Membership
Membership at Or Shalom
Or Shalom Synagogue in East Vancouver is always happy to welcome new members. Membership at Or Shalom is appealing to a wide range of spiritual seekers. We invite you to learn more about who we are and encourage you to attend our Shabbat services as well as explore our holiday and learning programs for adults and children.
We are a participatory, creative, and inclusive Jewish Renewal community dedicated to preserving and enlivening our traditions, renewing Judaism for the 21st century. Peruse our website to learn more about Or Shalom and our values. Founded in 1978 as a chavurah, Or Shalom continues to grow each year. Our community is built upon the rich and diverse talents and contributions of our collective members; from playing music and cooking meals; to joining a committee. New members support the continued flourishing of the community’s spirit.
Or Shalom has two membership options:
- Single Membership: For one adult with or without children*
- Family Membership: For two adults with or without children*
*Children = under 19 years of age
Membership includes attendance at High Holiday services at no additional cost as well as reduced fees for many courses. High Holiday memberships are also available for adults and families only wishing to attend Or Shalom’s annual High Holidays services at the Vancouver JCC. Please visit our High Holidays membership page for details.
If you would like to become a full member of Or Shalom, please follow these steps:
1. Fill out the membership application form – step 1. In this form, we ask that you provide us with your basic contact information as well as a brief intention for joining Or Shalom. Your answers to the application form will remain confidential and will only be shared with our Board of Directors, Membership Committee, and staff.
2. Along with your step 1 application form, you will be asked to make a membership contribution. These membership dues contribute to Or Shalom’s operating budget, including holiday celebrations, programming costs, and staff salaries. Effective October 2015, membership contributions are as follows:
- Single Membership: $1,075 per year
- Family Membership: $2,150 per year
Committing to membership in the Or Shalom community is a way to feel a part of things – invested in your own future within Or Shalom. Our pay-what-you–can option is designed to offer fullest membership access to any who cannot afford the recommended financial commitment, whether that is in specific moments of financial limitation or as a more permanent category of contribution. We thank you for contributing, as fully as you are able, to Or Shalom’s ongoing operation and to growth.
Or Shalom offers 4 ways to contribute to your membership.
- Single Full Membership, which renews monthly or automatically with your credit card.
- Family Full Membership, which includes two adults and any number of children.
- Pay What You Can Afford Membership, for those unable to afford the full membership fee.
- One-time membership contribution which does not auto-renew
3. The Membership Committee receives your application and confirmation of membership contribution. A member of the committee will then follow up with you to greet you and get to know you a little more. Following that, Or Shalom’s Board of Directors is required to approve all new member applications.
4. Once your membership is approved by the Board, you will be contacted, welcomed, and asked to fill out the membership application form – step 2. This is where you can share additional details such as your skills and interests to help us assist you in getting involved in the community.
In addition to membership contributions, Or Shalom asks each member to make a one-time $2,500 contribution to the Building Fund, which supports upkeep and upgrades to the building, our Bayit. This contribution can be spread out over a number of years.
Ready to become a member? Get started by filling out step 1 of the membership application. Should you have any questions about Or Shalom, please reach out to us.
