Newsletters

Worship Event
of the Week

At 6:45 p.m. Friday, December 8, at All Souls, we continue a wonderful Kol Ami tradition with Shabbat Hanukkah. For this second night of Hanukkah, bring your hanukkiahs, your Hanukkah menorahs, along with candles. We will bring a soft glow into our sacred space along with wonderful music.

Bring Your Bags
Bring the gently used paper grocery sacks you're collecting when you come to All Souls. We donate them to Migrant Farmworkers Assistance Fund for food distribution to farmworkers and their families. Thank you!

Upcoming
Kol Ami Event

Help Host a First-Friday Shabbat Oneg
We are looking for some mensches to pick a month to bring simple handheld treats (veggies, brownies, cookies, etc.) for our Friday-night service oneg. Please respond to office@kolamikc.org. Todah rabah in advance.

Yahrzeit This Week
December 12
Leizer Balk, Eliezer ben Moshe v’Chana – father of Fay Balk

We Wish Mi Shebeirach
A Complete Healing of Mind, Body and Spirit to:

Robert Clinton
John Cottrell
Kenneth Dantzler
Bill Drummond
Rev. Lloyd Fields
Dana A. Fuller
Amanda Goldstein
Harriet Greenwald
Brian Guthrie 
Butch Murphy
Michah ben Sarah
Gerry Trilling
Joel Zitron

If you would like a name to continue to be listed or if you have a
new name to include, please send an email to  healing@kolamikc.org. 

Rabbi's Week in Review



This past Sunday, I did a presentation on jazz and jazz history, with an emphasis on Kansas City jazz. It has been awhile since I have taught jazz, so it involved more preparation than I expected.  

After many years, I still hold that jazz, at its foundation, is an African-American art form. It has been and continues to be a vital means of creative expression and communication when other forms of expression have been denied ... Click here to read the rest of Rabbi Doug's blog post.

This Week's Torah Portion
Parashat Vayeshev (Bereishit/Genesis 37:1-40:23)



This is the beginning of the Joseph narrative. Knowing the ending, which is well for Joseph, we can marvel at all the challenges, the twists and turns in Joseph’s path through life that ultimately land him in a good place. It is good to remember that at times in our lives of great and inevitable challenges, there is always the chance for a bit of mazel — a bit of luck to come our way.  

Kol Ami News

Your Jewish Home Away From Home?
By Wynne Begun

How do we choose a synagogue and how do we decide to join? Here are some questions to ponder from My Jewish Learning. If you have been coming regularly, it may be time to take the plunge here at Kol Ami.

• How big do I want my synagogue to be? Though bigger synagogues have a variety of programming and services, a person might feel lost in the crowd. At Kol Ami, we try to make all who come through our doors feel welcome and needed!
• What denomination do I want? Kol Ami is nondenominational, meaning that we include elements in our worship from both Reform and Conservative practices.
• Do I want fellow congregants at or near my observance level? Our members come from many traditions, and many are learning as they go.  
• Do I prefer services with or without musical accompaniment? Music is an important component of our worship at Kol Ami. 
• Do I prefer services with more or less Hebrew? At Kol Ami, Hebrew is a part of our worship. Many of us read the transliterations. 
• How much do I want to spend on synagogue dues and other fees? Kol Ami has a dues structure, but we are willing to discuss individual situations. We do not charge for High Holy Day attendance, and programming is generally provided at no cost.  
• What resources do I want? Kol Ami offers the following:
- Rabbi Doug.
- Religious school — We have a cooperative agreement with New Reform Temple, where children from Kol Ami can attend. There is a fee for this service. 
- Special-interest groups — Kol Ami currently has a Mah Jongg Club; a group pursuing social-justice concerns; and a book club (currently on hiatus).   
- Adult education — Rabbi Doug offers study sessions for adults every month at his home. 

If you are interested in becoming a member of Kol Ami, email membership@kolamikc.org. We need you, and we hope that you need us!