and programs, but hopefully not too large to feel like the communal extension of family we desire to be.
Now in my eighteenth year as rabbi of Congregation Beth Israel, it has been my honor to watch us spread our wings in so many ways. Most important has been our constant effort to enable a great diversity of Jewish expression to find a home under one congregational umbrella. Thus, we pride ourselves on the participatory philosophy of our members and the vitality and breadth of our programmatic offerings. I would love to welcome any passers-through or potential relocators to our ever-improving Jewish community here in Jefferson's country, in North-central Virginia.
Meanwhile, from our house to yours, may the year 5766 be one of security and peace for us all!
Let me know by phone (434-295-6382) or e-mail if I can be of help to you.
B'virkat Shalom (With Blessings of Peace), Rabbi Dan Alexander