Kol Ami is the “old-new” synagogue in town. After nearly two years of collaborative planning, we are emerging from and building on the legacies of Temple Emanu-El, founded in 1910, and of Congregation Or Chadash, founded in 1995. We envision “a home of joyful Judaism for all.” Indeed, we welcome all who would share and help us realize that vision.
Our spiritual leaders are Rabbi Dr. Scott B. Saulson, who joined Temple Emanu-El as an interim rabbi for its transition, and Rabbi Thomas Louchheim, founding rabbi of Congregation Or Chadash. They partner with Cantorial Soloist Marjorie Hochberg and Cantor Janece Cohen, long-serving voices of spiritual enrichment for Emanu-El and Or Chadash, respectively.
Every new year offers us the blessing of another chance for repair and appreciation. We each bring to these moments very personal hopes and anxieties. Some of us are burdened by anxieties and cares that all but crush our faith in the future. Other have hearts filled with happiness, grateful for the achievements of the past year, yet aware that even the most fortunate are vulnerable before the mystery of the coming years. Every life is a unique blending of fulfillment and frustration.
Yet, beneath our uniqueness we are all bound together by our common humanity. All of us deeply yearn for the blessings of freedom and peace. Each of us seeks the personal liberation of a mind that is not enslaved to conventional wisdom, a heart that is able to love without fear, a spirit that cries “yes!” to the universe. Each of us strives too for the inner joy that comes with finding a harmony between our aspirations and our abilities. This is the Rosh Hashanah joy to which we aspire and which we wish to share.
Thus, we invite our unaffiliated Jewish neighbors to welcome the year 5782 with us at the Museum of Contemporary Art on Tuesday, September 7, at 6:30 pm. There will be live music, poetry, gratitude, and sweets to mark Rosh Hashanah. For complimentary registration and details, including precautions around COVID-19, please click here.
