Membership: Frequently Asked Questions

• One of our most cherished values is inclusivity. And when it comes to financial support, we actualize this value through our Touro Annual Commitment. This means each household contributes to Touro at a level that’s meaningful to them. Because of this approach, all members are welcomed, regardless of their giving capacity.
• Membership contributions enable Touro to thrive 365 days a year – and that impacts every aspect of what we do: pastoral care from our dynamic clergy, worship in our majestic building, support for life cycle events, weekly services and Shabbat Dinners, relationship-building, opportunities for study and growth, connections to social justice initiatives, and so much more.
• View the 2025-26 Touro Annual Commitment brochure here.

• A simple way to understand our budget is to look at our total operating expenses that need to be funded by congregant contributions, divided by the number of member households. 
• For the 2025-26 year, our Cost per Household is $2,750 or $229/month*.
• Touro is a growing congregation with robust programming. In addition to our growth, there are several other factors that drive rising costs. These include increasing insurance premiums, and necessary security expenditures, among many others.
• *All costs that are calculated per month are based on 12 monthly payments.

• In previous years, we highlighted the “Sustainer” amount, which was the total budget, less the expenses that were offset by dedicated funding streams, such as tuition or event tickets, divided per household.
• Our previous approach left us with an annual shortfall. While the “Sustainer” level was a helpful benchmark, only a small percentage of households gave at that level.
• This year’s Cost per Household is slightly lower, but calculated differently. It reflects 80% of our total operating budget — the portion we aim to cover through Annual Commitment contributions.  This percentage is based on our understanding of similarly-sized congregations with sustainable and healthy budget practices. 
• We hope this new approach will be attainable for more households and will also more evenly distribute the Touro Annual Commitment among more households to sustain our total operating expense.

• Touro is blessed to have many generous members whose Annual Commitment helps enable our operation and supports the inclusivity of our overall program. Indeed, we’re only able to sustain this inclusive approach because of the generosity of our Patrons. We have some households in our community that will not be able to commit to the Cost per Household amount. Because the Patron amounts are set at the Cost per Household plus an additional amount that covers part or all of an additional household, we can live up to our aspirations as an inclusive and welcoming community.
• The Patron Levels for the 2025-26 year are as follows:
  • Ozrim / Helpers: $3,660 or $305/month* (Cost per Household + cover part of an additional household)
  • Bonim / Builders: $5,400 or $450/month* (Cost per Household + cover an additional household)
  • Tomchim / Supporters: $7,200+ or $600/mo*
  • Amudim / Pillars: $10,000+ or $833/mo*
  • Giborim / Heroes: $18,000+ or $1,500/mo*
• *All costs that are calculated per month are based on 12 monthly payments.

If the Cost per Household is not within your reach this year, please consider a meaningful increase from your past support. Some suggestions:

• New Members and Young Households: $1,800 or $150/month*
• Out-of-Town Members: $720+ or $60/month*
• Students: $250 or $21/month
• *All costs that are calculated per month are based on 12 monthly payments.

• Members can choose how their payments are made, either paying in a lump sum or setting up installment payments.
• Members are able to pay by mail by check, or by e-check, debit card, or credit card by logging into ShulCloud.     
• Members may also direct a check from a donor-advised fund. Please indicate “where needed most” when making the request to your donor-advised fund, and let the Synagogue office know it is on the way for your Annual Commitment.
• Touro Annual Commitment gifts are considered 100% tax-deductible charitable donations.

ShulCloud is Touro’s new, easy-to-use membership portal. Set up and log in to your ShulCloud account to manage your giving, add and save payment methods, make your annual commitment pledge, and update your family and contact information.

As we transition to ShulCloud, all membership commitments must be newly submitted this year. Rather than auto-renewing, we ask each household to thoughtfully consider their annual contribution and complete a new pledge form. This helps us plan responsibly and sustain the full range of programs and support our community relies on.

• While our congregation has grown and our programming has remained robust, our revenue has not increased correspondingly. Currently, 50-55% of our total revenue comes from membership contributions, but this lags the 80% norm for healthy congregations. This gap does not allow Touro to be financially sustainable.  
• Over the past 18 months, a Task Force of our community members evaluated our entire membership support program to identify which components continue to serve the congregation well and what aspects need to evolve. This included soliciting feedback from a wide range of constituents, conducting benchmarking research nationwide, and ultimately requesting and receiving board approval for our new approach.
• We will continue to efficiently manage our lean expense model, but our current footprint requires a budget that allows us to invest in our large and diverse community.
• We operate with a much tighter spending budget than the average for similar synagogues. Over the next few years, we are striving to increase our revenue to a target in line with our growth.

• We recognize that, for some members, paying the Cost per Household would provide a financial hardship. By staying away from a traditional dues system, we avoid having to put those members in the uncomfortable position of having to ask for a fee reduction. 
• In our benchmarking survey, we looked at synagogues using the “Dues” approach, as well as congregations that moved to a “Fair Share” approach, indicating a specific % of income as a target contribution (usually 2%). Our new approach is still voluntary, but based on changing realities, it now includes clearly articulated guidelines and provides clarity about the rationale behind those guidelines.

• Yes, the cost of our youth programming is partially subsidized from the general budget. We charge enrollment fees for both Uptown Hebrew and Yamim Yafim, which help offset expenses, but they do not cover the entire cost.  We aim to keep fees meaningful enough to contribute to the budget, but not so high that they create a barrier for most families.
• For several years, we had a subsidy from the Jewish Federation of NOLA. This subsidy still exists, but has decreased significantly in recent years.

• So many in the Touro community give generously of their time and talents, from serving on the Board and committees, teaching, singing in the choir, volunteering at events, and more. These contributions are part of what makes Touro so meaningful and vibrant. At the same time, offering the rich spiritual, educational, and communal experiences we all value and rely on requires strong financial support. Membership contributions are the cornerstone of our operating budget, helping ensure we can continue to sustain all that makes Touro special – from pastoral care to programming to volunteer opportunities and beyond.
• There are times throughout the year when you’ll be invited to attend, make a donation, or be a Patron in support of a special annual event or fundraiser, such as Jazz Fest Shabbat, or the L’Chayim Dinner that honors members for their lifelong commitment to Touro. Please know that your generous support of these giving opportunities is not required but is greatly appreciated. Our fundraisers have a tremendous impact on Touro’s strength, longevity, and growth.
• There are also additional ways to support specific opportunities and funds, including:
  • Several sponsorship opportunities for honoring or memorializing a loved one or for celebrating a simcha.
  • Special giving opportunities that help grow Touro’s endowment.
  • Funds that support various aspects of our operating budget.

We’re excited to start a new practice of name tags for all – current members and new members. Please look for name tags and markers at Shabbat dinners and other events, and let us know who you are. We want to know everyone’s name, and it’s so much easier to talk with others when you’re on a first name basis. (Please know that we’re currently working on a system of permanent name tags, as well.)

There are five different groups of Touro Ambassadors ready and willing to help you engage with the community!

Initial Contacters reach out to you to have conversations, ask questions, and connect you to other people and programs. The more you’re willing to share, the easier it will be to help you find your place at Touro! Contact Kendall Scales Glade for more info.

Shabbat Greeters & Community Hosts welcome you to services and get to know you at Shabbat dinners, making introductions, schmoozing, and making socializing a bit easier. Contact Naomi Yavneh Klos for more info.

Social Hosts organize casual events and get-togethers such as a backyard Havdalah, picnics, walks in the park, coffee meet-ups and more. The more we spend time together, the stronger our social connections are! Contact Stacey Weinreb for more info.

Affinity Group Supporters connect with you if you identify as interfaith, multiracial, LGBTQ, Jew by choice, or any other affinity group. If you’d like to connect with others who identify as you do, let us know! Contact Cathy Lazarus for more info.

Age & Stage Supporters connect with you if you’re single, newly married, have a new baby, a family with young children, in the B’nei Mitzvah process, empty nesters, or any other stage of life. If you’d like to connect with others in your age and/or stage, let us know! Contact Jeff Luria for more info.

Be sure to look at the Events Calendar which shows everything currently scheduled, and make sure you’re receiving Touro’s weekly email newsletters that are chock-full of upcoming events and programs, containing links and contact information to register, get in touch, or learn more. *Touro’s office staff will automatically sign you up to receive email newsletters when you become a member; however, please make sure you’re receiving them at the email address you prefer.

Many groups meet regularly based on common interests, including:

• Choir – Love Jewish music? Connect with others through song. 
• Adult Education – Participate in a variety of ongoing courses taught by clergy and congregational scholars.
• Prime Timers – Be a part of our community of honored elders who inspire, empower, and support as only those wisest among us can. 

Group meetings and events are regularly promoted in our weekly email newsletters and on the Events Calendar.

The Touro community supports many social impact and service opportunities, and our ongoing efforts include reducing Touro’s environmental footprint, working for reproductive rights, combating hunger, LGBTQ advocacy, voter engagement, and caring & mitzvah.

We support Second Harvest Food Bank directly by maintaining ongoing collection bins for non-perishable foods, and encourage you to bring in your non-perishable food items each Shabbat and whenever you’re in the building. We also support Glass Half Full by collecting recyclable glass on Friday evenings during Shabbat services.

Adrien Genet is our historian and lead docent, and she and a few others are happy to give you a tour of the building!

Shabbat evening services are on Fridays at 6 pm. They sometimes take place in the Forgotston Chapel and sometimes in the Main Sanctuary (the older, larger space with the beautiful domed ceiling). 

There’s no “assigned” seating, and no expectations that you sit in any particular seat. Don’t be shy to come up front. There are often available seats in the first couple of rows. And don’t worry if you arrive a little late. Our Shabbat Greeters stay at their welcome post to greet you until at least 6:30 pm.

After services, please say hello to Rabbi Bauman, Rabbi Silverman, Cantor Margolius, and our current President, Kevin Wilkins. They would LOVE to have the opportunity to greet you personally (as would the person you’re sitting next to!)

Friday night Shabbat services are also live-streamed and archived online at tourosynagogue.com.

Shabbat dinners immediately follow services on Friday evenings and are open to all. No reservations or tickets are needed unless there’s a special event, which will be detailed in our email newsletters. They’re very popular, and we usually have about 150 people join us. It’s our most social event each week and the best way to meet and connect with other members and guests. 

We’re instituting a new ambassador role called a Community Host. Members serving as Community Hosts will be at Shabbat dinners to meet & greet and help you make connections. They will be recognized from the bimah during services, so you’ll know who they are.

Our Shabbat Greeters offer warm smiles, hellos, and prayer books when you arrive. Please ask a Shabbat Greeter for any help you might need, whether it’s where to take your child for babysitting, where the nearest restroom is, or if you need a kippah, a headset, or a book for your child.

Yes! We love to welcome children to Shabbat evening services. Children of all ages attend with their families, and the congregation delights in their presence. Most families begin services with their children sitting beside them. About 15 minutes into the service, our clergy invite all the children to the bimah for a special Shabbat blessing (and a chocolate treat)!  After that, children are welcome to stay in the prayer space, but our education staff also offer a wonderful array of experiences for different ages. This education and childcare program is called Kehilah KIDoshah, and it takes place every single Friday night unless otherwise noted.

Ages 1-3 Years: Our youngest children play with Jewish-themed toys, color, and sing Shabbat songs with our Hebrew and Music Educator, Mr. Aaron.

Ages 4-2nd Grade: Our elementary aged-children learn all about the weekly Torah portion, upcoming holidays and Shabbat traditions, as well as singing Shabbat songs with Mr. Aaron.

**Children must be accompanied to the Kehilah KIDoshah space by an adult who can safely drop them off. Please reach out to Maya Shaar, Touro’s Associate Director of Education, with any questions.

**We encourage our 3rd-6th grade Uptown Hebrew students to remain in the Shabbat service to engage with and connect to the prayers they are learning.

Many Saturday morning Shabbat services take place in the Main Sanctuary (the older, larger space with the beautiful domed ceiling) due to Bar or Bat Mitzvah services and the need to accommodate more congregants and guests. On other Saturday mornings, a Shabbat Prayer & Torah Service takes place in the Forgotston Chapel at 10:30am. Please check your Touro email to see where services will be each week.

There are no tickets needed for High Holiday services, and all are welcome. The High Holidays offerings at  Touro include a wide range of opportunities for worship and learning throughout the season, and we provide a guide with a detailed High Holiday schedule before the season each year. The main services are also available via livestream.

In 1991, Touro began inviting guest musicians and a Jazz band to create the first Jazz Fest Shabbat, our own special tribute to one of New Orleans’ greatest traditions, The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Since then, this unique and nationally recognized worship service fills our historic main sanctuary each year with members and guests. It features a special guest musician/band, our Cantor, choir,  and a complete Shabbat service. Jazz Fest Shabbat is free and open to the public because of the generosity of our Jazz Fest Shabbat Patrons and Community Partners, including a grant from the New Orleans Recreation and Culture Fund.

We join together with two other New Orleans-area Reform synagogues, Temple Sinai and Congregation Gates of Prayer, to take turns hosting Shabbat services during the months of June, July, and August.  For these “summer union services”, each congregation hosts for one month at a time. As summer nears, check your weekly email newsletters for more details and times.

While Touro doesn’t have its own parking lot, there is ample street parking in the neighborhood. In addition, our neighbors at Academy of the Sacred Heart generously allow us to park in their lot during High Holiday services and Jazz Fest Shabbat, if school isn’t in session, and they’re not otherwise using the lot. Their lot is at the corner of General Pershing and Carondelet St.

We’re committed to being welcoming and accessible to all members of our community. For individuals with impairments, we offer several accommodations:

– Wheelchair Accessibility: There are two ground-floor entrances that are fully wheelchair accessible, allowing easy access to the building. There are also several wheelchair accessible restrooms.
– Elevator: A large elevator is available to transport individuals between floors, and it can comfortably accommodate wheelchairs and walkers.
– Hearing Assist Devices: For those who are hard of hearing, we provide hearing assist devices during services to ensure everyone can participate fully.

Please feel free to contact the synagogue office for additional information or accommodations.

If you are anticipating or planning a lifecycle event such as a baby naming, a wedding, or a Bat or Bar Mitzvah, please contact our clergy assistant Beka Cole. Beka will be delighted to connect you with clergy and staff who can help to bring your simcha to fruition.

If you have a family member who’s ill or your family has suffered a loss, please contact our clergy assistant Beka Cole. If it’s after hours, please call the main number at 504-895-4843; you’ll be directed to call an emergency after-hours number.

To make an appointment with Rabbi Bauman, Cantor Margolius, or Rabbi Silverman, please reach out to our clergy assistant Beka Cole.

The Louisiana Community Mikvah is a place where women, men and people of all genders and ages can celebrate life milestones and explore their spirituality. Make an appointment, or learn more by talking to our clergy.

Our Sunday morning Religious school program (called Yamim Yafim) is a fun and active camp-style program for Pre-K through 5th graders designed to foster a deep connection with Judaism through hands-on learning and relationship building. 

All Yamim Yafim students in 3rd-6th grades are automatically enrolled in our midweek Hebrew language program, called Uptown Hebrew. With our stellar team of Hebrew teachers guiding them, students spend time each week in small groups with their peers, building up their reading and comprehension skills more and more each week.

Read more about both programs and how they change and progress from 6th-10th grades.

Yes! Please find this incredibly helpful and detailed B’nei Mitzvah handbook that includes a timeline and checklist, as well as information about preparation, family participation, logistical planning, fees, donations, invitations, vendors, flowers, food, blessings, and much more.

Yes, limited funds that provide support for both are available. Our Executive Director Kurt Jostes is available to discuss any special arrangements with you.

If you’re coming to the synagogue for a meeting or event other than worship services, please come to the gate on St. Charles Avenue, and ring the buzzer on the intercom pad. You’ll be greeted, asked for your name, and then buzzed in through the gate.

If you’re joining us for Shabbat services, please come to the gate on St. Charles Ave. You’ll be greeted by a security officer and Kurt Jostes, our executive director. (We’re often fortunate to have the same officers on duty, and they appreciate your “hellos” and acknowledgement.) You’ll enter through the gate and then turn left for services in the Forgotston Chapel, or turn right for services in the Main Sanctuary.

We offer advanced security training to bolster congregational safety and security, and members who have participated in this training contribute informally and formally to a volunteer security team. Please contact Megan Yellin to learn more.