Rabbi's Messages

on Tuesday, 02 September 2014.

RABBI'S MESSAGE FOR SEPTEMBER 2014

As I write, our offices are bustling with people: friends and congregants coming back to visit after the summer; prospective members inquiring about Kol Ami’s services and programs; teachers and staff busy planning for the coming year. 5775 is on its way!
The Hebrew word for year is shanah. It is related, interestingly, to the Hebrew words for both “again” and “change.” A reminder that each year is both a continuation of the old, and a new opportunity. In some ways, 5775 will bring new adventures and changes; in other ways, it will present us with the chance to revisit our old habits.
How will this year at Kol Ami be similar to previous years? We will continue to learn and pray and grow together. Our services will be musical and warm. We will make beautiful music, debate Torah passionately, and our children will engage with Judaism in new and exciting ways.
How will it be different? There will be some new faces and new voices, on the bima and in the congregation. Our community is continually enriched by the contributions of those who choose to lend their strength to Kol Ami. We look forward to welcoming Rachelle Shubert as our Cantorial Soloist, both at the September 5 Friday night service and at the High Holy Days. And we look forward to welcoming those new families and individuals who have made Kol Ami their home.
5775 is on its way! May we enter it with a sense of excitement and joy, as we prepare to celebrate a new year, all over again.
L’shalom,
Rabbi Micah Streiffer