Temple Beth Shalom’s mission, vision and values guide all its decisions. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we added these guiding principles to our decision-making process:
- Protect the health and welfare of our staff, clergy, volunteers, and congregants.
- Be good community members and do our part to fight spread of the virus.
- Serve our congregants as well as possible.
- Recognize the opportunities for kindness, empathy, fairness, and care in our interactions
- Do all the above with an eye toward the long-term welfare of our congregation.
Our Mission
The mission of Temple Beth Shalom, a Reform Jewish congregation in Austin, Texas, is to promote worship, spirituality, lifelong education, personal growth, and the nurturing and support of lifecycle events in a collaborative setting.
Our Vision
To create a warm, welcoming, and supportive faith community where members can connect, explore, and support each other on our shared Jewish journey.
Inclusive Service To All
We celebrate and encourage the diversity of our membership by our dedication to making Jewish life at Temple Beth Shalom accessible in every way. We offer our congregants educational, spiritual and social programs to support a sense of Jewish identity.
Ruach (Spirit)
We embrace our ruach through heartfelt worship, learning and participation in community events. With our Reform Jewish perspective, we honor tradition while encouraging innovation and enthusiasm in all our endeavors for a thriving congregation.
Leadership with Integrity
We seek everyone's participation in our temple governance by actively soliciting members to apply their skills, talents and ideas. Leadership must exemplify Jewish values by being open, honest and accountable.
Menschful Membership
We encourage active and engaged participation in temple life. Programs at Temple Beth Shalom are member driven and are enriched by the involvement of our congregants and lay leaders. Participation is fundamental to how we build our Jewish community and support each other through s'machot (joyous events) or life's challenges.
Lifelong Learning
We provide a diverse, rich and relevant learning experience. We support each member, from our youngest to our eldest, throughout their Jewish life journey by offering multiple educational programs which address theology, history, ritual and culture.
Acts of Lovingkindness
We build a strong sense of belonging by giving of ourselves in support of each other, our Austin community, and the world at large. Whether paying a compliment for a deed well done, giving thanks, mentoring someone, visiting the sick or infirm, offering words of comfort or by simply keeping our promises, menschlichkeit (humanity) is a byword of Temple Beth Shalom.
Tikkun Olam
We believe in our responsibility to help repair the world. We seek to create opportunities and encourage our members, individually and in partnership with other organizations, to work for lasting change that will make our local and global communities more just and equitable, especially for those who have been historically disenfranchised by systems and institutions.