KI was founded in 1970 by a small group of families who wished to create a fully
participatory Jewish experience that would be rich in community and tradition, and
to establish a superior religious school. In 1982, the congregation purchased and
remodeled a Lansing public school building to house our growing membership. We are
located in southeast Lansing, approximately
two miles from Michigan State University.
Our members, now numbering over one hundred twenty-five families, come from all around
the greater Lansing area.
The KI Community
Members of KI are a diverse group, coming originally from every denomination. In our
participatory congregation, the breadth of members' backgrounds and experience
is a source of strength, and we encourage as much personal choice in our Jewish
practices as possible. In this way we draw the best efforts from the women and
men who lead our services, lead and participate in our committees, and teach
our children and each other.
Our Jewish community encourages all its members to get actively involved
and to make a difference, and there are many opportunities for members to join
in the life of the community. These include weekly Shabbat morning services, holiday observances, festival
celebrations, a religious school,
adult education programs, and a variety of social
and cultural programs throughout the year.
Reconstructionist Affiliation
After 25 years as an independent congregation using the Conservative liturgy, KI affiliated with the Reconstructionist movement. Rabbi Michael Zimmerman has served our congregation since 2003. As Reconstructionist Jews, we have strong commitments both to tradition and to the search for contemporary meaning. We hope for a Judaism that serves as a rich source of spiritual self-expression and moral challenge in the way we live our lives. And we encourage all Jews to enhance their own lives by reclaiming our shared heritage and becoming active participants in the building of the Jewish future.
