Now working on our second hundred years, Temple Adath Israel is the oldest Jewish Congregation in Central Kentucky. Our congregation sees itself as a family for families, and for those without local or nearby families, this becomes their home, providing the warmth of home to all with whom we come into contact. Whether it is a journey for religious affiliation or a casual visit to see what we do; whether as life long members or one time passers through; our commitment is to make sure that each individual carries with him some positive piece of us as they continue on their way. Welcome to our website, out cyber-home, providing a path of entry into our congregational life and calendar. Our goal is to offer a broad spectrum of programs such that we can help each other unlock a great many new doors, seeking new adventures and grounding experiences together. Please feel free to contact us and let us know what more we can do to be of service our community.

“All beginnings require that you unlock new doors.”   Rabbi Nachman of Bratzlav

Kol Tuv,
Rabbi Marc Kline
RabbiMarc@aol.com

AJWS supports almost 270 grassroots organizations in the developing world and Russia and Ukraine through grant making, technical assistance, emergency relief and advocacy. We also provide unique international service opportunities for the Jewish community, enabling Jews to play an active role in the process of meaningful social change. Last year we sent over 300 volunteers to the developing world. 

AJWS is an independent not-for-profit organization founded in 1985 to help alleviate poverty, hunger and disease among the people of the world regardless of race, religion or nationality. It breathes life into Judaism's imperative to pursue justice and helps American Jews act upon a deeply felt obligation to improve the chances for survival, economic independence and human dignity for all people.

I encourage you to learn about global concerns at http://www.ajws.org/ .

Shalom,

Rabbi Marc Kline

As President of the Temple Adath Israel, and on behalf of our Board of Trustees, staff and members, I want to welcome those of you visiting our website. We hope you find our information helpful. Temple Adath Israel, Lexington, Kentucky, has a long and rich history that extends over 100 years old. As a congregation we affiliate with the Union of Reform Judaism. We pride ourselves on being a warm and welcoming congregation to our members, non-members, new comers, and visitors -- every one who enters our doors. We provide strong education programs for both our youth and adults. We take pride in our Jewish activities and in our activities as Jews in the Lexington, Central Kentucky community. If you are coming to Lexington and looking for that “Jewish connection,” consider it found. We welcome you to our building, our services, and our Jewish home, and hope that you will become part of our remarkable Jewish community. Samye Miller Stith, President

Temple Adath Israel is a Reform Jewish congregation linked to a tradition of welcoming those searching for a community committed to honoring the dignity we all share as children of the one God by embracing these enduring Jewish values: AVODAH (Worship); TALMUD TORAH (Torah Study); TZEDEK (Social Justice); and KEHILAH (Community).

Our mission is to inspire our congregants’ Jewish engagement and to ensure a vibrant Jewish present and future by nurturing the many generations of our community. We share a commitment to the Reform Jewish foundational beliefs of furthering individual and communal spiritual growth, while recognizing a range of personal philosophies, practices and needs. We are the community center through which our families can celebrate faith, justice, and the blessings of family lives past, present, and future.

As an affiliate of the Reform Movement, Temple Adath Israel is committed to Reform Movement institutions and to the larger Jewish community including Eretz Yisrael. Our mission can only be fulfilled if we have an understanding of the philosophy upon which it depends. Our vision statement looks to a day when these four ideals are common words and understandings in the homes of our Temple membership:

Worship, Avodah:

Worship is the opportunity to join in inspirational religious services. We understand that the Jewish tradition experiences God through many diverse lenses. Temple Adath Israel provides an egalitarian atmosphere for religious expression, respecting every member’s spiritual journey. Worship is as proper in our homes as a family endeavor as it is as a congregational experience. Jewish ritual, a source of spiritual strength for individuals and for the congregation as a whole, sanctifies life’s joys and provides solace during life’s sorrows.

Torah Study, Talmud Torah:

Torah and its teachings are the foundation of our tradition. Our vision is to deepen our members’ understanding of Jewish text and tradition. Only through knowledge of our Jewish heritage can our community make informed, responsible choices in developing Jewish identities. The goal of Jewish education is to encourage lifelong learning of Judaism, its values and traditions by providing the highest quality educational programs for adults, teenagers and children.

Social Justice, Tzedek:

As individuals and as a congregation we pursue social justice, striving toward tikkun olam (to repair the world) through deeds of righteousness and loving-kindness. We encourage and create opportunities for our members to demonstrate our Jewish values, inspiring engagement in social action and social advocacy. Our collective social conscience mandates that we participate in healing the lives of our people and our community.

Community, Kehilah:

We strive always to be a warm, welcoming, inclusive and responsive community, offering comfort, joy, friendship and support to our members and their families. In addition, we hope to enrich and increase participation in personal and communal worship and enhance and broaden the Jewish content of each member's daily life. Also important is our strong commitment to the larger community, both Jewish and non-Jewish, locally, nationally, around the world, especially Israel, linked to us through history, tradition and faith.