The Benefits of Membership

Congregation Beth Israel of Media, Pennsylvania is a Reconstructionist synagogue in Delaware County (just outside Philadelphia) supported by 180 families. We have been a congregation since 1925, and our members come from all over the Delaware Valley including the Wilmington, Delaware area. Together we present a diverse group with varied backgrounds and religious affiliations. Amongst our members there are interfaith couples, single parent families, same sex families, individual memberships as well as different ethnicities. Everyone is welcome into our warm and friendly community.

There are a host of activities available to our members. Our religious program includes Friday night pot luck dinners before services for families, tot Shabbat , and a later service as well. Saturday morning services are led by our rabbis, Linda Potemken and Nathan Martin, and sometimes by an active lay community. Our High Holiday services welcome all generations. There are children's services, a teenage program and babysitting for our younger members.

At Beth Israel, learning never stops. We have a Hebrew School program for ages pre-K through post Bar/Bat mitzvah. We also offer family and adult education. There is no need for any formal Jewish learning to join most of these groups, nor do you have to be Jewish to participate. If you are interested in being involved in a committee, there are many to chose from. These groups include social action, education, adult education, the book club, religious practices, building beautification, planning, budget and a host of others.

Membership fees are detailed in the prospective member packet. It is the policy of Beth Israel that no one is turned away due to an inability to pay.

There are three categories of membership: individual, family and Chaver or Associate Membership.  

1. Individual membership is for a single person

2. Family membership is for anyone with children

3. Chaver membership comes in two forms.

• First, an individual or family that lives less than 75 miles from Beth Israel and who belongs to another synagogue and is a dues paying member in good standing at that synagogue, may become a Chaver member of Beth Israel for $500.  These members  will receive all entitlements and privileges as a full member.  

• The second form of this membership is for an individual or family that lives more than 75 miles away.  The fee for this membership is $180, and these members will receive all entitlements and privileges as a full member.

New, full members are asked to give only half of the annual dues during their first year

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