SAJ is a joyous community of New Yorkers, a Jewish home where everyone’s voice is valued and heard. Imagine a school kids run towards and a synagogue where all can come together for social justice, study, and Shabbat. Ever since SAJ introduced America’s first bat mitzvah in 1922, it has been reconstructing Judaism, wrestling with God, questioning tradition and expanding its boundaries to ensure that Torah remains relevant, engaging, and welcoming to all.

We are seekers and non-believers alike; families with children and without children; single, married; young and old; white, black, Asian, Latino; gay, straight, transgender; Jewish by birth, by choice or friends of other faiths living in a Jewish household. We believe that everyone who throws in their lot with the Jewish people and with our sacred community should have a voice in the interpretation of Jewish tradition and the shaping of its future.

SAJ is Judaism that Stands for All. We believe in the Jewish concept of b’tzelem elohim, that all human beings are created in the image of God and of infinite worth. Together, we find the strength and inspiration to build a world in which all people can find the dignity and kavod (honor) they deserve. We believe the fight for our own liberation is tied up in the fight for liberation for everyone. We pray, march, protest, volunteer, galvanize, donate. Mostly, we don’t let each other slip into despair. Rather, we utilize the wisdom of our tradition to help us recover hope, joy, and commitment. Olam Hesed Yibaneh– Together, we build this world from love.