Visitor Information

We can’t wait to see you!  Whether you are visiting us to celebrate a life cycle event (bar or bat mitzvah, upcoming wedding, or baby naming), want to enjoy a Shabbat experience, or just wish to drop by during the week for a program or to meet our staff, we welcome you.

Visiting on Shabbat (Friday Night and Saturday) and Holidays

• On Friday evenings, instead of a regular Shabbat service, we have a variety of services or programs.  Check the calendar to verify the program being offered.
• On Shabbat morning, services begin at 9:30 AM, and end at around noon.  The Torah service, during which most life cycle events take place, begins at around 10:15 AM.  It is perfectly acceptable to arrive late or to leave early, as needed.
• For bar/bat/gil mitzvah services held on Shabbat afternoon, the time varies⁠—please check the calendar.  The Torah service (and the student’s participation) begins immediately, so it is important to arrive on time.
• Our facility is wheelchair accessible, including elevators and bimah access.  However, if you have special needs or challenges with mobility, sight or hearing, diet, or other issues, we invite you to contact us ahead of your visit (301-869-9842), so we can accommodate you fully.
• For Shabbat and Holiday services please dress modestly and respectfully. We suggest  business/business-casual attire. For celebratory life-cycle events, attire should be festive but not suggestive.
• Our restroom facilities include a private family bathroom on the second floor, as well as male and female bathrooms on the street level. Use of the bathrooms is according to one’s own current gender identity.
• We ask that on Shabbat and holidays, all participants refrain from the use of cell phones, cameras, and other electronic devices.
• Children are always welcome at Shaare Torah, and may come in and out of the sanctuary as desired. There is a playroom for younger children on the first floor and a lounge for older children and teens on the third floor.

Visiting at Other Times

• Visitors are always welcome.
• If you would like to meet a specific staff member, it is generally best to call ahead for an appointment.