First Congregation Sons of Israel

We are visiting St.Augustine for the first time. We saw the temple on our trolley map and decided to visit for shabbat services. Very warm and welcoming congregation. We were invited to stay for Shabbat lunch. Mr. Les Stern welcomed us and introduced us to everyone. Synagogue has a rich and wonderful history. Continueous services for 95 years!! Inside and outside architecture wonderful. Thank you all! Gary and Terri Fried.

Beautiful place that we only saw from our Air BNB across the street. They did a garage sale and cookout that day that seemed well attended.

The best of the Reform Jewish movement. The building is a historical landmark.

Lovely temple and a wonderful place to celebrate any holiday or Shabbat!

In November 2015 we had the pleasure of having our wedding ceremony at First Congregation Sons of Israel in Saint Augustine. We could not have made a better choice for this occasion!nnThe congregation is very deeply woven into the history of Saint Augustine and adds greatly to the diverse citizenry of the oldest city in the United States. The physical building is absolutely beautiful, with a layout from 1929 and is adorned with ceiling high stained-glass windows. There is room in the parking lot for about 20 vehicles and an overflow lot a short distance away. The high balcony (where large candles were previously lit to provide light prior to electricity being installed) provides a spectacular view of the events on the main floor. The sanctuary is connected to a back area which contains an oneg room (which provided plenty of room for our celebration with 50 guests), kitchen and small offices. The congregation when founded was practicing traditional Orthodox which separates men and women during prayer. The women, we were told, sat in the balcony while the men occupied the main floor. This separation is no longer the case as the congregation is now Conservative, but that hasn't changed the view from the balcony.nnIn the months leading up to the wedding date of November 11 we worked very closely with Mr. Les Stern who is the Congregation’s President. Mr. Stern was extremely helpful, accommodating and flexible, and denied us nothing – even when some event plans changed at the last minute. For our event tables, chairs and table clothes were available for our use and we had full access to the kosher kitchen with its double refrigerators, freezers and double stoves.nnNeedless to say, First Congregation Sons of Israel in Saint Augustine earns our highest ratings and is highly recommended for Jewish events. But don’t restrict your visit to celebrations – stop by any Sabbath for a small taste of our wonderful experience :)