Shabbat Service Friday, August 5 at 6:30 PM Join Rabbi Ross Z. Levy and welcome back Lisa Edwards, our musical director and piano accompanist, for our services in-person at Kol Ami or online on our Facebook page, YouTube channel, or on thetemple website. To access a free online flipbook of our prayer book Mishkan Tefillah book, click here.
The Whole Megillah Lamentations and Tisha B'av Saturday, August 6 ⋅ 7:00 – 8:00 PM
We hope you'll join Rabbi Levy in the first of what will be a running series of adult education classes focusing on the five different megillot (scrolls) that are read over the course of the Jewish holiday calendar.
Traditionally, Jews read from the Book of Lamentations on Tisha B'av, a holiday of mourning the many losses the Jewish people have suffered over the centuries from the destruction of the Temples in Jerusalem to the Spanish Inquisition and pogroms of Eastern Europe. This virtual class will explore the core themes of Tisha B'av and the book of Lamentations, and how they might speak to our world today. REGISTER HERE
Tzedek Council Lunch Bag Assembly for Hollywood Food Coalition
Saturday, August 13, 2022 • 16 Av 5782 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM Congregation Kol Ami Sanctuary
Join the Tzedek Council of Kol Ami as we continue our support of the Hollywood Food Coalition by assembling lunch bags for their Sunday lunch distribution program.
We made just over 300 lunch bags to be distributed across LA during our last event in June and we're hoping to bring it up to 450, but we can't do it without your help! We'll provide the materials so all we ask as that you show up ready to help support this important cause!
Rabbi Eger and our guest teacher Alden Solovy meet in Jerusalem to prepare for and plan Alden’s upcoming two session classes.
Soul of Shabbat with Liturgist / Poet Alden Solovy
1. Sunday, August 14, 2022 10:00 AM - 11:15 AM ONLINE ONLY 2. Sunday, August 21, 2022 10:00 AM - 11:15 AM ONLINE ONLY
Deepen your connection with our Shabbat liturgy by examining the core ideas and metaphors of Shabbat. In our first session, we’ll look at the spiritual themes that have evolved from the rabbis’ interpretations of Torah to the innovations from the mystics of Safed. In our second session, we’ll look at the connection between those themes and our Friday evening liturgy, including Lecha Dodi and Shalom Aleichem.
Rabbi Eger teaches our monthly Torah study. Join our Torah study group exploring the weekly portions alongside the traditional Haftarah readings, the prophetic passages that pair with our annual cycle of sacred study. Join us to learn, connect, and engage with the words of our Hebrew prophets alongside Torah itself! No experience required. REGISTER HERE
West Hollywood AnitSemitism Summit Thursday, August 25, 2022 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Hosted by Congregation Kol Ami in partnership with ICAN (the Israel Civic Action Network), the Jewish Federation, the Greater Los Angeles Jewish Federation, ADL, the Combating Antisemitism Movement, and the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and others will hold a Combating Antisemitism Summit in West Hollywood.
This is a free event and is open to the public. REGISTER HERE
Shabbat Holiness Hike Saturday, August 27, 2022 • 30 Av 5782 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Location: Elysian Park West Loop Trail Address: 1025 Elysian Park Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Take a break from the craziness of the week (and the city) and join Rabbi Levy for a Shabbat morning hike! We will explore some of the great natural settings around the LA area while creating spaces for quiet reflection and a bit of text study. All levels of hiking are welcome! In this year of sh’mita, the seventh year when the land lies fallow, we hope to explore our connection with the natural world as a source of healing and renewal (plan for 1.5 hrs).
First Session: Sunday, August 28 ⋅ 10:00AM – 12:00PM
A Taste of Judaism is a three-session course offering a broad introduction to modern Jewish spirituality, values, and community. This online class is dynamic and interactive, and will be taught by our clergy, Rabbi Denise L. Eger, Rabbi Ross Levy, and Student Rabbi Franklyn Salzman. You don't have to be located in California to join us, and you don’t have to be Jewish to be curious. Click the link below—all are welcome! REGISTER HERE
The Heart of Many Chambers: Setting Intentions for Elul with Rabbi Levy Wednesday, August 31, 2022 9:30 AM - 10:15 AM
As we go through the month of Elul leading into the High Holidays, join Rabbi Levy for learning sessions streamed from our website, Facebook, and YouTube pages focusing on different "chambers" of the heart. The sessions will each focus on one aspect of our inner life and how that guides our connections with the world: chesed (loving-kindness), ometz (strength and resilience), chochmah (wisdom), and slicha (forgiveness). If you don't catch them live, be sure to check out the recordings posted on all three streaming platforms!
Week 1 (August 31): The Heart of Many Chambers: Chesed ("Kindness") Week 2 (September 7): The Heart of Many Chambers: Ometz ("Strength" or "Resilience") Week 3 (September 14): The Heart of Many Chambers: Chochmah ("Wisdom") Week 4 (September 21): The Heart of Many Chambers: S'licha ("Forgiveness")
The Musical Man Thursday, August 11, 2022 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM Coachella Valley Repertory
Join Kol Ami members Glenn Rosenblum and David Kaminksi for an evening of music and song in the desert! With a beautiful tenor/baritone voice and being off the wall funny Glenn Rosenblum lets you know why he is The Musical Man. Glenn uses the stage to share music and his extensive knowledge of musical theatre to tell his own story through song and funny stories. He’s been called a cross between Nathan Lane and Ethel Merman ....Celebrating the music from Peter Pan, On A Clear Day You Can See Forever, Funny Girl, Zorba West Side Story, The Roar Of The Greasepaint, The Smell Of The Crowd and more.featuring as Musical Director Kol Ami’s very own David Kaminski. GET TICKETS HERE
In case you missed it! Rabbi Eger to Retire in 2024
On Friday, July 22, 2022, the Congregation Kol Ami’s Board of Trustees announced the retirement plans of our Founding Senior Rabbi, Denise L. Eger. While making the announcement was with mixed emotions, we are incredibly grateful to Rabbi Eger for enriching our lives and nourishing our souls for the past 30 years, and we look forward to her continued presence as our First Rabbi Emerita.
Congregation Kol Ami has adopted a Code of Ethics as a holy, respectful, mindful and safe way of interacting with one another. We join with other Reform Jewish communities dedicated to creating safe and sacred spaces. The Code of Ethics was created by a working Task force of our Board of Trustees, adopted by our Board and subsequently adopted by the congregation at our Annual meeting in June, 2022. You can view the Code of Ethics on our website at here.
Refuah Shleimah: A Speedy Recovery We keep the following members in our healing prayers: John Altschul, Richard Bernard, Murray Blank, Gail Ehrlich, Alvin Gross, Stephen Hochstein,Tim Jordan, Heidi Kebbas, Peter Mackler, Ben Reback, Ivan Rosenberg, Lowell Selvin, Michael Simental, Henry Somerfeld, Cathee Weiss
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.
