In 1961, a handful of local Jewish families dreamt of a Reform congregation for the Durham and Chapel Hill, NC area. They combed the telephone directories, university faculty lists and community rosters to spread the news. They held services in their basements. When the group outgrew their homes, they borrowed the Quaker Friends Meeting House. When they outgrew the Friends Meeting House, they used the Temple Baptist Church. To accommodate the many Chapel Hill congregants, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services were held in the Community Church of Chapel Hill. By the end of the decade, this experiment in Reform Judaism had become a growing concern. Every time our founders took a step forward, they found solid ground. The congregation grew. With nearly 100 families, Judea Reform Congregation dedicated its own synagogue on Durham's Cornwallis Road in 1971. One new sanctuary, one major addition, two land purchases, 30 years and three rabbis later, Judea Reform Congregation has more than quintupled in size to become the largest Reform congregation in the Triangle. Our talented rabbi and staff serve up a menu of Jewish activities for all ages, and our dedicated lay leadership guide us with thoughtfulness and commitment. History has given us confidence to build for the future in the tradition of the founding families of Judea Reform Congregation. Please check the Expansion page for updates on our new facility. Judea Reform is a member of the Union for Reform Judaism.

Judea Reform Congregation respects the diversity of our members’ backgrounds, opinions, needs and talents. Prizing inclusiveness, the synagogue provides multiple opportunities for creative leadership to women and men, youth and adults, and encourages active involvement by all in the many facets of congregational life.

Judea Reform Congregation builds community by engaging our members in the central aspects of Judaism:

TORAH—illuminating modern times with the wisdom of our ancient tradition;

LIMUD—learning Jewish history and culture;

TIKKUN OLAM—working to repair the world;

KEDUSHAH—sanctifying everyday and milestone events.

JRC nurtures meaningful connection to God, and to the core ethics and values of our tradition, through study of Torah and the sacred texts of the Jewish people.

JRC takes seriously the reputation of Jews as Am HaSefer (people of the book). Through its varied educational programs, the congregation encourages continual Jewish learning and intellectual growth for people of all ages, from pre-school through retirement.

JRC is dedicated to the welfare of the Jewish people, in the land of Israel and in the diaspora. The congregation takes its place in the larger human family as well, working to improve conditions for all people, in the local community and around the world.

JRC marks and sanctifies life’s sacred moments, from birth to death, through ritual and ceremony that bind families to one another and to the celebratory and healing traditions of our people. Through Shabbat and holiday worship services we honor our venerable heritage while reflecting with sensitivity and creativity the evolution of preferences and practices.

These four-fold emphases on Torah, Limud, Tikkun Olam and Kedushah provide a secure foundation for all the undertakings of Judea Reform Congregation.