Kol Ami

News

2008-12-30T09:19:00.001-08:00

Religious School - Please note the following school closing dates for April. There will be no school on Wednesday, April 8--first night of Pesach. There will be no school on April 11&12, 15, and 18 &19 for spring break. School will resume on Wednesday, April 22.

Take a Coffee Break! The Kol Ami Board welcomes all parents to stop by and take a break on Sunday mornings! Have some coffee and a nosh! This is a great way to meet other parents, learn more about Kol Ami and find ways to become more involved with your community at Kol Ami!

Tot Shabbat at Kol Ami - Tot Shabbat is a program for young children, infants to 3 years of age and their parents. The program will take place on the first Saturday morning of the month at Kol Ami. Beginning at 10:30am and running for one hour, the class will focus on the joy of Shabbat through music, movement and stories. The underlying intent of the program is to introduce Judaism to young children and help to develop a comfort in the synagogue. There will be a simple snack served, an arts and crafts project and opportunity for parents to meet and socialize. All members of Kol Ami, neighboring synagogues and unaffiliated families are invited.

PLEASE NOTE NEW TIME: 10:30 am

April 4 - Passover

May 2 - Israel

June 6 - Shavuot

For more information, please call Kol Ami at 272-1006, or speak to Risa Caplan.

Weekly Torah Study - Every Shabbat morning at 9 AM, the weekly Parsha is discussed. Knowledge of Hebrew is not required. No registration is necessary. All are welcome to attend!

If You Have Financial Needs - This is a time when many people have financial needs, because of the recession, the season, unexpected costs relating to the economy and other reasons. There are funds available through the New Haven Federation and other sources that can be accessed for this purpose. I can help steer people to these resources. Please do not hesitate to contact Rabbi Hechtman or me if you wish to pursue this. We will speak confidentially. If there are other people in the community that you are concerned about, please also encourage them to be in touch with me. - Howard

Kol Ami College Liaison Committee - The College Liaison Committee would like to keep in touch with members undergraduate college students! Cards and gifts will be sent during the fall, winter and spring to remind students that their Kol Ami family is thinking of them. A current school address and email is needed if you would like your college student to be included in these mailings. Contact Susan & Jeffrey Friedman, or you may leave a message with the Kol Ami ofﬁce.

Purchase Super Stop & Shop cards and help support Kol Ami! Cards can be purchased during Hebrew School hours (Wednesdays 4:15pm-6:15pm and Sundays 9:30am-12pm). Contact Susan Peck to purchase your Stop and Shop card today!

Shabbat - Celebrate the Shabat with your family at Kol Ami! Services are held Friday nights at 7:30pm and Saturday mornings at 10am.

All welcome!

Donation

2008-12-28T19:52:00.000-08:00

You have successfully completed your transaction.

Thank you for your donation to Kol Ami!

President’s Corner by Howard Krieger

2008-12-25T09:22:00.000-08:00

As fall turns to winter and cool to cold, so Kol Ami moves into another season. School is in full swing, the fall holidays and services are memories. The winter season is a wonderful time for reflection as we hunker down, stay inside for warmth, focus more energy on family and wait out the cold and snow.

At Kol Ami we have just celebrated our 10^th Anniversary Gala. The 10^th anniversary of Kol Ami was the focal point of an evening of celebration, testimonial and reflection. We heard rem

arks from our Rabbi, Dr. Mel Goldstein spoke about his personal experiences, and we shared in the appreciations expressed by Sydney Perry, Executive Director of the New Haven Jewish Federation, ate wonderful food, drank and danced to the music of “Nativ

…Live.” We honored two of our founders, Guy Darter and Nelson Shub along with many others. It was a memorable evening, well attended by both old and new members of Kol Ami.

Special thanks go to our Gala Chairperson, Leslie Gold McPadden and our Gala Emcee, Eve Gold. This was a huge undertaking in both planning and implementation. Planning was

extensive and complex and in the volunteer vein so typical of our community at Kol Ami. Appreciation is extended to Barbara and Michael Lerner for their generous and excellent work in preparing and presenting the food, and to Audrey Grove, Deb and Jamie Romano and Todd McPadden for their work throughout the evening. Thanks to Brett and Irene Lerner and the rest of the servers. To committee members Simie Whalen, Susan Peck, Stacy Unsworth, Emily Gold, Jay Korman and Cheryl Wolansky for help with the my

riad of pre-Gala details that were so essential in making the evening work as it did. To Ethel Marcus and Jeff Wolansky for their work in preparing and delivering wonderful raffle items. Special thanks to Jeanine and Isaac Shweky for the beautiful centerpieces and their contribution of the music. If you weren’t there to hear it, you missed it, but the band was extraordinary in a musical and emotional sense.

We will soon announce a special Friday night Oneg in honor of these wonderful people and their generous contribution to our special event. Stay tuned and join us as we thank them.

Speaking of staying tuned, I’d like to highlight a few developments at Kol Ami. We’re now into our second month of “Coffee with the Board.” Stop by on Sunday during religious school for a hot cup and meet your Board. It’s an opportunity to discuss ways in which you can get more involved and to share ideas about the community.

We hope that you have all received the first of what will be monthly calls from B

oard members. Each month the Board will try to reach out to congregants with ideas for involvement, news and upcoming events. We’re also trying to expand our Friday night minyanim. If you get a call to join the minyan, please try to come. The service is fulfilling; it’s a nice way to end the workweek and start the weekend. It’s also important to be there to support congregants who want to say Kaddish or have a Yahrzeit. Services start at 7:30pm, is usually over by 9pm and is an intimate and relaxing Kol Ami function.

Religious school parents are being asked to volunteer once a year to clean the synagogue after school on Sunday. We’re hoping that two families each week will be willing to spend an extra hour or so getting things back in order for the week ahead. This small contribution of your time gets you in touch with another family, continues the theme of “taking ownership of our Judaism”, saves Kol Ami money and gives every school family a way of being part of this aspect of congregational life.

As the winter progresses, please look for weekly email updates of events and Kol Ami news. We are going to use the email more for this purpose and hope that you will join us. Again, it’s an easy way to stay in touch with the community and saves Kol Ami postage and printing costs. In this economy, and in an effort to become “greener” we see this as a “win-win.” If we

don’t have your email address, or if you update or change it, please send an email to the website and we’ll keep our records up-to-date and you in the loop.

Finally, we’re beginning to plan for another series of fundraisers. While “fund” is a major part of the term, and an important aspect of this, “fun” is an important goal as well. We have ideas in development for a golf tournament, poker night, and antique appraisal. Interest is building to develop a “Brotherhood” to involve men in a similar way, as the Sisterhood has been so successful in involving women. We are developing a Kadima chapter in conjunction with the USCJ program for our post-Bar/Bat Mitzvah kids and a Hazak chapter for our post-50year old congregants.

These ideas need energy to grow and we’re hoping that you have some of that energy. These programs are not just for you, they are by you. Please let me know to which of these activities you can give some of your time and energy.

Rabbi Andy and Gerry Ganezer at the Gala

That’s all for now. Stay in touch and stay warm.

Howard

News

2008-11-06T21:30:00.000-08:00

Religious School - Please note our policy for school closings due to bad weather. If Cheryl and Rabbi Andy decide to close the school due to poor weather conditions, please watch for information on News Channel 8 and WFSB Channel 3. In addition, if services are to be cancelled, please call the office and there will be an updated message on the machine. Please note: if public schools close early on a Wednesday, there will be No School at Kol Ami that afternoon.

School reopens on Wednesday, January 7^th. There will be No School the weekend of January 17^th and 18^th for the Martin Luther King Holiday. Please watch for information about our Family Havdalah Program scheduled for Saturday evening, January 24^th. Our next holiday event will be our Tu B’Shevat Seder and service beginning at 6pm on Friday, Feb. 6^th. This holiday celebrates the trees and gives us an opportunity to enjoy a variety of their fruits and nuts in a family-style setting. Don’t miss out! There will be No School on Feb. 14^th, 15^th, 18^th, 21^st and 22^nd for the Winter Break. School will reopen on Wednesday, Feb. 25^th!

Tot Shabbat at Kol Ami (January 10th) - Tot Shabbat is a program for young children, infants to 3 years of age and their parents. The program will take place on the first Saturday morning of the month at Kol Ami (the exception being this month). Beginning at 10am and running for one hour, the class will focus on the joy of Shabbat through music, movement and stories. The underlying intent of the program is to introduce Judaism to young children and help to develop a comfort in the synagogue. There will be a simple snack served, an arts and crafts project and opportunity for parents to meet and socialize. All members of Kol Ami, neighboring synagogues and unaffiliated families are invited. Our next classes/ will be: January 10 – Shabbat, February 7 – Tu B’Shevat, March 7 – Purim,

For more information, please call Kol Ami at 272-1006, or speak to Risa Caplan.

Weekly Torah Study - Every Shabbat morning at 9 AM, the weekly Parsha is discussed. Knowledge of Hebrew is not required. No registration is necessary. All are welcome to attend!

Shabbat - Celebrate the Shabat with your family at Kol Ami! Services are held Friday nights at 7:30pm and Saturday mornings at 10am.

All welcome!

Jeff Wolansky Receives the USCJ Vision and Reality Award

2008-10-30T18:00:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Jeff Wolansky who was recently presented with a “Vision and Reality Award” given to individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary volunteer leadership in synagogue life. The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, Connecticut Valley Region, of which we are a member, gives this award. Jeff has been being honored by USCJ for his contribution at Kol Ami, a process that he described in his speech during the second day of Rosh Hashanah.

The photos include Jeff with Stephen Golub, Immediate Past President, and Shirley Morrison, Regional President.

BIO: JEFFRY WOLANSKY, Congregation Kol Ami, Cheshire, CT

Mr. Wolansky has served his congregation in many positions in the past. He has served as a Board member, Program Chair, Vice President, Vice President and President. Mr. Wolansky embodies the spirit of Kol Ami in that his appetite for congregational life grows over time. His contributions span the administrative, programmatic and ritual. Jeff is an inspirational leader who brings unfailing energy to whatever activity he is involved with. Alongside his wife Cheryl and sons Jacob and Zachariah, Jeff consistently demonstrates the power of family commitment to spiritual community.

President's Corner - by Howard Krieger

2008-09-28T08:28:00.000-07:00

Happy New Year! Fall 5769, 2008 in the common calendar has begun an active season at Kol Ami. Selichot, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Sukkoth all come in a flurry of preparation, celebration and contemplation. My experience was extraordinary. Although I have come to appreciate and enjoy the quality of religious worship experience at Kol Ami, this year my new position added a dimension. Seeing the service from “back of the house,” having the opportunity to address all of you and interacting with many of Kol Ami’s members made my holiday very special. I hope that you appreciated the incredible effort made by Gerry Genezer and the Ritual committee and were as moved and inspired by the sermons delivered by Rabbi Hechtman as I was.

In this month’s President’s Corner I would like to use this opportunity to acknowledge two people who have made unique contributions to our community. One is well known to you and the other may be a new face in your Kol Ami experience. Each brings an important contribution to us and is deserving of recognition. As I move forward in future Bulletin pieces, I hope to shine this spotlight on other individuals whose contributions are especially noteworthy and whose work expands the program we can offer here.

I was please to nominate Jeff Wolansky for a “Vision and Reality Award” given to individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary volunteer leadership in synagogue life. The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, Connecticut Valley Region, of which we are a member, gives this award. Jeff is being honored by USCJ for his contribution at Kol Ami, a process that he described in his speech during the second day of Rosh Hashanah.

Jeff and his family have always impressed me. The Wolanskys embody my sense of Kol Ami as a place in which people can find a project that speaks to them, develop it as a reflection of their unique definition of Jewish life, and as it grows, see themselves grow along with the project. In Jeff’s case this commitment has extended through his work on the Board of Directors, his role as Vice President, his tenure as President, his current work with the Torah study, his leadership in the e-mail listserve that we operate and the multitude of other tasks that he “owns.” In addition, his wife Cheryl leads our religious school, teaches there and supports so many others of Kol Ami’s activities.

Cheryl, Jeff and their sons Jacob and Zachariah are a constant presence in our community whether leading or participating along with us. They are as likely to be seen at Board meetings as cleaning the synagogue after services, putting up Sukkot for members or cutting up chicken and making martinis at one of our dinners. Yasher Koach to the Wolanskys.

My second acknowledgement is Lisa Johnson. Lisa has stepped up to develop our Kol Ami website and has become a central part of my effort to develop better communications within our community. Lisa has spent innumerable hours in this work and I want to thank her and use this opportunity to describe the project that she “owns” and explain why I think it is such a crucial part of our future development at Kol Ami.

Lisa has developed http://www.kolamicheshire.org/ This is our website and our public face to the Internet. Lisa has developed this resource to be a place to learn what is going on at Kol Ami, check schedules and calendars, enroll in courses, handle some purchases (such as Gala tickets,) learn about our rabbi and administration, find ways to volunteer and even to purchase items with our new, soon-to-be-rolled-out new logo.

Our website is an exciting place with links to other Jewish resources, a library of past bulletins, announcements of donations and ways to donate, and an archive of forms and administrative materials relative to our community. (In case you missed my Rosh Hashanah speech, you can find it on the website along with the talk given by Dr. Bernard Spear and Ethel Marcus about their experiences moving to Kol Ami from other synagogues. You can also read Jeff Wolansky’s speech in which he describes how his Kol Ami commitment grows over time.) Lisa is continually expanding the website and has a galaxy of knowledge to bring to bear to make this an essential vehicle in our growing community. I hope that you will go to the site, browse the various functions, offer comments, and send email to us as you have questions or ideas for the project.

In this way I hope to get into all of your homes on a regular basis and share my ideas and observations. I hope to stimulate you to do as Jeff and Lisa have done, fulfilling our challenge to “pick up a shovel.”

However e-mail and our website only accomplish the function of being there to give information to you when you come to use it. The key is you and your willingness to come to it and to get involved.

As we have expanded to 140+ families, we have become more diverse. Our diversity includes old member and new ones, older members and younger ones, single members and families, families with young and families with older children. We have members who desire worship services and members who desire educational experience. We have members who are looking for social expansion in the Jewish sense and members who are simply looking for social expansion. We have members who are actively pursuing busy careers and members who are gracefully retired. We have full-time Connecticut residents and “snow-birds.” We are a multitude of variety.

While this diversity is a glorious testimony to growth and certainly something to be celebrated, it brings with it a challenge to remain effective communicators. We can no longer depend on existing social connections to “spread the word” as a normal function of the daily friendship circles in which we circulate. I have become acutely aware that while Kol Ami offers a large variety of experience and opportunity, this is only an asset if people are aware of it and are comfortable approaching it.

When I took office I asked the Board of Directors to try hard to use e-mail as a way of communicating with me. I assumed that since I use e-mail to handle a wide variety of communication tasks, it would be an easy way to handle the tasks at Kol Ami. I realize that e-mail is an effective tool for announcements and getting the word out. It reaches into our homes and lives on a real-time basis and is in our faces if only to be deleted as we scan the daily collection of received mail.

However e-mail is a poor way to obtain replies or to ask for help or to have discussions. These functions are better done in person, by phone or through other avenues. As I described during my talk on Rosh Hashanah, Kol Ami is not “they.” It is “you.” Unless you get and stay connected, you cannot really appreciate this. Conversely, if you begin to get and stay connected, you will find this aspect of our community compelling and rewarding.

To accomplish this aspect of the communication feedback loop that I think is critical at Kol Ami, I have formed “teams” of congregants, each under the leadership of one of the Board members. The Board member, “team leader” will be responsible for contacting the 10 or so members on their team. They will call you to announce opportunities for your involvement, to discuss with you your interests and how you can find opportunities at Kol Ami that can be venues for these ideas. Team leaders will call you asking for help with a variety of community needs, from synagogue cleaning to committee membership. They will at times ask for your time, at other times they will ask for your money. We hope that in this way you can develop a more intimate and personal relationship with the leadership of Kol Ami and discover just how close you are to the “top” of this short pyramid with its very wide base. Please know that there is no pressure to be involved, or to donate time or money. This is all about making Kol Ami accessible and available to you and helping you to discover how ours is a community of “us.”

Please feel free to discuss you ideas with the board member who calls you. You can call me directly (or use e-mail) or send you ideas or questions through the website. Have a wonderful fall and stay in touch.

10th Anniversary Gala

2008-09-25T18:10:00.000-07:00

Join your Kol Ami family to celibrate our tenth anniversary.

Schedule of Events
Doors open at 7:15pm
Havdolah at 7:30pm
Cocktails at 8:15pm
Program to include honoring Dr. Mel Goldstein, Dr. Howard Krieger, Guy Darter and Dr. Nelson Shub.
Musical stylings by David Roth.
Food: Elegant cocktail hour with food stations, Champagne toast, dessert and coffee

Date: December 6th, 2008
Times: Doors open at 7:15pm
Location:
Woodbridge JCC
Jewish Community Center of Greater New Haven
360 Amity RoadWoodbridge, CT 06525

Tickets:

(Please note for a limited time ending on November 30th, tickets will be available for purchase at a 40% discount price.)

$118 for single
$218 for couple
$360 for quad
$1000 for table of 12.

Online e-Tickets: For your convenience tickets can be purchased at EventBrite.com.

To receive a %40 off discount on ticket purchase online before November 30, 2008 use the code GALA2

As an exta bonus Synagogue members who purchase tix before Nov. 30th will be inscribed on the Tree of Life as well as being able to purchase tickets at %40 off.

Gala Raffle Prize list as of 11-4-08

$100 Gift Certificate - Mike's Shoe Repair, New Haven

$100 Gift Certificate - Mohegan Sun restaurants

Evening Cruise for 4 on 40' sailboat hosted by Dr. Joe Zeppieri, New
London, CT

Full day fishing charter on 30' Aquasport hosted by Capt Don Stein

$40 Gift Certificate - Cosmopolitan Salon, Cheshire

Harmon Killebrew & Ron Bloomberg signed baseballs

Palm Pilot

$30 Gift Certificate - San Souci Rest, Meriden

$100 Gift Certificate - Stop & Shop

RSS Feed

Jeff Wolansky's High Holiday Remarks

2008-09-16T18:38:00.000-07:00

As Howard will attest, you get a lot of things when you become President – responsibility, phone calls emails, headaches and occasionally a sense of accomplishment. So far as I can tell, you only get one thing as Past president – this smile.

However, One of the things I did not expect to get was a question from a few of you…it goes something like…Jeff, why are you still doing xyz or as a statement…I did not think you would still come to services now that you are not the President. Quite unexpected given that by some accounts, I am even more active now with Kol Ami than I ever have been. So allow me to explain why I continue to want to be so involved with Kol Ami

The answer, at least to me, is amazingly simply. Experience and Relationships…to paraphrase Einstein…’only with experience comes knowledge.’ I enjoy being a student of life and being President was quite the learning experience. In regards to relationships..…Kol Ami is an integral part of our life…our being my family..and of our Judaism. I do what I do out of a love, commitment to my community and the sense of ownership that comes with the recognition of those responsibilities and obligations. Forging relationships is a really cool byproduct of that.

To appreciate my answer and to try to make it relevant to what many of us experience at Kol Ami, let me give you a little background.

I have told this story before of sitting where you are sitting now on Rosh Hashanah about 8 years ago or so and Rabbi Andy challenging us to make a communal trip to Israel. On my way out in the receiving line, I casually said that when the trip comes to fruition, I would love to go. By the time I got home, there was a letter waiting for me informing me that I was now co-chair of the Israel Trip committee. The trip is still in our future and my co-chair Ethel is now someone I am proud to have as a friend. And As Howard spoke about yesterday, for me - this is when Kol Ami went from being they and them to us and we. Next up for me was leading the Programming committee and one of our first efforts was to have a Poker night. A great experience that introduced me to synagogue bureaucracy. Seriously – it really was a great learning experience that helped prepare me future leadership roles. The Poker night was a success and the friendship I formed with my poker night co-chair, Emily is another blessing. Relationships and experiences. From there a Board position followed, then the Vice-Presidency, and then, of course the Presidency. Each bringing the opportunity to learn and to experience our community. And I don’t even want to try to count all of the dinners…all without a kitchen. In a strange twist on what I am trying to explain today…as President I would be helping prepare for one our community dinners and the Rabbi would ask me why I ‘the President’ was chopping vegetables or whatever. My answer was...it is what I love…I did it before I was President…and I will continue to do it now that I have completed my term. There is no better why to enjoy what we have than to break bread with each other.

That is only half of my history with Kol Ami. Concurrent with all of those quote, unquote secular things; perhaps non-ritual is a better way to say that…on the ritual side, I renewed my relationship with Shabbat as I became a regular at Saturday morning services. Some of the other regulars kept bugging me about coming to Torah Study. It was bad enough I was giving up my Saturday mornings now they wanted an extra hour. Initially I had a problem getting to Torah Study at 9 am so I started off by coming at 9:30 as could convince myself that coming a half hour late for Torah Study was easier than coming half an hour early for services. I have now been a regular for more than 5 years and simply put, it is the hour I look forward to most in my entire week. Gary and Isia and Alex and Eric along with some others (forgive me for not mentioning all of your names) have become an integral part of my life and the way I look at it and my Judaism.

Along this amazing journey of learning and experiencing and becoming part of a community through so many relationships there has been Rabbi Andy. It moves me in a way more than he could ever know when he calls me and starts a conversation with…”Jeff, this is your Rabbi”…your being the key word. I have a Rabbi! And that I can also call him friend…well, I really don’t have the words. And most recently…a new relationship has started to blossom…Welcome to Kol Ami Ruthie. You are we – All those pronouns again, Howard.

So the point of this history lesson is that the Presidency was by no means my first involvement with Kol Ami and there is no way it would be my last. Let’s put it another way – a perhaps from the communities point of view. Would we want the experience of the President to be such that, once the term is complete, the President would no longer want to actively participate in the community? I would hope the question answers itself.

The presidency was just another job in many I have had and will continue to have…ok, it is not ‘just’ another job – it is our secular leader and I don’t want to diminish its importance but it is a matter of perspective. Let me try this….We will always have a President. And perhaps that is the way some of you viewed me – as the President not as Jeff. Well, I am not the President anymore but I am still Jeff.

Now some of you had the pleasure of meeting our friends, the Broads…that would be Brian and Brenda and there son Brandon, originally from Buffalo; they moved into our neighborhood a few years ago and then moved to Amsterdam last year. During the time they were our neighbors, we became very close friends and Cheryl and I and the boys miss them terribly. I only make a point of mentioning them because for me, it was so unique. I don’t have a lot of secular friends. The ones I have I have known for almost my entire life. In our modern world, neighborhood does not equal community. Community is where you find and make it. This is my community; Kol Ami my ‘hood.

I don’t know where else in my life I would have the opportunity to meet and make friends with people like Howard or Gerry or Emily and the rest of her family – turns out her Dad, Julius attended the Yeshiva in Hartford with my mom. Without this community, I would never have met someone like Paula who will continue to talk to me in Yiddush until I learn it. The secular side of my life would probably not introduce me to people like Bernie or Jack or Morris or Rose or Sue or…well, you get the point. Again forgive me for not mentioning more names but the bottom line is one of the benefits of my experiences is that I now know just about all of you – what a blessing! And I want to get to know the rest of you.

I have never had that sense of community in my life. Together, We continue to experience life and all its ups and downs together. And I could not and can not fathom that the end of my presidency would be the end of my relationship with this community. You and I have worked to hard on those relationships and as noted above, I don’t get those opportunities that often in my life…and frankly, I am lazy and getting older and it is much easier to maintain a relationship than to forge a new one. So for better or worse, you’re stuck with me.

My experience and my journey is of course unique to me as yours is to you. That is why we say you need to pick up your shovel and start digging…my shovel won’t work for you. The rewards however are mutual…the sense of community and the wisdom that comes with the experience of doing something not just for yourself. I hope some part of this long explanation of why I continue to be so involved with Kol Ami resonated with you and I hope that as Howard so eloquently put yesterday there is no they and them…there is only we and us. After all, Kol Ami does not mean all those people…it mean All My People. We are All My People…and I remain yours.

From Cheryl, Jacob, Zach and Myself…to all of you…Shana Tova.

Classes

2008-09-16T18:06:00.000-07:00

Lifelong Learning - Fall & Winter Offerings

Beginners Hebrew:
In 8 fun and stimulating sessions, participants will be able to read Hebrew! In
addition, words common to basic Jewish liturgy and practice will be introduced.
Students will learn basic translation skills and vocabulary.
Instructor will be Veronika Bursuker. Veronika has taught Hebrew for over 25 years.

Classes will be Thursday evenings from 7 to 8:30 pm at Kol Ami on the following
dates: October 16, 23, 30, November 6, 13, 20 and December 11 and 18, 2008.
Please register for this class by calling the Kol Ami office at 202-272-1006 by
Monday, October 13th. There will be no charge for this class, however, a donation
to Kol Ami would be greatly appreciated.

Weekly Torah Study:
Every Shabbat morning at 9 AM, the weekly Parsha is discussed. Knowledge of
Hebrew is not required. No registration is necessary. All are welcome to attend!

Judaism: History & Traditions
Your Questions – Judaism’s Answers
With Rabbi Andy Hechtman
Classes will be Thursday evenings from 7 to 8:30 pm at Kol Ami on the following
dates: January 15, 22, 29 and February 5 and 12, 2009.
Please register for this class by Monday, January 5th by calling the Kol Ami office at
202-272-1006.

The Program of Jewish Studies at Kol Ami

2008-09-04T18:00:00.000-07:00

At the Program of Jewish Studies at Kol Ami, we commit ourselves to providing a respectful, caring and intimate learning environment in which our students are strongly encouraged to explore and develop their Jewish identity, in all its complexity.

Our aim is to establish a program in which Judaism comes alive for children, by integrating experiential learning activities with classroom instruction, family programming and intergenerational learning opportunities.

We attempt to blend the Shtetl model of Jewish education (which we like to think of as the original Montessori approach) with the best of modern hands-on learning techniques.
We want our program to encourage children to develop as individuals and to pace their learning according to their developmental needs.

We currently have 60 students in our school. Our Kindergarten class and students in grades 1-5 attend on Sundays from 9:30AM-12PM. Beginning at approximately 3rd grade, students attend classes on Wednesdays from 4:15-6:15 which includes snack with our Rabbi and a learning minyan. Students who are pre/B’nai mitzvah attend classes on Saturday morning for Torah study, participate in Shabbat services beginning at 10AM and attend classes on Wednesdays. In addition to classroom instruction, students participate in music and art classes, engage regularly in activities with our Young Emissaries from Israel, and meet one-on-one with peer mentors for additional Hebrew reading support.

Officers

2008-04-13T11:17:00.000-07:00

President.......................Howard Krieger
1st Vice President........Gerry Ganezer
2nd Vice President.......Jay Korman
Treasurer......................Mark Korman
Secretary.......................Ethel Marcus
BikkurCholim...............Eve Gold
By-Law..........................Jack Greenspan
Finance..........................Morris Eisenberg
Fundraising..................Ethel Marcus
Gift Shop......................Tracy Carim and Betsy Cosenza
House............................Jeff Thomaswick
Membership................Beth Tenenbaum
Nominating..................Guy Darter
Personnel....................Howard Krieger
Programming..............Abbi Bruce
Publicity.......................Liz Alexander
Ritual ...........................Gerry Ganezer
School...........................Marcy Thomaswick and Cheryl Wolansky
Sisterhood...................Ethel Marcus
Tikkun Olam...............Rose Spielman

Rabbi Andrew Hechtman

2008-04-13T09:53:00.000-07:00

From our Rabbi…
"If we want Jewish children to grow and make Jewish decisions for their lives then our first job is to teach them to love their Jewish self. There is little point in trying to fill their heads with facts about what it means to be Jewish in the absence of positive Jewish life experiences. This means a religious school experience that they enjoy, Shabbat and holiday services with lots of singing in which they can fully participate, and an ongoing program of family education so that families share positive Jewish experiences and build positive Jewish memories both at home and in the synagogue.”

About our Rabbi…
Rabbi Hechtman has ordination from the Academy for Jewish Religion, where he was twice recognized for his work with creative liturgy. He trained not only in traditional approaches to meeting family pastoral needs and life cycle events but also in the scope and variety of approaches that make Jewish life so rich. He is a much sought after teacher; and in addition to his work at Kol Ami, Rabbi is Director of Judaic Studies at Ezra Academy , a Solomon Schechter Day School , where he teaches Tanach and Rabbinics. He has twice led the “March of Living”, taking teens to Poland and Israel ; and he spent several summers teaching in Jerusalem for the Jewish Agency, where he has helped prepare teens for a year of community service here in America ; a program he developed.

He recently completed a two-year Fellowship in the Day School Leadership Training Institute of the William Davidson Graduate School of Education at the Jewish Theological Seminary. He has also held a fellowship in the NYU School of Education where he worked with the development of the “Center for Online Jewish Studies” seeking new ways to utilize digital imaging for teaching Jewish history. Rabbi Hechtman and his wife of 30 years, Rachel, have raised two sons; Zev and Haim, and have lived in Cheshire for 20 years. Rabbi Hechtman has served the Kol Ami community since its inception.

Kol Ami Mission Statement

2008-04-13T09:47:00.000-07:00

MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of Congregation Kol Ami is to inspire each member through creative approaches to education, innovative worship and enlivening communal experiences. Kol Ami nurtures the desire to incorporate Jewish values and traditions into everyday life.

CORE VALUES
We commit to serving God, observing Shabbat, and living Torah.

We believe that the perpetuation of the Jewish People depends upon ongoing engagement with our heritage and tradition, expressed through creative and innovative approaches to spiritual living.

We commit to being a congregation that responds to individual needs, and a community with genuine concern for each other.

We commit to Jewish education, both inside and outside of the synagogue. We commit to inspire our children’s Jewish souls, so that they will choose to live Jewish lives.

We commit to being an egalitarian community of respect, inclusiveness and tolerance, without regard for sexual orientation.

We support congregational participation by families of interfaith marriages.

We commit to Tikkun Olam; repairing the world is a Jewish obligation.

We commit to the perpetuation of the Jewish State of Israel.

Welcome to Kol Ami!

2008-04-13T09:39:00.000-07:00

If you are interested in learning more about Congregation Kol Ami, please contact the synagogue office at 203-272-1006.

You may also contact us by by mail:

Kol Ami
1484 Highland Ave
Cheshire, CT 06410or

E-mail: kolamiweb@yahoo.com

We look forward to hearing from you!

2008-04-13T09:32:00.000-07:00

To Make a Donation to Kol Ami

Donations are essential to maintaining our synagogue.
Please take the time to support Kol Ami.

MAIL TO:
Kol Ami
PO Box 1318
Cheshire, CT 06410-5318

In Honor of: __________________________________________

In Memory of: ________________________________________

Send Acknowledgement to:

Name: ___________________________________

Address: _________________________________

City: ____________________________________

State, Zip: ________________________________

From:Name: ______________________________

Address: _________________________________

City: ____________________________________

State, Zip: _______________________________

To Fund:$____Torah Maintenance$____Eternal Light$____Library$____Youth$____Prayer Book$____Chesed$____

Danielle Crumb Building Fund$____Building

FundPayment must accompany request to be acknowledged.

Super Stop and Shop Cards

2008-04-13T09:26:00.000-07:00

Did you know that for every $100 of groceries purchased at Super Stop and Shop Kol Ami could earn $5? It is as simple as purchasing a Super Stop and Shop card and using it to buy your groceries! This card can be used to buy anything at the store and is the same as cash. Here is an example: The average family spends approximately $300 a month on groceries, that is $15 dollars donated to Kol Ami. If 50 families participated ($15 x 50) $750 dollars a month ($9000 a year) would go to Kol Ami with minimal effort on your part!

Cards can be purchased during regular Hebrew School hours (Wednesdays 4:15pm-6:15pm and Sundays 9:30am-12pm). To find out more contact Susan Peck to purchase your Stop and Shop card today!

2008-04-13T08:52:00.000-07:00

Stop by and visit the Kol Ami Gift Shop!

Find everything you need for family and friends - right at the Synagogue

For the kids: Games, Children's books, Puzzles, Super Hero Yarmulkes

For Family and Friends: Framed wall art, Challah knife, Challah plate, Mezuzhas, tile coasters, table linens, and much more!

The Kol Ami gift shop is open during regular Sunday School hours. (9:30am-12pm)

Kol Ami Sisterhood

2008-04-13T07:19:00.000-07:00

Kol Ami Sisterhood’s mission, within our synagogue community, is to strengthen and unite Jewish women, support them in their mutual efforts to understand and perpetuate Conservative Judaism in their homes, synagogue and community, and reinforce their bonds with Israel and with Jews worldwide.In 2001, at the start of our Sisterhood, we had 20 members; we now have 54 members and look forward to adding to our Sisterhood family.Our goal each year is not only to continue to increase our Sisterhood membership, but to get more of our ‘sisters’ involved in our day-to-day activities. These programs include providing wine, challah, and juice for the synagogue, flowers to adorn our bimah for all holidays, a cooking demo, torah studies, jewelry making, an annual Sisterhood Shabbat – where our sisters lead the whole service, pottery glazing, book reviews, and our Mishloach Manot project – which has been so successful that we are able to provide much needed funds to our Religious School, and a yearly contribution to Kol Ami’s general fund.