Who We Are

Mission Statement

Kol Ami is a Reform congregation committed to creating and maintaining an intimate and involved Jewish community where spiritual growth, tradition, ritual, education and learning provide meaning and comfort for our children, our families, and each other, and where one’s presence is valued and one’s absence is felt.

As the “Voice of Our People”, Kol Ami is passionately committed to:

• The survival of Jews, Judaism, and the moral values of Jewish traditions.
• Our sacred scriptures which nurture and define the Jewish soul and the myths, symbols, and rituals which animate their message.
• Strong bonds with Israel, recognizing the importance of the historic partnership between Israel and the Diaspora.
• Ethical monotheism; there is one God whose essential demand of human beings is ethical behavior.
• The Torah, which eloquently expresses the awareness of human need and the acceptance of responsibility for others; the conviction that we are a moral community obligated to assist worldwide Jewry and all who are in need: Tikun Olam.
• The creation of a welcoming and inclusive religious community open to all interested in the practice of Judaism, including interfaith families.
• The recognition and celebration of the infinite value of life.
• The belief that learning is key to Jewish identity and memory.
• Experiencing Shabbat in personal ways which help create a sense of sacred space; a time with a different texture, a different pace, a different quality.
• Encouraging its members to learn, celebrate, and grow together so that each individual will have the fullest opportunity to share the beauty of Jewish expression.

Our Vision Statement

To establish an intimate and dynamic Reform congregation, serving the region.  Through our philosophy of inclusiveness and diversity, we will reach out to surrounding communities and beyond.  As a congregation, we will enrich and enhance members’ Jewish spirituality and promote multi-generation learning.  Our congregation will be an active and visible participant in Tikun Olam.  We will provide a secure, well-maintained and multi-functional campus in which to socialize and celebrate religious life cycle events, while preserving the unique feeling of intimacy that defines Kol Ami.  We will create connections through prayer, music, communication, people and purpose.

Our Name

Kol Ami means “Voice of My People” in Hebrew.  Our congregation was founded in 1994 as a Reform synagogue with the goal of creating and sustaining an intimate and purposeful Jewish community. We are a spiritual community, committed to Judaism, to Israel and to each other.

Reform Judaism

Kol Ami joined the Union for Reform Judaism in 2009, the umbrella organization for Reform synagogues throughout the United States and Canada. Reform Judaism opens the door to innovation, with respect for tradition, by viewing the Torah as a living document that enables us to confront the timeless and timely challenges of our everyday lives.

Central to Reform Judaism is the belief in the Jewish responsibility to question; embrace of diversity; commitment to tikun olam – repairing the world through social justice programs; egalitarianism; and affirmation of the central tenets of Judaism – God, Torah and Israel.