A Community of Friends
Congregation Adat Reyim is a welcoming, caring congregation in wooded Fairfax County, Virginia, a short drive from Washington, D.C. From our name — which means a “community of friends ”— to our inclusive approach to Judaism, this is a place you can feel at home. Our independent congregation draws on the richness of Jewish tradition and respects the many ways our diverse community members connect to each other and the Divine.
Join us on a Friday night, and you will be personally welcomed. Come on Saturday morning, and you will be offered an honor and invited to lunch. Bring the kids to our religious school, our preschool, a Family & Friends Service, or any service – and they will be part of our family. Take part in an Adult Education program and share your ideas and perspectives - we will listen. Join in a social action program that supports our broader community and our world. Whether you enjoy the traditional harmonies of a choir, or the ruach of our Spirit of Shabbat service with guitars and more, or a moving string quartet sharing Kol Nidre, there is music to inspire you.
We value those who have been with us for years and those who have just joined; individuals, couples and families; multi-racial and multi-cultural families; interfaith families; individuals who are LGBTQ+ and straight; Jews by birth and by choice -- you are all part of our community.
We are small enough to know each other and large enough to be a thriving community! Get to know us so we can get to know you. Hear from members on "why we love Adat Reyim."
Our Home
Our synagogue is located on the border of Springfield and Burke, Virginia, on five wooded acres. Our newly rejuvenated sanctuary and lobby reflect the values of our congregation – welcoming, warm, inclusive, and accessible to all.
From our Kosher kitchen to our flexible education wing, our synagogue building hosts wide-ranging spiritual, social, and educational activities for all ages. In addition to our religious school for students in kindergarten through grade 12, the building is also home to our weekday preschool and preschool summer camp. Our library of books for children and adults is searchable online.
We celebrate Shabbat and holidays in many ways, serving the needs of our diverse membership and respecting the sacredness of the individual. There are monthly Friday evening services with our choir, monthly Spirit of Shabbat services led with instruments, and “Shabbat at home” dinners giving congregants an opportunity to know each other better. On Saturday mornings, we have Torah study and traditional Shabbat services and on Wednesdays, a weekly evening minyan.
Our holiday celebrations are varied and engaging – traditional High Holiday services alongside a Spirit of the High Holidays service with instruments and new readings; lively dancing at Simchat Torah with our own Shir Reyim; a Tu B'Shvat Seder; Purim celebrations that include the Megillah reading, a Purim carnival, and a Purim Schpiel for the grown-ups. We mark Passover with workshops on hosting a Seder, a Women’s Seder for our times, and a welcoming Community Seder.
Our Ruach
We are a congregation of great ruach, or spirit. Members of our highly participatory egalitarian congregation take part in all aspects of congregation life. Adat Reyim’s calendar is brimming with fun, engaging, and educational activities.
Adat Reyim members have a deep interest in the welfare of people in the D.C. metropolitan area, our nation, and the world. Our social action projects involve congregants of all ages and include sponsorship of a refugee from Afghanistan, collections for food banks, clean-up of the local watershed, building homes in areas impacted by natural disasters, and holding an annual blood drive. We frequently partner with the Ecumenical Council Helping Others (ECHO). We are committed to building bridges to our neighbors of different faiths, in small group dialogues and community-wide interfaith services of solidarity.
Congregants connect through our many interest groups including Young Adults Chavurah, Interfaith Families, Sisterhood, Men’s Club, Empty Nesters, Religious School family dinners, and our youth group.
Our Rabbi
Our rabbi Rabbi Chana Leslie Glazer embodies the characteristics of our congregation – caring, inclusive and compassionate. She is a wonderful teacher for all ages and an engaging spiritual leader. Warm and approachable, she is committed to connecting with congregants of every background and practice. Each week, she leads Friday night services with a thought-provoking sermon, Saturday services with an engaging Torah discussion, and a weekly meditation minyan rooted in Jewish texts.
To listen to several of Rabbi Glazer's sermons and her meditation minyans please Click Here
A spirit of volunteerism imbues all of Adat Reyim’s efforts and activities, and our lay board of directors often solicits and welcomes input from members. With our many opportunities for education, worship, service, and fun, it is easy to identify at least one interest! Click here to contact us to find out more about our very special place of worship and community of friends.