Congregation Eitz Chayim welcomes new members! We are a fully egalitarian Jewish community based in Cambridge, but our members come from all around the Boston area, Brookline, Newton, Belmont, Arlington, Somerville, Watertown and other nearby towns.

Our congregation of approximately 70 families and individuals celebrates all major Jewish Holidays and holds Friday evening Shabbat Services led by our dynamic and caring Rabbi, Liza Stern, and members of our community. We have a community break fast after Yom Kippur and celebrate the second night of Passover with a community seder.

We offer a comprehensive Jewish Education program for all ages lead by our enthusiastic and knowledgeable Director of Education, Andrea Silton. Our Lower School is designed to engage children in Jewish learning through song, crafts, study and drama and our challenging Middle School and our Bar/Bat Mitzvah program guides third through eighth graders as they study and explore the meaningful role of Judaism in their lives today. Our outstanding Sunday morning Speaker Series features well known speakers and scholars.

Participation in the community is highly encouraged and welcomed as one of the special aspects of Congregation Eitz Chayim. It can be a time for making new connections with our Judaism and each other.

From Rabbi Liza Stern: 'Eitz Chayim' literally means 'tree of life', and it is this image, which more than any other, captures the essence of our congregation. We are delighted you found us! We are proud of our community: we are proud of our vitality, of our warmth; of our commitment to diversity in practice, belief, and background, and of our commitment to each other. We are proud of the ways in which our members share their talents, perspectives, values and energy, making Eitz Chayim a vibrant place of Jewish learning and celebration.

We are a 'non-affiliated' congregation. Technically, this means that we do not belong to any of the Jewish movements found in this century's American life. For Eitz Chayim, to be non-affiliated means to be willing to explore alternatives, to challenge the status quo and each other in the search for authentic Jewish experince. Do not hesitate to join our conversation! Every question is a good question, every point of view is respected. We believe that our community empowers us to discover our potential as individuals and as a group, so that we may effect change in the world and growth in ourselves.

Shabbat Services throughout the year are from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm every Friday evening with an oneg (refreshment) provided by members each week. Our hope is that here at Eitz Chayim you will find a warm and welcoming place to 'daven' (pray), a place to meet fellow Jewish seekers and to encounter your Jewish self.

Rabbi Liza Stern

If you would like to find a community to explore and express your Judaism, please consider Eitz Chayim.

We are located at 136 Magazine Street, a 10 minute walk to Central Square T and bus stops. For further information call the office (617) 497-7626, email us at membership@eitz.org, or click here to be contacted.

Looking forward to meeting you soon!