WHY Sanctuary?
Our mission is to construct human-scale space that is sacred: set apart from the hectic pace of our daily lives, and dedicated to forming, holding and deepening connections.
Building Sanctuary will give us the time and space to connect to our bodies and souls, to form genuine, mutual relationships, and to discover how ancient Jewish wisdom can enrich our modern lives each day.
Our vision: If we can cultivate more peace, love and justice in our own lives, then we can more fully approach our collective task of transforming our world. By building Sanctuary, we begin to build a society where we truly see and value each individual, and protect each of God's creations with reverence.
Building Sanctuary will give us the time and space to connect to our bodies and souls, to form genuine, mutual relationships, and to discover how ancient Jewish wisdom can enrich our modern lives each day.
Our vision: If we can cultivate more peace, love and justice in our own lives, then we can more fully approach our collective task of transforming our world. By building Sanctuary, we begin to build a society where we truly see and value each individual, and protect each of God's creations with reverence.
HOW does Sanctuary work?
Sanctuary weaves together Jewish community through Circles and Gatherings.
We are transforming Jewish life and our experience of it with these 4 Shifts:
As an incubator for choice, change and creativity, Sanctuary is part of a growing movement to reimagine how we gather as Jews in the 21st Century.
- Circles are small, and meet regularly around shared interests, questions, or life stages. Circles bring together 5-10 individuals or 5-7 families.
- Gatherings are larger, and offer a modern take on Shabbat and holidays.
We are transforming Jewish life and our experience of it with these 4 Shifts:
- Instead of visiting a ‘museum’ that conserves Judaism, we’re participating in an ‘art studio’ that creates new expressions of Jewish wisdom.
- Instead of attending big events, we’re committing to small cohorts, deep conversation, and home-based experiences.
- Instead of educating children in classrooms, we're empowering families in life.
- Instead of staff planning programs, we’re co-creating with actual participants.
As an incubator for choice, change and creativity, Sanctuary is part of a growing movement to reimagine how we gather as Jews in the 21st Century.
WHO leads Sanctuary?
Rabbi Bethie Miller is a native of Newton, MA, a graduate of Williams College, and a community-builder at her core. During her studies at HUC-JIR (NY ‘14), Rabbi Miller had the fortune to participate in the Wexner Graduate Fellowship and the Daniel and Bonnie Tisch Rabbinical Fellowship. For five years after ordination, she served as a rabbi at Larchmont Temple with a focus on supporting small groups, connecting young families, and launching a social justice initiative. In 2019, Rabbi Miller founded Sanctuary to weave Jewish community one circle of souls at a time. |

Rabbi Samantha Frank is a native of Silver Spring, MD, and a graduate of Tufts University. She loves opening the door to Jewish life for other people, and then learning through their eyes and questions. While studying at HUC-JIR in New York, she was honored to participate in the Daniel and Bonnie Tisch Rabbinical Fellowship and the Be Wise Fellowship in Jewish Entrepreneurialism. In addition to her work at Sanctuary, Rabbi Frank teaches at 92nd Y, NY and is the Rabbinic Fellow at Temple Micah in Washington, DC. Rabbi Frank is excited to join the Sanctuary community to help empower the Jew-ish curious to live fulfilled Jewish lives.
Lesley Barovick is the founder of Groove Family Music in Larchmont, NY and a lifelong music maker. She holds a BMA in voice from University of Michigan School of Music and an MFA in arts management from Brooklyn College. Before opening Groove in 2005, Lesley served as Director of Development for Jazz @ Lincoln Center and Playwrights Horizons. She has also served as a soloist/choir member for Chavurat Aytz Chayim in Stamford, Brooklyn Heights Synagogue, and Congregation Shir Shalom in Woodstock, VT. She is mom to 2 musical twenty-somethings. |