About Us

JRC is a diverse, participatory, and sacred community dedicated to a daring, deeply-rooted Judaism.

Our congregation is infused with joyful spirituality, intellectual curiosity, inclusivity, and deep commitment to social justice. Whatever your gender, race, age, faith, place of origin, or your unique relationship with Judaism, you belong here.

We believe in lifting each other up. We believe in making Jewish practice accessible, hands-on, and relevant for everyone. We believe that Reconstructionist Judaism offers the best model to build and sustain Jewish community that is egalitarian, diverse, and meets you where you are. We are serious about what matters to us, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously.

Members engage weekly, monthly, or whenever their schedules allow. The recent pandemic provided the opportunity to create robust remote and hybrid programming, which JRC embraced and maintains to serve all our members.

The heart of JRC is our diverse group of members, who find connection and meaning in our rituals, services, vast Jewish learning experiences, social justice engagement, and community events.

This is not your grandparents’ synagogue.

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Our Fantastic Clergy Team

JRC is blessed to be led by outstanding clergy. Rabbi Rachel Weiss grew up at JRC and is the passionate, soulful, thought leader at the heart of our spiritual life. Cantor Howard Friedland has led us joyfully and lovingly in song and prayer for 20 years and guides our B’nai Mitzvah students. Rabbi David Eber, Assistant Rabbi for Education, infuses our religious school with Reconstructionist teaching, practices, and spirit. When our clergy gather us for services –whether at the lakefront in the summer or on the bima in our beautiful sanctuary– the experience is downright magical.
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Our Amazing Community

JRC members are smart, savvy, creative people who represent a rainbow of passions and priorities. We celebrate community and thrive through our grass-roots, collaborative philosophy. Our focus on Tikkun Olam (repair of the world), life-long learning, and Chesed (loving-kindness) connect us and sustain us through the challenges we face as individuals, as Haverim (friends), and as members of the global community.
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Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Our congregation is as diverse as the American Jewish community, including interfaith families, people of color, LGBTQ members, those with disabilities, members of any age, marital status, and level of observance. JRC provides a space for each member to connect with Judaism in any way that feels authentic and personal.
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Living Our Values

In 2008, we built a highly acclaimed green building, the first platinum LEED-certified synagogue in North America. We remain committed to best environmental and sustainability practices, prioritizing compostable dishes and eco-friendly building upgrades. Our vegetarian potlucks are the best you’ll ever attend! But we’re more than just green: our Racial Equity, LGBTQ+, Immigrant Justice, and other issue-focused Task Forces and Committees help us challenge ourselves to engage with the world we live in with honesty, integrity, and an eye toward repair.