Deven Joshi

Temple Emanu-El

Temple Emanu-El is a vibrant Reform Jewish community that strives to be a place of sacred encounter. It is a place where learning, prayer and deeds change people's understanding of themselves, of their world and their responsibilities in it. At Temple Emanu-El, the creation of a vibrant and meaningful community is both an enduring value and an ongoing endeavor. For us, community means a sense of warm welcome, meaningful relationships, and mutual responsibility. We affirm a sense of both valued boundaries and a great respect for diversity. We celebrate our identity as a multi-generational community. We envision the relationship between congregants, rabbis and staff as a partnership based upon mutual respect, shared Jewish commitment, and ongoing Jewish growth. That relationship is manifest in a governance structure which is democratic and reflects the diversity of our congregation. Our synagogue's history is nearly as old as Dallas itself, founded in 1875 as the first Jewish congregation in North Texas. Though our location has changed a few times, we found our final home at the corner of Hillcrest and Northwest Highway in 1957 and completed a $38 million dollar expansion and renovation in 2016. Our spaces were reimagined and redesigned to put interaction at the forefront: interaction with nature, interaction with each other and interaction with God. We welcome over 2,500 families with diverse backgrounds and lifestyles through our doors and help them find their Jewish path through prayer, music, learning, food and community.