While tryingt o find out abot the basics – locations of introduction to Judiasm classes, area synagogues, and so on – I discovered that temple dues are … well, I can’t afford them. For the big Reform temples in the Cleveland area, dues are about $1,500 a year and up. My budget is EXTREMELY tight, and I can’t spare $120 or so every month for yet another monthly bill. Not only that, but many temples want you to contrubute to a building fund as well. I just can’t afford it.
Monstro is right. Jews don’t pass a collection plate on Saturdays, so we have to do something to keep the doors open, the lights on, and the rabbis paid.
Depending on the synagogue, though, they might be willing to waive all or some of the dues. I’ve yet to find a synagogue that was so overburdened with members that they were going to deny me membership because I couldn’t afford it.
You might also talk to your local university’s Hillel adviser. They sometimes have information on smaller local synagogues.
I may be wrong, but I think that many synagogues allow non-members to attend regular Friday night/Saturday morning services.
(Question: At my parents’ synagogue, every year on Yom Kippur [or possibly Rosh Hashana, I’m not sure] they pass out little cards, and you’re expected to indicate a donation you wish to make to the synagogue. Is this normal?)
Dues? Just for the high holiday, theoretically. They want to make the quota of ten men or more, so you are free to attend the regular services for free.
Definitely don’t let the cost keep you from learning more about Judaism. Nobody is going to force you to pay, though non-members often have to pay extra for tickets to High Holy Day services and such.
And before anyone asks, tickets usually have to be sold for these services because there’s such a larger turnout for them than normal, and space is often an issue.
So, don’t pay. I’ve never paid dues. I like to think that if I ever found a synagogue I really liked and attended regularly I would join and pay dues to support it, but that has (unfortunately) not happened yet. It’s not like you have to show some membership card before they let you in or something. I’ve even gone to High Holidays services without a ticket and had no problems. (Of course, I was a religious school teacher there at the time, but I think they would have let me in anyway.)
Seriously. It’s not a country club, it’s a religious service. The idea of membership is that you’re supporting a service you use. You do it to be a good citizen and a good Jew. I’ve never gone to any synagogue regularly enough (I’ve lived in three states in the last three years, which doesn’t exactly help) to feel obligated to join.
pardon me… you are just beginning to make serious inquiries about a deep issue- (conversion), and your first question is about money? Huh?
2 points:
1)from the *philosophical[/] point of view, that should be your last, very last question.
2)from the *practical[/] point of view, that should be your last, very last question.
As a philosophical issue it is irrelevant. And as a practical issue, it is relevant, but totally solvable. Every synagogue , everywhere, is available to you. If you start hanging around permanently, they will ask you to join in the responsibility for the upkeep. But every synagogue has a procedure for quietly waiving the fee for those who honestly can’t afford it. It is done quietly, privately (and without embarrassing you). Just wait until the appropriate time, and ask.
There is a financial side to everything in life, including the synagogue’s mortgage and salaries. So yes, they ask for money. But if you ask for an exemption, you will be treated with respect.
The first question I had wasn’t about money, actually, and I probably will find a way to make it work. I’ve hlearned a lot from the SDMB (and other sites,a nd books), so I haven’t posted in past conversion threads. Still, though, I was taken aback at seeing four-digit membership dues when I was looking at synagogue Web sites.
Most churches/temples/whatever work that way, elmwood. The money to buy and maintain the building and support the staff has to come from somewhere. Even the Unitarians expect their members to pay up.
And really, $1500 a year isn’t that much, as far as these things go. If paying it is a hardship, talk to the rabbi about it. Perhaps they’d be willing to work out a smaller amount, and allow you to build up to the full amount over a couple years.
Talk to one of the Rabbi’s. I absolutely guarantee they’ll offer some (possibly conflicting) advice. And they won’t stonewall you over it. There’ll be some sort of program in place to assist those who can’t afford it.
