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About PJTC

PJTC Mission Statement

PJTC is a vibrant synagogue that embraces tradition, invites innovation and inspires participation. We are a diverse congregation of all ages, identities and family constellations. Our sacred space welcomes all who seek to worship, study, and grow their religious, cultural and social ties to Judaism.

PJTC continues its long affiliation with the Conservative movement.

Click for more information about our spirituality, community programs and educational opportunities.

You can read about our clergy, staff, and board of directors here. 

Come as you are!

Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center is guided by Jewish values of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI). We foster and cultivate meaningful connections, while recognizing the blessings of each person’s authenticity. The Jewish VALUES below guide us, as we seek to ensure a community of belonging.

DIVERSITY OF FAITH TRADITIONS

Our members represent a wide variety of Jewish beliefs and practices. We respect and honor diverse religious beliefs and traditions that enrich us as individuals and as a community. 

CULTURAL AND ETHNIC DIVERSITY

We are a multiracial, multicultural people. Our community includes conversos, Sephardic, Mizrahi, Ashkenazi, Jews of Color, as well as Jews by Choice. We celebrate and embrace members of all backgrounds and strive to learn about the diversity of the Jewish world through education and a culture of acceptance. We are all teachers and we are all learners. The USCJ (United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism), which PJTC is affiliated with, provides a list of Racial Justice and Inclusion resources. 

INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY DIVERSITY

We are a community of people all ages including single individuals, couples, single parents, same-sex parents, blended families, non-parent guardians, and mixed-faith families. We are grateful for and welcome all who wish to share in Jewish life. We strive to provide education that enables all to feel at home.

SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER DIVERSITY

We are an egalitarian community of people of all sexual orientations and identities. We seek to avoid heteronormative and cisgender assumptions in language and programming, and we continue to educate ourselves about the needs of the LGBTQ community and individuals, including training with Keshet, a LGBTQ nonprofit working toward full equality for all LGBTQ Jews.

APPRECIATION OF PEOPLE OF ALL ABILITIES

We recognize that approximately one in four people have a physical, sensory, cognitive, mental health or other disability. We continue to identify and rectify barriers to enable all to fully participate in Jewish experiences, including B'nai Mitzvah. We have partnered with RespectAbility, a nonprofit working to empower people with disabilities. Ways we provide accessibility are listed here. The Jewish Disability Inclusion News is a new organization providing ability-relevant information and mailing to families. 

DIVERSITY OF ENGAGEMENT

We are grateful for our members who participate in the manner that is most appropriate for them at a given time. We offer in-person and virtual participation. In-home technical support to access events is available to local participants.

DIVERSITY OF LIFESTYLE

We recognize each individual has varied personal experiences, education, and background. We honor the divine spark in each person regardless of regrets; life struggles, including medical and emotional challenges; addiction and recovery; and incarceration. 

FINANCIAL DIVERSITY

Members of various income levels make up our community. We welcome all irrespective of financial capacity. Financial ability is never a barrier to full participation. We encourage all who make up the tapestry of our community to contribute their talents, energies and presence as we thrive together. 

DIVERSE POLITICAL AND SOCIAL VIEWS

Our members express a wide variety of political and social views. We reject binaries and embrace nuance in our programming. Our "For the Sake of Heaven" discussion group is a space where we respectfully share perspectives on faith traditions, values, ethics, politics, and economics. All are welcome and no viewpoint is off limits. This group is not meant to form a consensus, but rather to provide opportunities to listen and learn from each other.

Come as you are!

If you would like to visit PJTC and need any type of physical or other accommodation, please contact our Executive Director, Melissa Levy, at 626-798-1161 or melissa@pjtc.net.

We look forward to greeting you. 

 

Our History

Jews have been part of Pasadena’s history since the city was founded in 1874. That year, Maurice and Mina Rosenbaum moved to the area, constructed a house on what is now Orange Grove Avenue and the following year opened Pasadena’s first store on the Corner of Orange Grove and Colorado. They may have been the only Jewish residents in Pasadena until the mid-1880’s, when Pasadena’s explosive growth included Jewish businesses in and near the center of the town’s commercial district.

 

After two attempts to organize Pasadena’s Jewish community in 1907 and in 1912, incorporation papers for Temple B’nai Israel of Pasadena – what is now our congregation – were accepted by the State of California in 1921. Fundraising allowed for the completion of a home for the congregation in 1923 at Walnut and Hudson. Despite the continuing economic challenges resulting from the Great Depression, Temple B’nai Israel maintained an active Sisterhood and a large religious school, provided a meeting place for numerous area Jewish organizations (sponsorship by a Boy Scout troop), and purchased a large section at the Home of Peace Cemetery for member burials. Shortly before Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, our congregation purchased the Spanish styled building and the land where our synagogue remains to this day.

The occupational profile of the congregation changed after World War II as it attracted more professionals who were moving into the area because of the expansion of the California Institute of Technology, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the growth of institutions of higher education, and the increasing engineering sophistication of the aerospace industry. Responding to these changes, the community transformed from one centered on its religious practices to a center that was home to all aspects of Jewish life. Symbolizing this goal, in 1949 the congregation changed its name from Temple B’nai Israel to the Pasadena Jewish Community, and ultimately to Pasadena Jewish Temple & Center circa 1956 to better reflect both the temple and community center aspects of our community.

Our welcoming mindset is rooted in our history. We housed the Weizmann Day School on our campus from 1983 to 2020, and since 2014 have housed the B’nai Simcha Jewish Community Preschool – the only schools of their kind in the San Gabriel Valley. In 1997, PJTC merged with Shomrei Emunah of Sunland-Tunjunga, and twelve years later, PJTC merged with Shaarei Torah of Arcadia, which itself was the result of earlier mergers between congregations in Sierra Madre, El Monte, and Alhambra. With these mergers, PJTC became the only Conservative affiliated synagogue in the Western San Gabriel Valley.

For a more detailed account, including historical information on PJTC’s World War II activities, line of clergy, and pivotal social milestones, click here. 

Sat, December 21 2024 20 Kislev 5785