Newsletters

Worship Events

of the Week

Join us this coming Shabbat, Saturday, July 19, beginning at 9:30 AM at the home of Fay and Rabbi Doug, or on Zoom, for study, prayer, and our Seudah - our festive Shabbat brunch. If attending in person please rsvp to: rabbidoug@kolamikc.org

Kol Ami Events

Book Club

The Kol Ami Book Club will meet on September 7, 2025 at 2 PM in the Small Meeting Room at the Plaza Branch of the KC Public Library. We will read and discuss The Sabbath by Abraham Joshua Heschel.

Mah Jongg Club

Kol Ami's Mah Jongg Club meets two Monday evenings a month at 7 PM. Email office@kolamikc.org for information.

Community News

There will be a rally on Monday, July 21 at 11 AM at Ilus Davis Park, 400 E. 11th Street, KCMO, to protest Josh Hawley’s vote in favor of gutting Medicaid notwithstanding his many promises to do otherwise.

KCPS Mentor Program

Want to make a difference in the life of a child? Kansas City Public Schools is looking for adult mentors who can meet with students for 20-30 minutes, 2-3 times a month during the 2025-26 school year. Be a positive role model and provide advice, support, and a listening ear. Elementary, middle, and high school opportunities available (there is a long list of students waiting to be matched with a mentor). For more information about this program, reach out to Haley Ferguson at president@kolamikc.org.

​​​​We Wish Mi Shebeirach

A Complete Healing of Mind, Body and Spirit to:

Liz Garrison
Edi Shifrin
Micha ben Sarah
Melvin Michael Slater

Rufus Magobotha
Tzipporah mibet Avraham v’Sarah

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.

Yahrzeits

July 16

Milena Isadora Epstein - Daughter of Saul & Liz Epstein

July 21

Herman Weisman - Maternal Grandfather of Ellen Karp

Membership

Interested in membership at Kol Ami? Email membership@kolamikc.org

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Rabbi's Week in Review


This week, here in Kansas City and across the country, we observe the “ Yahrzeit” of the late Congressman and civil rights leader John Lewis. Lewis was a leader among leaders in advocating for voting rights and preserving and strengthening our democracy. In Kansas City, there will be a program honoring his memory this Thursday, July 17, beginning at 6 PM at the Swope Park Band Pavilion. (Full disclosure, I will have the honor of being one of the speakers.) At a time when our democracy is under attack...Read more

This Week's Torah Portion
Parashat Pinchas (Bamidbar/Numbers 25:10-30:1)

This week’s Torah portion continues a narrative from last week: the story of Pinchas who enacts vigilante action, killing Zimri the Israelite and Cozbi, the daughter of a Midianite, for having sex, ostensibly contrary to what is allowed for the Israelite men. Pinchas is given a Brit Shalom-a covenant of peace. 

While some see it as an award to Pinchas for taking justice into his own hands, an alternative interpretation is that, Pinchas needs this Brit Shalom as a means to address his own emotional trauma as he confronts the reality that he was capable of committing such a violent act.

While we often speak of the impact of PTSD on returning war veterans, there is also a moral trauma for those who are compelled to commit violent acts that are contrary to the moral and religious values of peace and non violence upon which they were raised.

Kol Ami News

For a number of years we have partnered with New Reform Temple to facilitate a religious school experience for our Kol Ami families. The opportunity below is a great starting point for Bat/Bar Mitzvah. Feel free to contact me (Rabbi Doug) with any questions.

The Marion & Henry Bloch Religious School
 
We are looking forward to seeing you on our first day of Religious School, on Sunday, September 7! We have an amazing and creative faculty who are passionate about Jewish learning and living. Their dedication, enthusiasm and love for their students and families make for a warm, nurturing (and fun!) environment! 

If you have not already done so, please make sure that your student registration form is completed by August 15th. All students in Torah Tots-Confirmation need to have their forms completed to attend Religious School. 

Please note that the registration fees for religious school and our Hebrew program need to be paid before the start of school.

Shelley Hedrick, Religious School Director
sehedrick@gmail.com; 913-706-8784. 

Social Justice News

Virtual Social Justice Opportunities - First opportunity is TOMORROW, July 16! 
No Kings is offering three virtual sessions this summer: 1) One Million Rising: Strategic Non-Cooperation to Fight Authoritarianism—a national effort to train one million people in the strategic logic and practice of non-cooperation, as well as the basics of community organizing and campaign design.
The sessions are: The Moment & Your Mission on July 16; How to Make it Happen on July 30; and What Now? on  August 13. Learn more and sign up HERE.

Good Trouble Lives On - this Thursday, July 17! 
Good Trouble Lives On is a national day of nonviolent action honoring Congressman John Lewis's legacy and defending civil rights against current threats.
When: July 17 from 6-7:30 PM
Where: Swope Park Bandstand, 4177 Pavillion Rd, Kansas City, MO 64132
Learn more and sign up HERE. 

Urgent Assistance Request

The Migrant Farmworkers Assistance Fund (MFAF) is urgently in need of donations of bags of pinto beans and bags of white rice (NOT canned beans and NOT instant rice, please) for the families working the Lafayette County orchards this year. Please place donations in designated bins at All Souls.

As always, MFAF has an ongoing need for your donations of brown paper bags.