Mission

Congregation Agudat Achim is:

•   A בית תפילה Beit Tefillah House of Prayer: giving our community the Jewish tools to find meaning in life and to fulfill their spiritual needs, and enhancing the lives of our community by fostering ever greater commitment to מצוות Mitzvot Sacred Obligations such as prayer, Shabbat, Kashrut and Holidays.
•   A בית מדרש Beit Midrash House of Study: creating a learning community that encompasses adults as well as children, and instilling in our members of all ages a lifelong love of Judaism.
•   A בית כנסת Beit Knesset House of Gathering: creating a welcoming, open-minded home for our whole community, inclusive of members of the LGBTQ communities, those of other faiths or no faith, of all levels of Jewish observance, and of varying ethnic and racial backgrounds.
•   A קהילה קדושה Kehillah Kedoshah Sacred Community: fostering ever more significant commitment to מצוות Mitzvot Sacred Obligations such as צדקה Tzedakah Righteous Giving and תיקון עולם Tikkun Olam Repairing the World both locally and nationally, acting on behalf of Jews worldwide and in the State of Israel, and nurturing within our community an abiding love of God and all humanity.

Purpose

Our community aspires to be vibrant (vocal, intergenerational, diverse, present, musical…) and dynamic (creative, changeable, responsive, welcoming, warm…), as we share in the fullness of life (births, first steps, achievements, milestones, Torah study, coming out, illness and healing, divorce, transition, engagement, marriage, death, mourning…) together. We strive to create pathways for our community to connect to the wisdom and traditions of Judaism to live a meaningful life and shape a just world.

With love and acceptance toward all, regardless of relationship or family arrangement, income, or Jewish background, the goal of CAA is to shine throughout the Capital Region as a place where every member feels known and recognized for who they are. We embrace the diversity of needs and perspectives of our community members with the utmost respect. Across generations, we share in learning (Torah), searching for the sacred (avodah), and engaging in acts of caring and healing (gemilut chasadim) to create wholeness, fulfillment, and peace (shalom) for ourselves, our community, Israel, and our world.