Welcome to Temple Shaare Tefilah

Shalom. As rabbi of Temple Shaare Tefilah, I want to welcome you and encourage
you to learn more about our synagogue. We have been in existence, as a congregation,
for over 100 years and are integrally connected to the greater Norwood community.
Temple Shaare Tefilah is an egalitarian, Conservative synagogue that is affiliated
with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism and with the Synagogue Council of
Massachusetts.

We are an informal and warm congregation, which believes very strongly in community;
members are supportive of each other: through shiva minyanim, food support and caring
for each other’s welfare. We are also actively involved in the greater community
as well: for example, through participation in the Jewish Family Service’s Family Table
contribution roster, by donating to the Norwood Food Pantry,
through participation by myself in the Norwood Clergy Association,
and through members volunteering at neighboring hospitals and various charities.

Temple Shaare Tefilah provides religious, cultural, educational and social programming
in order to meet the various Jewish needs and interests of its members. Our relatively
small size not only allows me to know each member individually, it also allows for a
greater sense of community and belonging on the part of the members. As the rabbi,
I am continually impressed and moved by the Derekh Eretz (the caring behavior) that is
exhibited amongst members. There is a strong sense of each one looking out for the other.
I often feel that I am the spiritual leader of a family, rather than a congregation.

We have Shabbat morning services every Saturday and the services are led by the rabbi,
the cantor and lay leaders. As one guest phrased it at a recent Bat Mitzvah, I enjoyed
your services because they were so relaxed and welcoming. The cantor chants in such a
way that he invites others to join in, thus creating a participatory service within a
spiritual atmosphere. My D’var Torah is a dialogue with the congregation based on the
themes found in the particular Torah portion and I encourage congregants to share their
insights and understandings as part of the discussion. We include the matriarchs in the
Amidah and try to be as gender sensitive as possible, while maintaining the integrity of
the Conservative prayer tradition.

I encourage you to call and visit. I think that you will find that Temple Shaare Tefilah
is a place that you will quickly stop calling ‘synagogue’ and instead, will simply call it,
‘home.’

L’hitraot. I look forward to seeing you soon.
Rabbi Andrea M. Gouze

Easy Access from Surrounding Area Towns

Dedham
Dover
Foxboro
Hyde Park
Medfield
Norfolk
Walpole
West Roxbury
Westwood

A Full Program of Services

Holiday Celebrations
Shabbat Services

Educational Programs

Adult Education
Family Education
Scholar-in-Residence Program
Sunday Morning Speakers

Serving the Entire Community

Brotherhood
Families
Sisterhood

Temple Shaare Tefilah provides a genuine feeling of fellowship, warmth and caring, and a real sense of intergenerational closeness.

We welcome all.

Temple Shaare Tefilah is affiliated with the