WHO WE ARE  |  ABOUT KOL SHALOM

Our Congregation

We are an egalitarian community of Jews committed to the continuity of the Jewish people and Jewish traditional observance as a guide to full participation in American society and the modern world. We strive for spiritual growth through prayer, Torah study, and observance of mitzvot.

We take personal responsibility for Tikkun Olam (repair and improvement of our world) through our individual paths of halakha (traditional ethical and ritual guide for thought and action), family life, and social action to help others. We value our community, and look for ways to reach out to other members of the community to share joy and sorrow, mark lifecycle events, and help in times of need.

We embrace our obligation to sustain our congregation through the commitment of time and resources according to our means and talents. We respect the dignity of all congregants and do neither value rich above poor, nor those with greater Jewish knowledge above those with lesser knowledge. We strive to be inclusive, reaching out to Jews from diverse backgrounds and circumstances in our congregation. We value action over word. We value derekh eretz (respect for others) in word and deed.

Israel
We recognize the centrality of the State of Israel as the homeland for the Jewish people. We support Israel to ensure its continued survival, prosperity, and moral character. We advocate for the affirmation of all streams of recognized Jewish thought and observance within Israeli society and seek to support and assist the Masorti movement.

Torah
We affirm the Torah as the source of law and teaching for the Jewish people and commit to study of Torah as a guide for thought and action. We value the mitzvot (commandments) and strive to act in accordance with mitzvot in our daily lives. We commit to the continuing study and interpretation of Torah, as has been studied throughout Jewish history, as essential for adapting Jewish observance to historical and social circumstance.  In this way we affirm our identity as a Conservative congregation. We embrace Jews regardless of their level of observance of mitzvot or knowledge of Torah.

Avodah
We affirm the place of prayer and spiritual connection with God in our lives as individuals and as a congregation. We strive to make avodah (worship) meaningful through traditional texts, song and melody, private thought, and connection with the world's beauty.

Gemilut Hasadim : Acts of Lovingkindness
We strive to demonstrate our commitment to Torah and prayer through actions to help the poor, the sick, and the unfortunate. We perform g'milut hasadim (acts of kindness) through social and political action, direct service to those in need, and financial support.