Congregation Am HaYam is the only Conservative synagogue between Thousand Oaks and San Luis Obispo. We have much to offer everyone including adult education (such as weekly Torah lessons,) social activities (such as Mah Jongg tournaments, theater parties), cultural events (such as Jewish Heritage Day), and holiday events (such as Shabbat dinners and community seders, and more. We are a welcoming and diverse congregation that has opportunities for people of all ages to connect. Rabbi J.B. Sacks is our dynamic spiritual leader. His services include a lot of participation with the congregation. He has created special services and liturgies, including a Haggadah we use during Passover, a unique Purim service and a beautiful, moving Yizkor booklet. I encourage you to browse our website and read our newsletter, The Migdalor, to get a taste of all that we do. I invite you to come and check us out in person. We want to meet you. Let us share our home with you in person.
We are affiliated with United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, Jewish Federation of Ventura County, Rabbinical Assembly of the Conservative Movement and the Conservative Movement's Committee on Jewish Law and Standards.
Mission
“We are a progressive, egalitarian, and inclusive congregation…” Full Mission Statement Here
Membership
Learn more about joining out CAH community on our Membership Page
BRENDA RICH
I was born and raised in Massachusetts in a mainly working class Orthodox Jewish suburb of Boston in an apartment three levels above a butcher, next to a fish monger who sold herring from a barrel. We lived in both Dorchester and Roxbury during my childhood. My mother lit candles...
RABBI BEN GOLDSTEIN
Rabbi Ben Goldstein the founder of New Era Spirituality. He served as the Interim Rabbi for both Temple Beth Shalom in Long Beach and Congregation B’nai Israel in Tustin CA. Before that he was the Senior Rabbi of Beit T’Shuvah, a Jewish recovery center in LA. He has also worked...
RABBI EMERITUS J.B. SACKS
Rabbi Dr. J.B. Sacks has been serving Congregation Am HaYam from January, 2012 through Jun3 2024. He stepped in after the death of beloved Rabbi Gerald Hanig, Am HaYam’s founding rabbi. Rabbi Sacks has re-energized our community with new ideas, new programs, and new music. Rabbi Sacks also serves as...
Board and Volunteers
Many people are responsible for all the logistics involved with running a Synagogue. From Board Meetings to Oneg Shabbat to food, from Covid Safety to Fundraising – it is a team effort! Please take a moment to learn about the people who make it happen at Congregation AmHaYam!
Thank You for our Lovely New Website!
We wish to thank all of the donors who contributed to making this website possible. Please give them a moment of appreciation by viewing their names at the bottom of the Giving Page