Welcome to B'nai Israel Synagogue

On behalf of our entire congregation, I would like to say welcome. No matter what brings you to Rochester, we want to be your Jewish home. Whether you and your family are relocating to Rochester or you are visiting Rochester to receive care at one of our local medical clinics and hospitals, we look forward to seeing you. B’nai Israel Synagogue provides worship services and holiday celebrations, education programs, congregational activities and hospitality to all who enter our doors.

As Rabbi, I serve both as spiritual leader of B’nai Israel Synagogue and Jewish chaplain of Mayo Clinic. Bridging the gap between practical and spiritual needs is an integral part of our mission. In other words, we are here to help.

Since our congregation was established over one hundred years ago, many things have changed in Rochester, but our commitment to warmly welcome those living in or visiting southeastern Minnesota has not.

I look forward to welcoming you to our Jewish home.

-Rabbi Michelle
rabbi@bnaiisraelmn.org

bnai

Our Mission: 

Be a welcoming Jewish home for members, visitors and the local community for worship, 

study, friendship and support to increase the understanding and appreciation of Judaism.

From the Union For Reform Judaism / Reform Movement

A Man at the Door

A Man at the Door jemerman

This poem imagines a child experiencing the Holocaust and urges us to stand against injustice.

Changing the World One Relationship at a Time

Changing the World One Relationship at a Time jemerman

A rabbi from Bel Air and a bishop from Compton share how their partnership has connected their communities.

Gursha: A Culinary Bridge Across Diaspora, Heritage, and Community

Gursha: A Culinary Bridge Across Diaspora, Heritage, and Community jemerman

Chef, entrepreneur, and cookbook author Beejhy Barhany has long used food as a bridge between cultures. Her new cookbook, "Gursha," celebrates Ethiopian, Sudanese, Yemenite, and African American culinary traditions.

Reform Zionism: A Sacred Responsibility

Reform Zionism: A Sacred Responsibility urjadmin

Reform Zionism calls us into relationship with Israel in its most vulnerable moments. It asks us not to watch from a distance, but to share in the responsibility of building and protecting the Jewish state.