Our Core Values

The Talmudic sages taught about four kinds of relationships:

• ben Adam l’Mekomo – the relationship between a person and God
• ben Adam l’Olamo – the relationship between a person and the world
• ben Adam l’Chavero – the relationship between a person and other people
• ben Adam l’Atzmo – the relationship between a person and their innermost selves

Every Jewish law, every Jewish value, speaks to at least one of these relationships; they are the heart of Jewish spirituality. Cultivating these relationships with love and respect is at the heart of Temple Beth Ami, where we uphold these core values:

• B’tzelem (in the Image of): We believe that diversity is a reflection of the Divine – that all people are created b’tzelem Elohim (in the Divine Image), and we strive to treat each other accordingly: with honesty, dignity, and respect. We cultivate sensitivity and love for each other by listening for understanding, robust inclusion, and acts of loving-kindness.
• Kehillah kedoshah (sacred community): Sacred community is relationship-focused. We cultivate our relationship with God through joyful communal worship and thoughtful, shared study as we seek the sacred within the ordinary. With ahavat Yisrael (the love of Israel) we deepen our connection with the Jewish people here and abroad, and with the State of Israel. Within our Temple community, we nurture relationships of mutual support and commit to each other’s success by creating space for respectful disagreement, collaboration, and personal growth. 
• L’Dor va’Dor (from generation to generation): As Reform Jews, we embrace creativity and innovation to sustain and perpetuate the Jewish people and Judaism from generation to generation. Rooted in Torah, we seek ever new ways to share and celebrate the beauty, meaning, and power of our tradition through life-long Jewish learning and practice.
• Tikkun (repair/healing): As God’s partners in Creation, we answer the Divine call to bring tikkun (repair/healing) into our world. We dedicate ourselves to social action on behalf of those unable to advocate for themselves and work to strengthen our relationships with our neighbors who follow spiritual paths different from our own.