History
Congregation Shaare Tefilla was formed in 1986 with an initial membership of 50 founding families. The Congregation opened its doors on the first day of Chanukah 1986, when, in the words of its first Rabbi, Howard Wolk, the Congregation dedicated its building at 6131 Churchill Way "as a light unto our community." The Congregation has always maintained a modern Orthodox perspective welcoming Jews from all backgrounds as active members. Under the leadership of Rabbi Wolk, the Congregation quickly established itself as a leading advocate on behalf of important Jewish causes worldwide.
Constructed through the generosity of the Rosenberg family, the Shaare Tefilla building houses a vibrant Congregation clearly identifying itself with our brothers and sisters in the State of Israel. The Synagogue's members and leadership have always made themselves visible throughout the activities of the Dallas Jewish Federation, as active participants in (and leaders of!) Federation missions to Israel, as proponents of its Kashrut policy, as Federation Board Members or Super Sunday volunteers.
We are honored to have had Rabbi Howard Wolk and Rebbitzen Annette Wolk lead us during the first 15 years of Congregation Shaare Tefilla. Through their tireless efforts, Rabbi and Rebbitzen Wolk and the Congregation spearheaded the building of an Eruv in 1987 (the first in Dallas) and the establishment of a modern Orthodox presence throughout the organized Dallas Jewish community. They pioneered a Torah-based mainstream Orthodox Jewish presence in Dallas, a legacy that has given rise to the continued growth of the Orthodox Jewish community in Dallas today.
From its inception to this very day, Shaare Tefilla prides itself on welcoming all visitors with home hospitality on Shabbat. Congregants look forward to monthly Shabbat meals and weekly Friday night Nosh & Niguns (onegs) at member homes. A wonderful sense of community and friendship pervades the weekly Shabbat morning kiddush and Sunday morning breakfast. Congregation Shaare Tefilla certainly places a premium on Jewish tradition; at the same time we strive to be a synagogue that is both welcoming and accessible to Jews from all backgrounds.
In July of 2003, Congregation Shaare Tefilla welcomed Rabbi Ari Perl as its new spiritual leader. Rabbi Perl- together with his wife, Meira, and their four children- came to Dallas from Kansas City, where he was the Rabbi of Congregation BIAV in Overland Park. Under Rabbi Perl's leadership, the Modern Orthodox community in Dallas has grown tremendously, both in numbers (60 families in the past two years) and excitement.
If you live outside of Dallas and are considering relocating to our area, or if you live the Dallas area but haven't been to Shaare Tefilla in a while, we'd like to extend an invitation for you to join us on Shabbat. Experience the excitement for yourself; seeing is truly believing!
