TEMPLE SHAAREI SHALOM INC.
BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA

Temple Shaarei Shalom was founded in May 1992 by 18 people who expressed the need for a Reform congregation in the West Boynton Beach area. They each contributed seed money and met at Santaluces Community High School for Shabbat Services. Early in 1996, as the membership grew to over 200, the Congregation moved to a building at the Boynton Trails Shopping Center. In 1999, the Congregation voted to purchase land and, at the beginning of 2000, voted to build a new temple building, which opened its doors in June 2002. Affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism, our Temple is a full-service Congregation dedicated to the dynamic interpretation of Judaism. We are a caring Congregation, sharing in each other’s joys and sorrows as we journey through the cycles of life. Our Mission We take great pride in our accomplishments and look toward the future with spring in our hearts and buoyancy in our spirit and vision. We are a growing, involved congregation with a full schedule of activities. The Temple Shaarei Shalom Religious School was established in September 2000 with a handful of students. The 2015 - 2016 school year served 300 students under the supervision of Miriam Schaffer, RJE. Josh Ackman MAJE become the school's Education Director in July 2016. The school program begins with Pre-Kindergarten (our Rishonim - "Beginners" program and continues through Confirmation in 10th Grade. The goal of the Religious School is to help students make informed choices by educating and instilling in them a sense of Jewish faith, culture, history and tradition that will help shape their Jewish identity and their role within the Reform community, as well as the Jewish community at large. The ADJLC began in 2012 has a collaboration with Temple Torah (now known as Temple Torat Emet). In 2015, Temple Beth Tikvah joined the collaboration. Now the ADJLC is expanding to five Collaboration synagogues: Temple Shaarei Shalom, Temple Torat Emet, Temple Beth Tivah, Temple Sinai of PBC and Temple Beth Kodesh. Continuing the practice of life-long learning, Temple Shaarei Shalom, independently, offers ongoing opportunities to study Torah and special learning programs throughout the year. As part of the ADJLC, the community has the opportunity to take courses, Wednesday lectures, Sunday Distinguished Lectures, and participate in Book Clubs in Judaic topics, art, technology, study to become an Adult B'nei Mitzvah and many more subject areas. Our auxiliary organizations provide a variety of ways to meet and share interests with old and new friends and to find the comfort of belonging to an extended family. Formed in 1992, Sisterhood donated money to buy the land on which Temple Shaarei Shalom was built, furnished the first kitchen, provided a Judaica Shop and helped establish the first library. Sisterhood meets regularly on the third Thursday of the month (Sept.–May) and enjoys educational and entertaining programs that are open to all. Sisterhood’s mission is to support the Temple in all ways. The children are the future of our Temple. The PTO’s primary purpose is to successfully facilitate activities and communications that will maximize the Religious School experience for the Temple Shaarei Shalom children. This group of volunteers develops and implements fundraising programs that help to promote community and provide the necessary resources to support and enhance the overall learning experience. The Youth Group (STARY) established in 2004 is always growing in new and exciting ways. Led by our Youth Director, Pam McCarthy, we have a special group for 5th Grade students (Club 5), children in grades 6-8 (STARY, Jr.) and those in grades 9-12 (STARY Sr.). The Youth Group is a member of the National Federation of Temple Youth (NFTY) of the Southern Tropical Region (STR). Both STARY and STARY, Jr. provide the opportunity for young Jews to have a lot of fun, enjoy being Jewish and have positive, meaningful experiences that benefit them and the world around them. This team began at the request of Rabbi Fratello, to create awareness that addiction does exist in the Jewish community, and to provide a caring atmosphere — one in which addiction can be discussed and recovery celebrated. The focus is on education and prevention, but support for recovery is evident everywhere, as the Temple hosts AA and NA meetings and holds recovery worship services. The team does not provide treatment; however, referrals are made for those in need. For more information, contact Rabbi Anthony Fratello. Temple Shaarei Shalom Temple Shaarei Shalom is a Reform Synagogue, located in Boynton Beach Florida, affiliated with the URJ.