Today is March 29, 2024 /

Main Office: 215-635-3110

Find Us: 8231 Old York Rd., Elkins Park, PA (part of Beth Sholom campus)

Social:

Social Action / Tikun Olam

Join us to make the world a better place

Kol Ami and its members have a long tradition of helping repair the world. Through various programs and initiatives, our members work together to exemplify this value. 

All members are encouraged to explore links below and get involved!

Join us to help make a difference in the community, all while having fun!

The Share Program brings nourishing food to nearly 700,000 low-income Philadelphia neighbors facing food poverty, in partnership with 505 neighborhood food cupboards. Be a share volunteer- your commitment of time and energy helps reduce hunger. We aid in organizing and packing boxes of food for those in need. Other opportunities include office work and seasonal gardening. 

Who can participate?  Age 8 and older

Have more questions: Send email to questions@kolamielkinspark.org

For more information: Click logo to learn more about Share Food Program

Share Food Program

Join us to help families overcome homelessness by building relationships!

Support homeless families in Montgomery County as they transition to self-sufficiency by providing and sharing dinner with families temporarily living at Ambler Church of the Brethren.  Sleep overnight at the host church. This is a rewarding and unforgettable experience.

Who can participate?  Ages 8 and older for dinner volunteers; adults for sleeping overnight

Have more questions: Send email to questions@kolamielkinspark.org

For more information: Click logo to learn more about Interfaith Housing Alliance

Join us in the Kol Ami kitchen to prepare and package nutritious soup or a complete meal for home bound seniors in Philadelphia as we partner with KleinLife. 

Who can participate?  Ages 10 and older 

Have more questions: Send email to questions@kolamielkinspark.org

Join this community-wide advocacy effort to raise awareness and improve access to vital food programs for people living near the poverty level, people receiving SNAP benefits and/or seniors and working poor. We advocate in collaboration with the synagogues of the Kehillah of Old York Road through meetings with the PA Department of Human Services or letter writing to elected state and national officials and the USDA.

Have more questions: Send email to questions@kolamielkinspark.org

Congregation Kol Ami is proud to offer a Jewish Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, the first in our region and now one of five in the region aligned with Hazon, a national non-profit that links Jewish tradition with environmental action. Through its CSA network, Hazon is using Jewish purchasing power to support local organic farmers, foster vibrant Jewish communities who care about environmental and educational issues, and examine food and environmental issues from a Jewish perspective.

Since launching in 2007, the CSA at Kol Ami operates from May through December.  Our CSA is comprised of members from the local community.  We gather each week to share recipes and catch up with friends and neighbors as we pick up fresh, locally grown, organic vegetables, fruit, eggs, cheese and herbal medicines.

Our CSA donates any unclaimed produce to the Mitzvah Food Pantry at Beth Sholom Congregation in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania.

How It Works:

A CSA is a direct partnership between consumers and farmers. Subscribing members pay the farmers before the growing season, which gives the farmers financial security, a direct market for their goods and a fair wage for their produce, helping sustain family farms and preserve local farmland. In return, the farmers provide a weekly share of fresh organic produce.

The Hazon CSA at Kol Ami partners with over 100 Amish and Mennonite organic farmers from Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative (LFFC).  The diversity of crops among LFFC farmers ensures a good variety of fresh-picked seasonal produce each week.  With CSA member support, Lancaster Farm Fresh has grown from 20 farms to over 100 in the last 10 years!

The CSA Share:

The amount of produce delivered each week varies with the season. Click here to view a sample share.  To learn more about the Hazon CSA at Kol Ami, visit http//www.lancasterfarmfresh.com.  Choose PA: Kol Ami Hazon as your pick-up location in Elkins Park.

More than the Usual CSA:

  • LFFC sends members a weekly email highlighting different farmers, a glimpse of life on the farm, and great recipes.
  • Congregation Kol Ami co-hosted the 3rd Annual Philadelphia Hazon Jewish Food Festival with Congregation Keneseth Israel in 2015.  Workshops focused on the importance of sustainability, Jewish thoughts, healthful living practices, inter-generational education and community building. This annual event inspires a deeper engagement with food, sustainability and justice in the Jewish world and beyond.