Our mission is to be a kehillah kedoshah, a holy community, among Am Yisrael,
following in the Israelite minhag or custom.
B’nai Adath, as a kehillah kedoshah, is committed to the observance of mitzvot and halakha set forth in the Torah, and to the study, understanding and teaching of the Torah and the Tanach, as well as to the other books and principles of Jewish life and learning, including Pirkei Avot, the Talmud and the Mishnah. Through study and teaching of the Torah and other books of Jewish learning, as well as through observance, we seek to enhance the lives of our members and our local community, to refine the moral and ethical behavior of our members, to instill in our members and children a love of Am Yisrael and Eretz Yisrael, and to raise our children into contributing citizens of their neighborhood – Brooklyn, their city – New York, their country – the United States, and the world.
Our Vision
Our vision is to safeguard our Congregation into the future for our children by living lives according to our faith and custom (or minhag) and by maintaining and rebuilding our Synagogue building as our spiritual home, encompassing a synagogue’s multiple roles, as a:
- Beit Tefillah – a house of prayer to worship The Most High and to transform the lives of our members and others through the observance of mitzvot.
- Beit Midrash – a place to study, and to teach the laws of Torah and the Tanach, the Hebrew language, the history and importance of the land of Israel, the culture, morals and ideals of the Jewish people, and the minhag of the Congregation to our members, their children, and to others.
- Beit Knesset – a place for our members, the greater Israelite community and others to assemble for religious, educational, life cycle, cultural, social, recreational and community outreach experiences.
Our Values
We value our full identity and minhag. Our minhag reflects that B’nai Adath is a Jewish congregation made up of individuals primarily of African-American and African descent whose religion and ethnicity are unified within their Israelite identity, congregation, community and heritage for themselves, their children and their descendants. We identify as part of the Israelite tradition; and wish and intend to instill within our children a pride in their African-American and African cultures and ancestors. We perpetuate our unique Israelite community and minhag among Am Yisrael, just as Jews who participate in Ashkenazi, Lubavitch, Satmar, Sephardi, Mizrahi, Romanoite and other Jewish communities perpetuate their own minhagim and communities within Am Yisrael. We value hospitality and so welcome to our services and activities those who are respectful of our identity and wish to observe and participate in our services, activities and minhagim.
