Coastside Jewish Community is an unaffiliated congregation bound together by a shared heritage. Our foundational Jewish values guide us as we engage with one another, our local neighbors, and the global community.
B’tselem Elohim: In the Divine Image
This value recognizes that every individual deserves to be treated with inherent sanctity and respect because all are created in the divine image. All humans have equal value, regardless of race, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin or ability. Our community is inclusive and embraces everyone who wishes to join us, regardless of where they are on their Jewish journey. We celebrate interfaith families, LGBTQ+ members, and families from different cultures and backgrounds, and we welcome all into our rituals and lifecycle events.
Tikkun Olam: Repairing the World
We believe that the world is imperfect and that humans are partners with the Divine in the ongoing work of creation and social justice. We take responsibility for fixing what is broken in society and working to make our community, country, and world a better place.
Tzedek, Tzedek, Tirdof: The Active Pursuit of Justice
We believe we should engage in the active pursuit of equity and justice. We believe the pursuit of justice requires using just means, acting with integrity and in line with our values. In practice, we encourage and support our members who work for social justice on the Coastside and beyond. Many of our members find deep connection to their Judaism through their active pursuit of justice, and our community provides ways to connect with other members and with the world around us in those actions.
Gemilut Hasadim: Acts of Loving Kindness
We use acts of loving kindness to create connections between our members and our wider community. We support each other through bereavement and joyful life events. Our community welcomes spiritual seekers, including those who do not believe in a Divine presence, and other Jews who are searching for belonging so that anyone who joins us feels at home. We embrace the use of joyful music to create a feeling of warmth in our services and holiday celebrations.
Talmud Torah: Lifelong Learning
We support our community in lifelong learning, from childhood to adulthood. Judaism places a deep emphasis on learning and on embracing diverse views by approaching them through curiosity, rather than through a lens of right or wrong. All opinions are welcomed and valued in the pursuit of learning at CJC, using the concept of “elu v’elu;” or “these and those [are the words of the Divine].” In our pursuit of learning, we support our community with educational opportunities such as adult education classes, family education, and Jewish education for our children.
Bal Taschit: Environmental Stewardship
Our community believes we should always aim to be more environmentally sustainable in our events and everyday lives. We take action to support local and global efforts to work toward increasing human responsibility for global climate change and other serious environmental issues. Our actions have a direct impact on the magnificent, yet fragile, coastal community in which we are located. As a “synagogue without walls,” we embrace the many beautiful locations available to us on the San Mateo county coast for our religious and social gatherings. Having a congregation without a building is one way we reduce our environmental footprint, while also enabling us to embrace the amazing beauty of our location and all the outdoors here has to offer.