Congregation Sulam Yaakov

Congregation Sulam Yaakov is an egalitarian Conservative Synagogue, a passionate Jewish community that inspires spirituality, and promotes social responsibility and action. Music is always an integral part of services and helps to lift the soul and the spirit. All are welcome to attend services, including the High Holidays.

About Us: Our approach to prayer and community concentrates on joy and learning and inclusivity, all within the framework of Conservative Judaism. Read more…

Services: Join us for Shabbat services at 9:30am for a joyful, uplifting synagogue experience. Read more…


Exodus-Torah Portion Vayera-Chapter 10, Verses 9-10 (1/25/20)

Pharaoh said, “Go, worship the Lord your God! Who are the ones to go?” Moses replied, “We will all go, young and old: we will go with our sons and daughters, our flocks and herds; for we must observe the Lord’s festival.”

This week a prominent church shocked the spiritual world. The Cottage Grove Church in Des Moines, IA, announced that members 60 years old and above were “invited” to leave the church and asked to pray for two years at a different location. The reason? They wanted to attract new young families and the aging population was a “non-attractive component.” Organized religion in America is in trouble and sociologists unfortunately predict more desperate survival measures. I just can’t imagine the pain of those asked to leave their sacred home because their very existence is a burden. This is why I rejoice by Moses’s words, centuries ago, in the verse above. He demands Pharaoh allow the Israelites to travel three days away from Egypt to celebrate a festival. Pharaoh asks who would go, and Moses answers with words of sacred inclusion: “The young and the old.” When it comes to community, age does not matter. When the Israelites left Egypt, Moses had many rational excuses to leave the frail behind: a ferocious army was just miles away, they needed to be fast, and the elderly would need tremendous help to walk through the sand. But Moses was uncompromising, “all of us or nobody.” This simple verse entailed the wonderful beginning of something endearing to Jews – peoplehood. We have built homes for the elderly, brought food to the home-bound, paid the rent of those in desperate straits. All these righteous acts flourished from this infinitely compassionate verse. The sages teach, “You shall stand before the elderly.” That’s a core moral principle of our tradition. Age for us entails experience and wisdom. Sulam is a proud descendant of Moses. In our spiritual home, age is represented by the most active and committed people.

Please contact me with questions or comments at aborodowski@gmail.com or 914-420-5639. L’shalom, Rabbi Alfredo

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Kabbalat Shabbat: Friday night services, followed by kiddush or dinner, as scheduled throughout the year. Read more…

Adult Education: We are committed to presenting meaningful opportunities for adults to continue exploring the breadth and depth of Judaism and to furthering our moral and spiritual growth. Read more…

The Sulam Learning Academy meets on Monday evenings from 7-9:15pm

You may attend one or both workshops. Please email Rabbi Alfredo for more information at aborodowski@gmail.com.

Social Action: Our social action programs fulfill our obligation to help the larger community in which we live through acts of loving kindness. Read more…

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