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Membership

By joining Westminster Synagogue, you help to create and sustain a place of prayer, learning and fellowship for Jews of all ages and backgrounds. You affirm your Jewish identity and join a vibrant, welcoming community.

The Synagogue is entirely self-funded. By joining and paying your annual subscription, you share in the task of paying for the staff and the organisation and the maintenance of our lovely building.

 
Benefits of membership
 
As a member you receive a number of benefits:
 

•  The opportunity to participate fully in all our services, social events, education programmes and activities

•  The opportunity to send your children to our lively children's educational programme, < or shabbat > (we     request a small additional contribution per child for this)

•  Tickets for our High Holyday services which are all held at Kent House

•  Our monthly newsletter and quarterly magazine

•  Membership of the Burial Scheme (there is a one off charge for members over 50 joining the scheme,    according to age on joining)

•  Reduced rates for hiring the Synagogue's function rooms for special events

 
We have special rates for young people, single parents and families. We also welcome non-Jewish spouses as Friends of the Synagogue.
 
Come and see what it is like before joining
 
You are most welcome to come to any service except for the High Holy Days. Many of our social events are open to non-members too. For High Holy Days, non-members must obtain a ticket in advance from the <Synagogue office> and although there is no charge, we ask for a donation. For security reasons, you will be asked to identify yourself.
 
Membership fees
Membership is available to all men and women of the Jewish faith over the age of 18 years. All have equal rights. Family subscription includes children under the age of 18.
 
Subscription rates are reviewed annually. The current rates are as follows:

 

Annually Quarterly

Husband and wife, husband aged 35 and over

£725.00

£181.25

Husband and wife, husband aged 30 and under 35

£635.00

£158.75

Husband and wife, husband aged 21 and under 30

£450.00

£112.50

Single person aged 35 and over

£560.00

£140.00

Single person aged 30 and under 35

£420.00

£105.00

Single person aged 25 and under 30

£250.00

£62.50

Single person aged 18 and under 25

£50.00

£12.50

 
No one is ever denied membership for financial reasons. Therefore if your circumstances will not permit your paying the appropriate rate, please contact Rabbi Salamon or the Membership Secretary, Jeffrey Ohrenstein, via the Synagogue office to discuss the matter in strict confidence.
 
Gift Aid and CAF
The Synagogue is a charity and so we expect our members to complete <Gift Aid forms pdf> to enable us to recover the tax they have paid. There is no cost to the member for this. This simple form only has to be completed once for the synagogue to be able to claim back basic rate income tax on all subscriptions and donations.
For members who are resident in the USA for tax purposes, it is possible to pay subscriptions and make donations to the Synagogue tax-effectively through CAF America, a charitable foundation. Details and the application form are available on request from the Synagogue office. We hope that the member would increase the amount of their subscription or donation by the amount of the tax credit.
 
Burial Scheme
Our burial scheme operates in conjunction with West London Synagogue. There is no additional payment provided they are under the age of 50 on joining; those aged 50 and over are required to make a non-recurring over-age payment according to age on admission. Participation in the scheme is effective from the date of the payment of the over-age levy.
 
The scheme is for the provision of a burial plot. In the case of cremation the scheme provides for a niche in the Edgwarebury Lane Cemetery. All other expenses of a funeral are the responsibility of a member’s family or executor.
 
Forms of Payment
Payment can be made annually or quarterly by <Bank Standing Order pdf> or by cheque made payable to Westminster Synagogue. The subscription year runs from May 1st to April 30th. Subscriptions are pro-rated for members joining at other times of the year.
 
A <Bank Standing Order form> is attached – simply print it, complete the necessary information and send it to the Synagogue with your <Gift Aid forms pdf>
 
How to apply
 
For more information on Membership at Westminster Synagogue, email secretary@westminstersynagogue.org or ring 020 7584 3953 for an appointment to meet the Rabbi.
 
In addition, click <here for an Application form pdf>– you can complete it and submit it directly by mail or talk it through with the Rabbi and complete it with him. Applications for membership have to be approved by the Synagogue Executive Committee.
 
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