Synagogue dues amount
We are considering joining a temple with a flexible giving model, i.e. they request a donation from members and leave the amount up to the member. We are deciding on what amount to give if we decide to join. If any of you are members of a synagogue, either a traditional one or one with such a flexible dues amount, could you share how much you give annually? We are tentatively thinking $3,000 as annual donation but not sure if that is on the low or high side.
Aug 22, 2016
Parent Replies
We belong to Congregation Netivot Shalom in Berkeley and just got our dues notice for 5777. It's around $2,900 and we bump it up to $3,600, in recognition of the years they gave us reduced or free dues during periods of un- or underemployment. So you are right in the zone!
Hi
We joined Temple Sinai last year and they have a suggested dues amount of around $3k based on costs divided by number of members. However they, like every other synagogue I've seen, are very flexible about how much a family actually pays. Of course they encourage additional donations but are very open to welcoming members who can't afford the suggested amount. There is no pressure and no prying questions if you choose a different amount. So, yes there is a suggested amount but the freedom to choose is completely intact and the suggestion actually gives you some info regarding what it takes financialy to run a big multi-program synagogue.
Hi there! I believe any synagogue -- ANY -- will work with you and your family to make dues reasonable. The synagogue needs members, especially members that pay dues. In my opinion, your suggestion of $3000 seems reasonable and generous.
This is an ongoing struggle for us, and I have no real answers at all. It's such a frustration, as we are stretched to our limits financially and our synagogue handles it so awkwardly we just feel humiliated about this entire process. This was not a problem at our old synagogue, in the city. There, we were asked to look at our gross income, after taxes and expenses, and calculate a percentage that was based on chai, so I think it was 1.8 percent. So I don't know how much you make - if you CAN give $3k, sounds great. If that means you can't buy groceries, it's terrible. I think you can ask your synagogue how much of a deficit they have, and if they aren't jerks, they'll help you figure it out. This is just one of the most embarrassing and shameful secrets of modern Judaism and it has to change.
we belong to a more traditional synagogue, and pay about $2500- which are the basic dues for people who make less than $150,000.
I pay $147/mo in temple dues. That is my synagogue's suggested rate for single parents, but they also accept whatever members are able to pay. I also make small donations for a specific need now and then.
Seems about right, depending on your income. We don't have that model but talked about 1-2% of gross income being fair. Our family dues are approximately $3000, but people pay what they can.