Before I found CBST, I visited synagogues up and down New York City. There are many congregations out there with some of the elements I was seeking: an emphasis on social justice, a strong spiritual focus, and the skills and desire to make a 6,000 year religion relevant to our lives today. But as a [...]

RoseAnn Hermann: Why I Am Giving to the Capital Campaign
How do I express best what CBST and our new home means to me? Just thinking about the past year brings it all into focus. During the spring of 2011, I was in Albany with our Rabbis, advocating for a Marriage Equality bill that would impact many members of CBST, including my own family. A [...]

The New York Times Covers Designs for CBST’s New Home
The New York Times published an article on the design for CBST’s new home, “Designing a Synagogue for a Gay Congregation, With Acoustics in Mind.” Check out an excerpt of the article below: “Radical traditionalism” is the phrase used by Sharon Kleinbaum, the senior rabbi, to describe the philosophical arc of the 1,100-member congregation. Fine [...]
Tell Us Your Dreams
Share your favorite synagogues, spiritual places and ideas to aid in the process of designing our new home.
Latest News
Neither of us grew up attending synagogue, but we joined CBST because we felt, from the first moment that we walked through its doors, that we belonged.Adam Berger & Steve Frank
Our Mission
Congregation Beit Simchat Torah is a vibrant spiritual community and a progressive voice within Judaism. Founded in 1973, CBST attracts and welcomes gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, transgender, queer and straight individuals and families who share common values. Passionate, provocative, and deeply Jewish, CBST champions a Judaism that rejoices in diversity, denounces social injustice wherever it exists, and strives for human rights for all people.



