In 2019 the clergy and lay leaders of Central Reform Temple of Boston and Emmanuel Church signed a spiritual covenant, which declared our commitment to a shared life together at 15 Newbury Street. This decision came out of 14 years of sharing space and an ever-deepening relationship between our two communities.  In December 2022 our rector and vestry, Rabbi Dr. Michael Shire, and the Temple’s board of directors signed a reaffirmed covenant.

Founded in 2004 as Boston Jewish Spirit, the Temple describes itself as “a spiritual home for all people, worshipping and learning in the progressive traditions of Reform Judaism as we work for justice and peace in our community and the world.” Our relationship with the Temple goes beyond merely sharing our facilities: we have become a kind of interfaith family. As partners in a covenant relationship, each of our congregations is faithfully rooted in its distinct religious traditions and deeply committed to our shared spiritual roots, values, and hopes for humanity and the world. In a world that is torn by strife and hatred, our covenant states:

We practice modeling compassionate encounters between Judaism and Christianity that affirm the difficult challenges of history and aspire to new levels of understanding.

Our relationship appears to be unprecedented in terms of the depth and breadth of the partnership we have established. Our joint programs reflect our commitment to shared values while we creatively and respectfully explore our differences. Our relationship is no longer one of residency or community or even family, but all of these bound together in a commitment to share our house and partnership in a long-term, interfaith relationship.

Central Reform Temple offers two hybrid Sabbath Evening Services per month, virtual Torah study, and other programming throughout the year. For links to services and access to other offerings, please email info@centralreformtemple.org. To see their full calendar, visit crtboston.org. Also you could visit them on Facebook and YouTube for access to their archived Shabbat services.