Kehillath Shalom rose out of the ashes of discontent. A small group of us felt that the usual suburban Jewish congregations had grown too concerned with building a proper edifice and image. We wanted to focus on our spiritual, moral, historical, and cultural connections to Judaism.

Meeting in each other’s homes, we discussed and established the purpose of a new congregation. The name we chose… Kehillath Shalom, Community of Peace reflected our need for a rebirth of fellowship.

We were offered a house to meet in; everyone pitched in to clean up, repair, and begin.  Along the way, we joined the Reconstructionist movement. It meshed with our philosophy, allowing us to keep our basic purpose building a religious, socially aware community. More than a quarter of a century later, we have created programs in which we:   

• Care for each other by offering support to congregants in need
• Reach out to the community through the Jewish Nutritional Network and Long Island AIDS Care
• Stimulate our intellectual curiosity about Jewish history and issues through speakers, museum trips, and adult education
• Come together at Shabbat dinners, community seders, and retreats
• Educate our children and encourage families to take part in synagogue life
• Design Shabbat and High Holiday services to include discussion as well as meaningful prayer.

We are truly blessed by each other’s gifts. Our individual talents have all contributed to the larger goal we first articulated in 1969 to build a true Community of Peace.