News from Kol Ami

This month’s President’s Message is about two Jewish holidays that I think about a lot in March: Purim and Rosh Hashanah!

I’m sure some of you are wondering whether I’ve been consuming some new type of edibles, since those two holidays happen 6 months apart and have nothing in common – other than on both occasions I get up in front of a group of people and make a fool of myself.

At the risk of confusing you any further – here are the reasons I think of both holidays in March. Purim is kind of obvious; it’s the fun holiday, where we get to dress up, drink and act silly. Kind of like a frat Halloween party. And Kol Ami gets in the Purim spirit with a party for all ages; our annual Purim Carnival and Spiel, to be held on Wednesday March 20^th at Kol Ami, 36 Atkinson.

For me the highlight is the musical parody, or spiel. This year, in honour of the film that picked up 4 Oscars, we present Shushan Rhapsody, based on the music of Queen. A bunch of your favourite Kol Ami ham actors, including Dana Glickman as Esther, Ben Burko as Haman (booo), Aiden Orzech as Mordechai and Ryan Berger as King Achashverosh, will have you singing and laughing at the outrageous story. Look for me in the critical role of “Minister #2”.

After the play, the fun hits another level. The kids make a beeline for the carnival, with fun games and activities, while the adults sneak upstairs to Haman’s Hideaway, where adult beverages will be served. Overall, this is a night not to be missed.

Okay, what’s with Rosh Hashanah? Together with Yom Kippur, they comprise our High Holy Days, one of the most important events of the year. If you were at Avani Event Centre last year, you surely noticed how beautifully the hall was set up for our services, and how seamlessly all the people and the moving parts worked together.

But that doesn’t happen by itself, and preparations for High Holy Days start as early as March (actually, booking the hall happens even earlier). That is why I am thinking of High Holidays at this time of year. WE NEED VOLUNTEERS! The High Holy Day Committee will start meeting soon to make sure that everything is in place for September 30, 2019 Erev Rosh Hashanah. Please call 416-779-0792 or e-mail me (president@kolami.ca) if you would like to help in any capacity.

L’shalom,

Elliot