Kol Ami: 2021 in Pictures - The Year in Review

2021: Year in Review

First of all, a big warm welcome to those who joined the Jewish Tribe this year. We've come a long way from conversion ceremonies online (in the bottom left picture, Rabbi Eger drops the Travis' conversion certificate 6 feet apart) to in-person ceremonies.

January

The first Shabbat of the year... was January 1st. It was online only

This is how weddings looked at the beginning of the year! Steven and Carlos got married in January in a private, socially-distant ceremony officiated by Rabbi Chaiken on the rooftop of Kol Ami building.

February

We held such a moving online program in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, reciting the letter from Birmingham. The program is still available to watch on Facebook. (February 18)

Purim! This year it was online, "A Billy Joel Purim" (February 25)

March

Passover this year was online only, for the second year round. Nevertheless, it was a warm community gathering, with Board Member Matt Adler's kid stealing the show with his singing of Ma Nishtana (March 28)

April

First Shabbat in-person! Our full clergy gave an unforgettable in-person Shabbat Awakening on Saturday morning, April 3. There were tears!

On April 23, Rabbi Eger returned the torah that has lived all through the pandemic at her home. Torah scroll is finally reunited with its siblings!

June

Rabbi Eger gave the benediction alongside Ani Zonneveld at the groundbreaking ceremony in West Hollywood for the The AIDS Monument, marking the 40th anniversary of the CDC first report on HIV/AIDS. Speakers also included actors Sharon Stone and George Takei, Mayor Lindsey Horvath, Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, Jewel Thais-Williams, Bamby Salcedo and so many others including the mother of Ryan White z”l.

In June we said fairwell to Rabbi Chaiken. Remember the tribute video we did for him?

If anything, our members are a living proof this year that COVID-19 can't stop love! Eric and Hope got engaged on the roof deck of the Kol Ami building! Mazel Tov!

July

First time of Rabbi Levy in-person (Open Yad Project Havdalah, July 10)

September

The High Holy Days came early this year. Our theme this year was Therefore Choose Life. And during her Rosh Hashanah Service, Rabbi Eger inspired us about resilience. We have the strength to rise like a Phoenix… we just have to choose to do so… choose life.

October

First Shabbat Hike!

November

Tzedek Council of Kol Ami visited Hollywood Food Coalition's facilities and learned about the important work of this organization. The tour included seeing HoFoCo in action during one of the organization's evening dinner feeding programs. This event sparked a collaboration of Tzedek Council with Hollywood Food Coalition.

Rabbi Levy's Installation Ceremony (November 19)

We marked Transgender Day of Remembrance in a special shabbat service online with guest speaker, the incredible Sharon Brown, Chief Human Resources Officer at the Los Angeles LGBT Center. Watch agin on Facebook

December

We marked World AIDS Day on December 1st with an Interfaith Community Service and keynore speaker Dr. Michael Gottlieb, the immunologist who first identified the virus 40 years ago and who has been a leader in AIDS treatment and care throughout the epidemic. Watch the event | View photo gallery | Read in the Jewish Journal

Kol Ami's signature #BeTheLight community Menorah lighting was spectacular (December 3).