Rabbi's Week in Review Blog

Amidst the continuing sadness and acrimony surrounding the violence in Gaza, and the failure of  leadership on all sides to end the war, I continue to try and connect with those seeking an alternative that will lead to peace and justice — while also holding on to the positive and uplifting trends in our Kol Ami community.

This past Friday, we celebrated Shabbat with our Shabbat Shulchan informal service, followed by Shabbat blessings and dinner — what started as a post-pandemic need for our community to just have space to be together, to get to know one another better and share lives. What maybe is most gratifying is how those connecting within Kol Ami are getting together outside Kol Ami. At the same time that synagogues are facing challenges in diminishing numbers of congregants, what we know to be true is that the need for a place to be in community is greater than it has ever been.

On Saturday, families with young children gathered together to share a relaxing and playful Shabbat morning at Loose Park. This was part of our radical inclusion project, to find ways to engage Kol Ami congregants — and others who live in the central city — in Jewish life. Our director of engagement, Julia Patterson, did a wonderful job in making this young family program a success. In speaking with parents who were present, I asked them what else we could do for them. The response: more of this.

Again, it was so meaningful to see how relationships are being forged, and that we are fulfilling a need for connection within the Jewish community. A big mazal tov to Julia for her work on this program, and the exciting progress we are making in increasing engagement both within Kol Ami and in the broader Jewish community. And a thank-you to all who are bringing new energy into Kol Ami, providing space for others to feel connected and valued as a part of a Jewish community.