Membership
Creating Connections,
Reading Oneself In
We are a spiritual community. At our best, together, what we are about is building relationships, creating connections with each other, and helping each other find renewal and meaning in the midst of an ancient people and far-flung faith.
Sometimes, words used to form our community may echo in ways beyond what we want to convey. Words like “membership,” or “joining” are about an embrace, and inclusion, a feeling of connection. But they can hint at being like a “club,” or give a sense of “in” and “out” that is not what we mean.
People find these words challenging in many places in the Jewish world today. Our location, however, presents an additional consideration. This is a small island in the Caribbean. There are some people here full time. Others are seasonal residents. And many others, all over the world, feel drawn to us, their own sense of connection. This diversity of interest is a blessing. But it also means that no single “category” of membership suits all our needs.
We therefore offer many different ways of building this connection, of reading yourself in to the ongoing story of our community. All types of members are welcome, all of the time. All of our members receive weekly updates, our monthly Hourglass bulletin (by email), and other news and information about our community. At every Erev Shabbat (Friday night) service, we read the Yahrzeit list, the commemoration of loved ones lost during that particular week in past years.
And, above all, we are here for, and we are made up of the energy from, all of our “members,” and all those who feel a connection with our community.
Resident (General) Membership
Resident Membership is open to permanent or seasonal Jewish residents of St. Thomas, St. John or Water Island and their significant others of any religious background.
Benefits to our resident members include Religious School (in hiatus at the moment, but offered at a cost heavily subsidized by the congregation when it is functioning), all life-cycle events and the right to be buried in our cemetery, although there are fees to reserve a grave, and for perpetual care of the site. We also, at this time, cover enrollment and tuition costs, for our members, for individual tutoring through OnLine Jewish Learning. Many Adult Education (Life-long Learning) opportunities are open at no cost to members as well; where there are additional fees they are meant only to cover specific expenses for that course. Resident members can also purchase plaques on our Memorial Board.
Thanks to the generosity of “Friends of the Hebrew Congregation” — congregants and friends who voluntarily donate $500 to $10,000 extra each year — our dues have not been raised in well over a decade, and we are able to offer full membership to those in need of financial assistance. Annual dues are $900 for a family; $450 for singles; half price for people under 35.
We depend on your support. Nevertheless, we are committed to welcoming everyone. No one is ever turned away for financial reasons. The Congregation will always reduce dues for those who have economic challenges. Such arrangements may be made with the Rabbi, President or Treasurer and will be kept confidential.
Click below for membership information and to apply.
Sponsors
Sponsor-members are those who have strong ties to our community but no longer live here full time. We recognize their history with, and commitment to, our Congregation. Sponsors have access to all benefits of general membership, although occasionally at additional cost.
Annual dues for sponsor-members are $450.
Chai Membership
Over 3000 families, from all of the world, maintain a connection with this historic Caribbean outpost of Judaism by becoming “Chai” members of our Congregation. “Chai” means “life,” and this overseas interest and support is, in many ways, our lifeline, and life blood.
We are expanding our offerings for our off-island community. We are working towards the live-streaming of services, and offering more on-line learning opportunities. We also include Chai members in our ritual life. Chai members receive reminders of upcoming Memorial Prayers for loved ones, and names from this world-wide community are read and remembered during our weekly Shabbat services (Friday night and Saturday morning). Those names are also included in our annual Book of Remembrance, published at Yom Kippur.
Annual dues for Chai members are $54. A Lifetime Chai membership costs $540.
Click below to become a Chai Member.