The origins of our name, Shalom Collaborative is:
Shalom: the spirit of peace and completeness…within ourselves, our community and our world.
Collaborative: a commitment to open, respectful and compassionate sharing of diverse ideas, values and experiences.
We hope to create a community of seekers, students and friends, of a variety of religious backgrounds and practice, to explore and experience Reform Judaism’s liberal, accessible and inclusive spiritual values for our lives.
We do not aspire to organize a formal, institutional congregation, but rather, an alternative setting for our journeys – a primarily virtual online community that welcomes members from around the country and the world. We also look forward to creating opportunities for in- person gatherings in a variety of formats and places. For some of us, the Collaborative will be our primary spiritual venue- for others, its programs will be an enriching resource to complement membership in another congregation or religious community.
We are a welcoming spiritual community that embraces the progressive values of the Classical Reform Jewish tradition. Our worship, conducted primarily in English, is inclusive and accessible. We offer a warm, unconditional welcome to all who seek to join us in worship, study, and service, without regard to religious background or beliefs. One need not be born Jewish, be able to read Hebrew, or convert to Judaism to be a full, participating member. Interfaith families and people of all faiths, including the unaffiliated, are fully embraced. Members of the LGBTQ community are a vibrant part of our community.