Congregation Emanu-El is dedicated to advancing our members' lifelong involvement in Judaism, engaging them in communal prayer (avodah), the study of sacred texts (Torah), and the performance of compassionate deeds (g'milut hasadim). When intrepid Jews journeyed around the Horn or overland in 1848 as part of the migration west, little did they imagine that they would be helping to found one of the most dynamic Jewish communities in America. San Francisco—the city that sparked the imagination of a nation—is the home of Northern California's landmark temple, Congregation Emanu-El. Officially established in 1850, our congregation has over 2,100 households, many of whom have been involved with the congregation since its founding. We are the oldest congregation west of the Mississippi.