Welcome to Congregation Kehillat Israel
Congregation Kehillat Israel (KI) was founded nearly fifty years ago by men and women seeking an egalitarian minyan and excellent Jewish education for their children.
Our services were entirely member-led for many years, with congregants passing on their synagogue skills by mentoring others. Members also take an active part in teaching in our religious school and adult education programs. All this remains true even as our rabbi over the last fifteen years has played a key leadership role in these areas.
We are affiliated with the Reconstructionist movement, with ritual that leans Conservative. Shabbat services alternate the use of the Conservative and Recon siddurim to meet a variety of interests and preferences within our synagogue family. In every service, we enjoy and encourage congregational singing of prayers.
In addition, we look for opportunities to go beyond the siddur, bringing elements of Jewish Renewal and meditation practice into our ritual life.
KI is a small Jewish congregation that finds virtue in its size, because smallness requires each of us to build and sustain the community. Which means that it will never be a place for nameless hangers-on, but always a shared and intimate experience of living Jewishly together.
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 2003-2020. Rabbi Matthew Kaufman joined our congregation in the summer of 2020. 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.
Our Czech Holocaust Torah
KI is the custodian of one of the Czech Holocaust Torah scrolls which is on loan from the Westminster Memorial Scrolls Trust in England. The Torah was sent to us by air from the Scrolls Trust in England on September 24, 1973.
Kivunim
Our school, KIvunim, seeks to nurture and develop children’s Jewish identity through the study and celebration of Jewish history, holidays, prayer, culture, values, and language.
Our school believes that teaching children to think critically using multiple perspectives (pluralism of ideas) enables them to appreciate and respect a wide range of points-of-view on both Jewish and general issues as they grow into adulthood. Our school is committed to the teaching of critical thinking skills and the appreciation of multiple perspectives.