Newsletter

Dear Kol Ami Community,

It's Mother's Day. Happy Mother's Day to all the moms, would be moms, those who do mothering. We offer this blessing on Mother's Day by Rabbi Ruth Abush-Magder

Dear God and God of our Ancestors

Sarah Rebecca Rachel and Leah the mothers of our tradition are mothers to us all.

They were not perfect but they were holy. And their merits are a blessing to us through to this day.

Through the generations, our collective mothers have struggled and sacrificed, celebrated and rejoiced, persevered and flourished and for this we are grateful. We thank them for all they have done and tried to do.

On this Mother’s Day we ask that you bless all the mothers, that they find strength, clarity, patience and love to be all that they can and want to be.

On this Mother’s Day we ask that you bless those who are missing their mothers, mourning their absence or whose relationships are tinged with regret.

On this Mother's Day we ask that you bless those mothers whose hearts are broken and who are missing their children.

On this Mother's Day, we ask that you bless those who are seeking to become mothers.

On this Mother's Day, we ask that you bless those whose love and care provides mothering throughout our community.

And may we all navigate our days with grace and love so that our Motherhood journeys will be counted for a blessing.

Israel's Independence Day Film Festival
May 4-9, 2022

TWO NEW FILMS ADDED: "A Lullaby for the Valley" and "Renewal" were added to the online celebration of Israel Independence Day, which bring the total of films screen online to 11 films!
Celebrate Israel with six nights of exclusive, award-winning films, available to view from the comfort of home via your TV, computer or mobile devices.
 
Congregation Kol Ami is a partnering organization with this film festival. Use promo code KOLAMIWEHO for 20% discound on your ticket. Your ticket purchase provides limited-time access to this series of 9 films, plus exclusive filmmaker discussions and more, with new content added each night of the festival. FOR MORE INFO AND TICKETS

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Online Discussion About LGBTQ+ Rights in West Africa
Monday, May 9 at 6:30 PM
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Please join us for this exclusive opportunity to hear about the Ghana anti-LGBTIQ bill directly from the leaders there and the work they are doing to resist the bill. Davis Mac-Iyalla, Executive Director of the Interfaith Diversity Network of West Africa is a well-known gay Christian Activist who has been an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights for over 20 years, a public speaker, researcher and author and is often asked to speak on the plight of LGBTQ+ Christians in West Africa. He is currently based in Ghana with his partner Daniel Uchechukwu, who will also join the discussion.
 
RSVP to: todd.shotz@gmail.com for Zoom Link

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Tzedek Council Meeting
Thursday, May 12 at 7:30 PM
Join us for an open Tzedek Council meeting where we'll discuss ongoing initiatives and plan for future events and programs. We want to hear your input!
REGISTER HERE

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Bans Off Our Bodies Rally
Saturday, May 14 at 10:00 AM

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Congregation Kol Ami will join organizations from across Los Angeles to speak out against the Supreme Court's impending challenges to women's reproductive rights.   For more info / to sign up

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Battle for Equality at the Kotel
Sunday, May 22 at 10:00 AM
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Join us for a talk about equality at the Kotel/Western Wall with Yochi Rapport, Executive Director of Women of the Wall (WOW).  
 Yochi's identity as an Orthodox woman and feminist shows that a woman may indeed possess both attributes. Married and the mother of toddler girl, Yochi strives to make Jerusalem and Israel more tolerant places for her daughter’s generation and beyond. REGISTER HERE

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Book Circle: The Book of Lost Names
Saturday, May 28 at 4:00 PM

Join Kol Ami's book club, hosted by David Glickman and Dr. Jane Druker. We'll discuss The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel, inspired by an astonishing true story from World War II.  REGISTER

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Book Discussion: Halfway Home
Saturday, June 18 at 3:30 PM

Join the Tzedek Council and Anti-Racism Working Group of Kol Ami for a special book club discussion on Halfway Home: Race, Punishment, and the Afterlife of Mass Incarceration (click here to get the book). The book illustrates the many challenges people face as they move through and eventually leave the criminal justice system in this country. Learn more/Register ​​​​​​​

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Rabbi Eger's full invocation for Yom Hashoa at Holocaust Museum LA now available on Kol Ami's YouTube Channel.
Click here to watch

In the News...
In commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the historic civil unrest in Los Angeles, the Jewish Journal asked Angelenos of diverse backgrounds, such as Woo, Swerdlow, Gardner (who now is 36) and many others, including Kol Ami's Rabbi Eger and other local Jewish leaders, to share memories and hard-learned lessons from those volatile days in 1992, when the City of Angels was aflame in turmoil and civil unrest. Read the article here ​​​​​​​

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Pride 2022 with Kol Ami
Get a first peak at Kol Ami's Pride Events this year - going back to in-person.
kol-ami.org/pride

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Cemetery Plot For Sale
 Through a congregant's generous donation, Congregation Kol Ami is offering a cemetery plot for sale located in the Garden of Jacob section at Eden Memorial Park in Mission Hills.
 Asking $10,500.  
Contact info@kol-ami.org

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Refuah Shleimah: A Speedy Recovery
We keep the following members in our healing prayers: John Altschul, Richard Bernard, 

Arlene Drake, Gail Ehrlich, Richard Frank,

Susan Igdaloff, Tim Jordan, Heidi Kebbas,
Peter Mackler, Chuck Pace, Neil Romanoff, 

Ivan Rosenberg, Lowell Selvin, ​​​​​​​Michael Simental, Henry Somerfeld, Josh Weinman, Cathee Weiss

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Reminder: New COVID-safety Protocol

Kol Ami requires proof of vaccination including at least one booster for all events for all those eligible for the Covid-19 vaccine. If you are not yet eligible for a booster, you must provide proof a negative test within 24 hrs of the event. 
While masks are optional at indoor events the Los Angeles County Health Department strongly recommends that you wear a mask indoors. At Kol Ami we are mindful that there are many people who are immune compromised and as an act of loving kindness (Chesed) and compassion (Rachamim) we recommend you wear a mask except when eating or drinking indoors.

To learn more about Kol Ami's COVID-safety policy please click here.

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Support Kol Ami with every Amazon and Ralphs purchase! Click here to find out how.