Rabbi's Week in Review
After a couple of morning meetings Monday, with the temp at -2 degrees F, it’s cold out there. I am approaching the cold as mind over matter — that if I can get myself to think that it’s not such a big deal, then it won’t be a big deal.
Part of this thought process is represented in Rabbi Jill Hammer’s The Jewish Book of Days, which we're reading on a regular basis during the weekday-morning service. In the ... Click here to read the rest of Rabbi Doug's blog post.
This Week's Torah Portion
Parashat Bo (Shemot/Exodus 10:1-13:16)
Included in the Torah portion is how the Israelites took gold and silver from the Egyptians upon their exodus from Egypt. Commentators give differing reasons: restoring Jewish pride; a means for rehabilitation, much in the same way that Germany paid Israel $1.5 billion after the Holocaust. One other somewhat similar idea is to think of it in terms of reparations. This perspective would track with present discussions regarding reparations to the Black community for the economic benefit provided to the country on the backs of slave labor.
Kol Ami News
'Radical Inclusion' Is a Big Part of Julia Patterson's New Kol Ami Position
As Kol Ami's new director of community engagement, Julia Patterson will oversee Kol Ami’s community-engagement program, interacting with unaffiliated and diverse groups of Jews — and others interested in Judaism — to make meaningful connections.
Julia will develop partnerships with organizations and businesses to create innovative community programming (affinity groups, social-justice actions) with “radical inclusion” as the preeminent focus. Radical inclusion is Kol Ami's belief in greatly broadening the idea of what a Jewish community is and who can be part of it. This includes people who have felt marginalized or not really welcome at other synagogues.
Julia has more than a decade of experience in event planning, particularly programming and fundraising for Special Olympics Missouri and Harvesters–the Community Food Network. Since August 2022, she has run her own event-planning company, Common Ground Events. A lifelong Missourian (other than a few years in San Francisco), Julia grew up in Columbia, Missouri, and studied communication with an emphasis in journalism at Truman State University, in Kirksville, Missouri.
Julia lives with her husband, Michael, and their three children, 4-year-old Ephraim and 4-month-old twins Esme and Ari. In her spare time, she loves to cook, camp, craft and gather with people. She is a proud member of Les Dames d’Escoffier, a philanthropic organization of women leaders in food and hospitality industries.
Julia believes that in addition to basic needs, all people deserve a sense of belonging, which is why she is drawn to the position of director of community engagement.
