Knesseth Israel (gathering in the name of Israel) is a unique, intimate, welcoming congregation in Wooster, a semi-rural city of 25,000 in north central Ohio. Our beautiful synagogue was built in 1950 to support the needs of our Jewish community which has thrived in Wooster for more than 100 years.

• Photo Gallery 

• Calendar 
  (if asked if you want to proceed, click Yes.)
   

The Knesseth Israel Temple Community

Welcome to our Wooster, Ohio Jewish community!

There has been an active Jewish population in the Wooster area since the 1840's. In the 1880's, the group of about 20 Jewish families (mostly merchants) decided they needed to form a more structured religious community -- and in 1931, their dream of a permanent house of worship came true with the establishment of Knesseth Israel Temple (KIT). Originally Orthodox to accommodate the religious needs and tastes of many recent immigrants to the US, KIT formed a comfortable compromise between Conservative and Reform practice and in the 1990's affiliated as a Reconstructionist congregation. For many years it is believed that KIT was the smallest congregation in the country with a full time rabbi.

Today, our part-time Rabbi and part-time Cantor offer services every other Friday night (with some exceptions in the summer months). Our current membership totals approximately 35 families of all ages and walks of life. The Wooster area boosts 4 institutions of higher learning within an 8-mile radius, which gives the community an educational and ethnic diversity much more varied than generally seen in a town this size.

KIT offers educational programs for all ages, and services are available for life transition events. We offer many opportunities to become involved with the temple community through holding board office or serving on committees. We maintain a strong connection to Wooster and many of our members are involved in civic enterprises.

We pride ourselves on our Jewish community -- thriving for over 130 years -- and still going strong! We would be happy to welcome you for a visit or as a member.

MISSION STATEMENT

The aims and ideals of the congregation shall be to strengthen loyalty to Torah, to support Jewish religious life in the home, to offer access to Jewish education, to foster a strong and harmonious Jewish community, and to perform all necessary functions and services in order to achieve these goals.

SERVICES

We hold religious services each week, usually on Friday night, led alternately by Rabbi Enid Lader or our Associate Spiritual Leader, Beth Friedman-Romell, Ph.D.
Above: our sanctuary.

EDUCATION PROGRAM

Twice each month Rabbi Enid Lader conducts Beit Limud for our pre-B'nai Mitzvah students, Shabbat Mishpachah for the families with younger children, Teen-Lunch-and-Learn for our post-B'nai Mitzvah students and Adult Torah Study.

Our walls resound with the weekly sounds of children learning Hebrew from their Zayde: Dr. Stan Brody.

RECONSTRUCTIONISM We are one of more than 100 congregations and havurot affiliated with the Reconstructionist movement. Liberal in outlook, yet respecting tradition, Reconstructionism is the youngest of the four streams of organized American Judaism. To learn more, click here.

Rabbi Enid Lader and Associate Spiritual Leader Beth Friedman-Romell
prepare to usher in the new year

HOW TO CONTACT US

Knesseth Israel Temple, P.O. Box 972, Wooster, OH 44691
Email  info AT kitemple.net 
Website: www.kitemple.net

We invite your inquiry and look forward to meeting you.

Knesseth Israel Temple

Map showing 1670 Cleveland Road, Wooster Ohio     interactive map