Temple Emanu-El welcomes all who wish to participate in Jewish life: singles, couples, and families in all their forms, interfaith couples, individuals with disabilities, and all people regardless of age, race, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or financial means.
MEMBERSHIP
The minimum membership dues for the fiscal year beginning June 2023 are:
| Membership Type | Membership Dues | Security Fee | Total Yearly Commitment |
| Individual (household with one adult and no children) | $1,750 | $240 | $1,990 |
| Family (household with one adult with children under 25) | $2,700 | $240 | $2,940 |
| Family (household with two adults with or without children under 25) | $2,700 | $480 | $3,180 |
- No one will be denied membership for financial reasons; if you need accommodation, please contact the Membership Department.
- We also offer free and sliding-scale dues for young members in their 20s and 30s.
We encourage all of our members to reserve seats in our traditional Emanu-El High Holy Days services; seats are available in both the Fifth Avenue Sanctuary and the Leon Lowenstein Sanctuary. If you would like to learn more about reserved seating options, please contact the Membership Office or visit High Holy Days Seating.
An individual membership is defined as a single-person household; a family membership is defined as two adults or at least one adult with children under 25.
Membership dues are based on the age of the oldest adult in the household; households below the age of 35 pay young-member rates.
All memberships are automatically renewed on June 1 each year. Membership Dues will be billed to all households and cover most aspects of Membership at Temple Emanu-El.
We also offer Out-of-Town Membership for those who wish to be part of our community and live more than 150 miles from New York City.
BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP*
- Opportunities to build community through our many programs, events and volunteer efforts.
- Open-seating tickets for High Holy Days services, with the option to add reserved seating to your membership for formal High Holy Days services.
- Clergy support for pastoral care and life-cycle events; moments of both celebration and sadness.
- Use of our historic sanctuary for family events, including weddings, baby namings, b’nei mitzvah and funerals.
- Discounts on classes, lectures and special events at the Streicker Center, our renowned educational and cultural institution.
- Access to educational family trips with our rabbi and members of the congregation to Israel and elsewhere.
- Torah and Talmud classes with rabbinical scholars.
- Eligibility for burial at our Salem Fields and Beth-El Cemeteries.
* Not available to Out-of-Town Memberships, which offer separate benefits.
SECURITY FEE
To help maintain the highest standards of security technology and professional support, for your safety we charge a security fee of $240 per adult. Associate and Young Members contribute $90 per adult or $115 per couple.
OTHER MEMBERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Membership for Young Adults in Their 20s and 30s
We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to connect with their heritage, engage with a supportive community and access temple membership regardless of their age or financial situation. We understand that many young adults are starting their careers or have other financial obligations, and we don’t want that to be a barrier to joining our community. This is why we offer the following special Introductory Memberships for Young Professionals.
Please note that children of current temple members may remain on their parents’ membership until age 25, at which point they are invited to become Associate Members.
Emanu-El Downtown Membership
Temple Emanu-El invites individuals and families living downtown to become members of our temple with a special Introductory Emanu-El Downtown Membership.
Out-of-Town Membership
Temple Emanu-El is now proud to offer the warmth and majesty of our historic synagogue to individuals in our growing audience of online viewers.
If you live 150 miles outside or more of New York City, we hope you’ll join us in being part of this vibrant and storied community by taking advantage of our special Out-of-Town Membership.
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
Financial means should never be a barrier to membership, so please contact the Membership Department if you need to make special payment arrangements or to request a reduction in dues.
