Welcome to Jewish Rochester
Rochester, NY is home to a historic, thriving and growing Jewish community. The community is diverse, including Modern Orthodox, Sephardic, Yeshivish and Chabad shuls, but also tight-knit, non-judgmental and active: every week, there are a variety of social and educational events happening for folks of all ages, as well as many daily minyan options. From pre-kindergarten through high school, Rochester has excellent formal and informal Jewish educational opportunities that allow every child to blossom and become their best selves. In Rochester, we also have a state-of-the art Jewish Community Center, a very active Jewish Federation, and a full range of other Jewish organizations that encompass every aspect of Jewish life.
Life here is simple, hassle-free and inexpensive. You’ll never have to worry about traffic (really!), and you’ll rarely need to travel more than 20 minutes to get where you’re going. Job opportunities are plentiful, especially in the medical and high-tech fields. You can buy a lovely 4-bedroom house a few blocks from a shul for under $300,000. In beautiful Rochester, there is always something you can do with the family as you will be in close proximity to parks, lakes, hiking trails, museums and theaters.
If you are looking for a friendly, low-stress community where you will be part of a warm family, then we wholeheartedly invite you to visit us in Rochester! We’re ready to help you plan your move, and we will be happy to help you find great jobs, the perfect house, and everything else necessary for your success here.
50 New Rochester Families
50 New Rochester Families is an initiative of Congregation Beth Sholom and Rabbi Dov Winston. Since our shul was established in 1929, Congregation Beth Sholom has been a leader and a foundation for the Jewish community in Rochester. It’s our bold goal to welcome 50 new families to build the next chapter of our storied Rochester community in the next 5 years.
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We'll support you with:
Information
Gathering
We’ve put this website together just for you!
Visiting Our Community
Come for shabbat anytime, or join our New Families Weekend in April 2024. Travel stipends available.
Connecting with Locals
Get a sense of Rochester life from a native! Fill out the form below to connect 1:1 with us.
Settling In
Subsidies for shul membership and Jewish day school tuition are available for your first year.
We're ready to welcome you home.
The Jewish community has deep historical roots here – the first shul was built in 1848. And it’s growing: with a variety of religious and secular schools, shuls and community resources to support a rich and vibrant Jewish life. We can't wait for you to discover all that our community has to offer.
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- Rabbi Dov Winston & the 50 Rochester Families Committee