A Reform Jewish congregation and host of the annual ShalomFest Jewish festival
The MISSION of the Temple of Israel is to be recognized as the spiritual, educational, ritual, and social center for Reform Judaism in the Greenville area; to perpetuate Reform Judaism and its principles of justice, compassion and righteousness; to cultivate an appreciation of the Jewish heritage; and to serve as a focus of dialogue between Reform Jews and other Jewish and non-Jewish local and world communities.
Temple of Israel Creed
We are proud of our Jewish heritage and its progressive application. Our core belief in the fallibility of all knowledge leads to religious humility and the following logical consequences:
Freedom of inquiry and belief
The rigorous, scientific, and historical study of religion (including our own) using critical thinking skills and all available scholarly tools
Complete equality regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, and/or sexual orientation
Equality in the congregational status of non-Jewish family members who wish to join us.
The creed may be summed up in the form of a "freedom covenant." "I covenant to respect the religious and ritual freedom of all others in the congregation, guaranteeing their complete equality, so long as they covenant to affirm my own freedom and equality. My freedom ends where the next person's freedom begins."
Guideline for Working With Other Groups
The Temple of Israel will, on occasion and as resources permit, work with other groups in attainment of shared goals, so long as those groups do not apply their resources in a way that would undermine our own creed, commitments and the general mission of the Temple.
Keywords: Reform, Judaism, ShalomFest, Judaica shop