News from Kol Ami

on Monday, 27 May 2013

KATHY STEIN, JUNE 2013

Greetings to the Kol Ami Community! 

As my term as your president draws to an end, I have had a chance to reflect about the past two years - and what a time it has been!

We have:

• welcomed Rabbi Micah Streiffer and his family to Kol Ami;
• carried our Torahs home to our sacred space and our beautiful surroundings;
• dedicated our spiritual home, and thanked those who made its establishment possible;
• delighted in the installation of Rabbi Streiffer, and were honoured by the presence of Rabbi Judith Schindler at the occasion;
• entered our 25th anniversary year and had Alan Goodis lead us in a musical Shabbat; and
• enjoyed an amazing gala celebration at On the Rox.
• Kol Ami is a place to celebrate!

We have:

• added new families, new faces, new friends, and even had a few new members born into our Kol Ami community;
• lost dear ones, some well before their time;
• attracted and connected people in many ways and manners;
• turned bystanders into participants and participants into engaged volunteers and leaders; and
• measured our success in the relationships we have established and nurtured.
• Kol Ami is a place to engage!

We have:

• taken every opportunity to learn - in our religious school, at Torah study, with our educational and inspirational programming;
• pursued social action and the repairing of the world - for those out of the cold, for those who have little, for those who need a helping hand; and
• stretched and challenged ourselves - by facing difficult times, managing finanical constraints, saying goodbye to longtime staff members and welcoming new ones.
• Kol Ami is a place to thrive!

I have:

• had the pleasure of partnering with Rabbi Streiffer these past two years, and have found him to be a brilliant teacher with deep insight and wisdom and boundless enthusiasm and energy;
• been given the honour of working with an incredible group of people, as Board members, committee chairs, doers and leaders;
• had the privilege of serving as your president with the exceptional opportunity to be part of your Temple life and to share in your simchas and achievements;
• complete confidence in and admiration of Tal Schierau, who has been an amazing vice president and will be an exceptional leader in his term to follow; and
• not enough words to express my appreciation and thanks to all members of Kol Ami.
• Kol Ami is the only place for me!

Thank you for a wonderful two years!

Kathy Stein