WSAT Membership Information


Thank you for your interest in membership in Woodside Synagogue Ahavas Torah.  Please read this page for information about becoming a member.

Any questions regarding membership may be directed to Adam Grumet, Vice President for Membership and Community Relations (vp-membership@wsat.org).


Membership Application Process

  1. Click here for the membership application (PDF file).
  2. Print the application, fill it out, and mail it to:
Adam Grumet
Vice President for Membership and Community Relations
Woodside Synagogue Ahavas Torah
9001 Georgia Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20910

  1. Applicants for membership should introduce themselves to Rabbi Walter so that he may approve the application.
  2. Once Rabbi Walter approves an application, it will be presented to the shul board for approval.
  3. Upon the board's approval of an application, the membership is effectively immediately.  A letter of welcome and membership directory will be mailed to the new member(s) as soon as possible afterward.
Please note that the board meets roughly every other month, so an application may require a corresponding amount of time to be approved.

Membership Rates

(as adopted by the Board on June 27, 2007)

[See "Additional Considerations" near the bottom of this page for the pro-rating schedule for dues of new members/associates.]

  • Full $725
  • Single $400
  • Young Married $550
  • Retired Couple or Retired Single $550
  • Associate (local) $150
  • Associate (out of town) $75
  • (There is also a Student rate for full membership, equal to the Local Associate rate.
  • Out of town members are considered out of town when it would be not practicable for them to walk to our shul. Thus residents of Kemp Mill, White Oak, the Ohr Kodesh area, Washington D.C., Bethesda and Potomac neighborhoods would be considered "in town" members. Residents of Gaithersburg, Columbia, Baltimore and Northern Virginia would be considered "out of town" members. 

    Differences (and similarities) between members and associates:

    1) The process for becoming an associate is the same as for a member, i.e. approval by the Rav and then the Board.

    2) Associates cannot vote on shul business or hold any elected shul office.

    3) However, associates have all privileges routinely available to members, including:

    a) Listing of contact information in various forms of shul membership directories.

    b) Member rates for High Holiday seats

    c) Member rates for using shul space

    d) Same priority as members for any scenario in which members have priority over non-members (e.g. High Holiday seat assignments)

    e) Access to WSAT dental plan (established by the Board on April 18, 2007).

    4) Associates have responsibility to pay their dues and can be dropped from membership in same fashion as could a full member.

    4) Additional considerations: