Membership
Welcome from TBA President Kal Migler
We are delighted you are interested in learning more about Temple Beth Ami and appreciate the opportunity to tell you more about our vibrant, welcoming community and all we have to offer – spiritually, educationally, and socially.
Since our founding in 1971, Temple Beth Ami has been an inclusive, joyful, generous community that embraces Jewish life.
Many of us, myself included, have raised our families at TBA and our relationship with the Temple has grown and changed as our families have. We have Tot Shabbats and empty nester happy hours, family-oriented outings, weekly Torah study, and Purim Palooza. If you like music, you’ll love our Shabbat services where you’ll find at least one of our clergy playing the guitar. Love the outdoors? We enjoy picnic Shabbats with the Temple band, the “Shabbatones,” in our large backyard, and Shabbat hikes at nearby parks.
Our schools are renowned for excellence. We strive for the highest quality in all areas of education and programming, for both adults and youth. Above all, we are deeply committed to Reform Judaism and its emphasis on living ethically, practicing inclusivity, and caring for the less fortunate.
Among Temple Beth Ami’s most important assets are our clergy and staff. But don’t take our word for it. Please join us for worship, attend a program, or participate in our Saturday morning Torah study group. We feel certain you’ll find a warm and welcoming community to explore your personal Judaism. We work towards making Temple Beth Ami a place where everyone feels a sense of community and belonging. This includes interfaith families, LGBTQ+ members, and people of all ability levels.
I hope that you schedule an appointment with our Executive Director, Debbie Ezrin, at dezrin@bethami.org. She’ll be able to answer your questions and share more about everything Temple Beth Ami has to offer. I’m always available as well. On behalf of the Board of Directors and staff, I encourage you to explore all that our congregational life has to offer, and I hope to welcome you soon as a member of the Temple Beth Ami community.
Welcome from Executive Director Debbie Ezrin
Welcome! Thank you for taking the time to learn more about membership at Temple Beth Ami — a vibrant, inclusive, and innovative community that embraces the beauty, meaning, and inspiration of Reform Judaism.
With more than 750 member families, our congregation is wonderfully diverse. We are spiritually traditional, non-traditional, and everything in between. Nearly 100 children attend our preschool, Gan Ami, and 500+ students in Pre-K through 12th grade participate in Machane TBA, our religious school. Adults of all ages engage in a rich array of spiritual, educational, and social programs that help create deep and lasting connections.
I’m often asked about the benefits of membership at TBA. Tangible benefits include High Holy Day tickets; the ability to enroll your children in Machane TBA and celebrate their B’nei Mitzvah; clergy support for pastoral care and life cycle events; and the opportunity to participate fully in congregational life — including our programs, committees, and voting on important matters that shape our future.
But more than anything, I believe the most meaningful benefit is the sense of belonging that comes from being part of a sacred community — a kehillah kedoshah. My goal is to help every member become as enriched by their affiliation as I have been since my own family joined in 2005. My children became B’nei Mitzvah and confirmands at TBA, and today they carry a strong sense of Jewish identity. My husband and I have been spiritually nourished and have made lifelong friendships through TBA. These experiences are what led me to serve as Executive Director since 2019, and it’s my deepest aspiration to help each member find the same enrichment and connection.
In today’s world, when antisemitism is on the rise, choosing to affiliate with a synagogue is also an act of strength and solidarity. Your connection to TBA helps sustain the Jewish community locally and globally, and sends a powerful message about the values we share and the future we are building together.
Our community is only as strong as its members. I would be honored to speak with you further about how you can find your place at TBA. Please feel free to reach out to me at dezrin@bethami.org or 301-340-6818.