Our Mission

Celebrating the joys and beauty of our tradition, we will strive to be the center of our members' lives by creating a caring community where members, through a path of spiritual growth and commitment to the principles of Conservative Judaism, embrace Torah learning, prayer, and deeds of loving kindness.

Our Past

In 1884 a group of twelve Jews gathered in the back of Wasserman's store on Elm Street near Pearl in the city of Dallas. They secured a sefer Torah and called their new shul "Shearith Israel"--"the Remnant of Israel." The first Shabbat services were held above an old grocery at the corner of Elm and Akard. Those who came to that first service had no idea of the long history that would await the tiny Shearith Israel.

The pioneers of those formative years of Shearith Israel's history believed in the synagogue, in its rituals, its teachings and its message. They had faith in the power of community and in the sense of family that is the synagogue.

From its humble beginnings, Shearith Israel was among the few Conservative Congregations in America to pre-date the establishment of the Jewish Theological Seminary and was clearly among those congregations which inspired the early leaders of Conservative Judaism to establish the Seminary, now the world-wide academic and spiritual center of Conservative Judaism.

The early leaders of Shearith inspired successive generations to build upon their dream. Over the years Congregation Shearith Israel established the pillars of Jewish life and learning including a well developed religious school and youth program and founded the Solomon Schetcher Academy, the Conservative Day School of Dallas.

Our Present

Today Congregation Shearith Israel is one of leading Congregations of the Conservative movement with 1,400 families on two campuses.

Our main campus is on the corner of Douglas and Walnut in Dallas and our satellite campus is on the corner of Frankfort and Hillcrest on the Solomon Schetcher Academy Campus in Far North Dallas meeting the needs of our members who live in the far north and Plano. Shearith Israel is led by our Senior Rabbi, Rabbi William Gershon along with Rabbi David Glickman, Rabbi Joseph Menashe and Cantor Itzhak Zhrebker in partnership with an active lay leadership.