Our Story
Netivot Shalom was founded in the fall of 2004 by a group of individuals who shared a vision: to create an inclusive, democratic Orthodox synagogue where every voice would be heard and valued.
The community held its inaugural Shabbaton in December 2004, featuring warm communal meals and thought-provoking shiurim led by Rabbi Nathaniel Helfgot, a visiting scholar from Yeshivat Chovevei Torah.
In the months that followed, the founding members formalized the congregation’s mission, drafted its bylaws, and incorporated the shul as a legal entity. From the beginning, Netivot Shalom adopted a distinctive model for ritual decision-making, in which a Halacha Committee operates under the guidance of an Orthodox rabbi.
For its first nine months, the congregation gathered for Shabbat services in the living room of a family home. In time for the High Holidays of 2005, Netivot Shalom moved into its current building. The space was fully renovated in the summer of 2011, resulting in the beautiful main-floor sanctuary we enjoy today.
In its early years, the shul consulted with various rabbinic advisors as needed. In 2015, Rabbi Elliot Kaplowitz, a musmach of Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, joined Netivot Shalom as its first full-time rabbi and has provided halachic guidance and spiritual leadership ever since.
