Membership

Our Membership Philosophy

Houston Congregation for Reform Judaism warmly welcomes all who wish
to find a sense of community within our walls, and we strongly believe
that the talents, energy and perspectives you bring serve to enrich the
congregation as a whole. We do not believe that you need to “Pay to
Pray.” Anyone who wishes to join us for worship, learning and community
gatherings may do so without becoming a member. We have a wide
variety of congregational activities and spiritual endeavors to fill the soul,
so please take advantage of these activities regardless of your decision
to become a member.

Why Become a Member?
Membership is understood to be a mitzvah. Every congregation depends
on the financial support of members in order to operate. At Houston
Congregation for Reform Judaism, we recognize this support as a sacred
gift. While everyone may be welcome to participate in most that we have
to offer, only those who are formal members of HCRJ are entitled to enroll
their children in our religious school, given voting privileges, invited to
holy day worship services without charge, and have access to the rabbi’s
services for all life cycle events and other personal needs.

How to Become a Member
Our commitment to maintaining a personal connection to everyone who
chooses to become a member is of paramount importance. For this
reason, a small select committee appointed by the Board of Trustees is
dedicated to working with you to help you decide how you wish to
affiliate. Please know that we wish to be as accommodating as possible
as we try to balance the fiscal responsibilities of the congregation with
your personal needs.

Membership Options
There are a number of membership options listed on our membership
application form. Each option is accompanied by a description. If you
have any questions regarding these various options, please ask your
assigned membership liaison.

Calculating Your Annual Commitment
Fairness is an important issue in deciding how any congregation collects
pledges to sustain itself. Houston Congregation for Reform Judaism tries
to maximize fairness by allowing our members to pay according to their
abilities. Our “Fair Share” policy is a kind of tzedakah plan which is
designed to make membership affordable to everyone.

What is the Fair Share Pledge Program?
Our Fair Share pledging program is based on self-assessment. As a
guideline to our Fair Share Pledge Program, we request that our members
pledge 2% of their gross annual income. That being said, the actual cost
for us to sustain membership activities, services, and life cycle events for
our congregants is nearly $2,500.00 per member. We understand that
some may not be able to afford this amount while others will be able to
pay more. However, there may be times due to the financial situation of
the synagogue when we are not able to accept applicants for
membership who are unable to meet the sustaining membership cost.

Our Unwavering Commitment
Whether you are a member or an individual who enjoys affiliating in a non-
membership capacity, Houston Congregation for Reform Judaism is
committed to being open and available to everyone who wishes to be
here. To that end our doors are always open to anyone who wishes to
join us for Sabbath worship services, monthly learning opportunities and
periodic social events.