Welcome...

SHA'AREI SHALOM, founded in 1995, is a member-driven, diverse congregation offering the warmth of a small community. We recognize the wide range of views in our congregation and provide both tradition and innovation, giving us the opportunity to learn and grow as a community. We encourage and support efforts to reach out to those in need both within and outside of our membership family.

High Holiday Services:
(All services except Sukkot to be held at 118 Main St. Ashland.)
Erev Rosh Hashanah Service 9/8 7:30pm
RH Day 1 9/9 9:30am
RH Day 2 9/10 9:30am
Kol Nidre 9/17 7:00pm
Yom Kippur 9/18 9:30am
Neelah 9/18 5:45pm

Sukkot 9/24 7:30pm at our new home
The Ashland Community Center
162 West Union St. Ashland

We are all connected by the support we give and the support we receive.
For information on upcoming service projects visit our Social Action Web Page.

If you are in need of support visit our Helping Hands Page
or our
Jewish Community Services contact list.


The saddest day in Jewish history is the 9th of Av (Tisha Be’Av), which this year fell on the 20th of July. On this day, the Babylonians destroyed the First Temple in 586 BCE and the Romans burned down the Second Temple in 70 CE. It is also the day in which the Jews of England and the Jews of Spain were expelled in 1290 and 1492, respectively. Tisha Be’Av culminates the period of mourning that begins three weeks earlier, when the walls surrounding Jerusalem were first breached by the Romans. (During these three weeks weddings are prohibited). The 9th of Av is observed as a fast day; in the evening of the 9th we sit as mourners -on the floor or low stools and read the book of Lamentations (Eicha), which recounts the destruction of Judea.
As many of you may know, we have been searching for a new location for Sha’arei Shalom. While in an ideal world we would have a place to call our own we still are not at that point financially. We have looked at commercial and residential property in the area and while the real estate market is good for buyers, the inventory in the area is either not conducive to our needs or is financially unobtainable. A couple months ago I met with Rabbi Sonia to discuss the past year and to look ahead and we shared our visions for the community. We have come a long way since we began in 1995 but our membership numbers have been stagnant.

From our Founder – Martin Shapiro, Judy and I are K’velling about Shabbat Live. We founded the Congregation fifteen years ago. We conceived it, nurtured it for a while, and then set it free to grow and to flourish. It has indeed done that and Shabbat Live showed us that not all Sabbath services are the same. That no one has to use a ‘one size fits all’ prayer book. Congregants can select prayers with personal meaning. Music can be used to enhance that meaning. As the “parents” of Sha’arei Shalom, Judy and I k’vel because, our little congregation has successfully reached its adulthood and is flourishing.

New Torah Cover Needed
The first Torah for our congregation was in need of repair and that work has now been completed. We are looking to now replace the cover and are seeking a volunteer(s) to donate towards that effort. Please contact Toni Spitzer at ritcom@shaareishalom.org for more info.

Donate a Siddur
click here!

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