| Building Name: | Beth Shalom Congregation |
| Image Upright: | 1.4 |
| Map Type: | USA Maryland |
| Map Size: | 250 |
| Map Relief: | 1 |
| Location: | 8070 Harriet Tubman Lane, Columbia, Maryland |
| Country: | United States |
| Coordinates: | 39.1846°N -76.879°W |
| Religious Affiliation: | Conservative Judaism |
| Status: | Synagogue |
| Functional Status: | Active |
| Leadership: | Rabbi Jennifer Romano Greenspan |
| Established: | 1969 |
| Footnotes: | [1] |
Beth Shalom Congregation is a Conservative Jewish congregation and synagogue, located at 8070 Harriet Tubman Lane, in Columbia, Maryland, in the United States. It is the only Conservative congregation in Howard County.
When the town of Columbia was formed in the 1960s, in accordance with an idea of James Rouse, an Interfaith Center was created where all places of worship in the town would initially share a hall.[2]
The attempt to first organize a Jewish community in the Columbia area began in 1967. Temple Solel (now known as Temple Isaiah) became the area's Reform temple, and Beth Shalom became the area's Conservative congregation.[2] Both have since obtained their own buildings.
Beth Shalom was founded in 1969. It has since grown to approximately 250 families.[3]
The following individuals have served as rabbi of Beth Shalom:
| Ordinal | Officeholder | Term start | Term end | Time in office | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noah Golinkin | 1978 | 1986 | years | |||
| Kenneth Cohen | 1986 | 1997 | years | |||
| Susan Grossman | 1997 | 2022 | years | |||
| incumbent |
Grossman was ordained in 1985 at a time when female rabbis in the Conservative movement were considered to be unusual.[4] Grossman is known for authoring works on the Conservative view of ritual purity.[5] [6]