Liturgically Traditional and Radically Inclusive Kabbalat Shabbat: The Why and How
by Rabbinic Intern SAM Luckey For a long time, several Kehilla members have hungered for a more liturgically traditional service, for various reasons. People are different and like to pray in different ways. Some people are familiar with this kind of service from other communities or from childhood experiences, and it feels homey. […]
Two Recent Blows Against Immigrants in Detention
by Sam Davis and Julie Litwin CIVIC Visitation Terminated On March 5, 2018 the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office stopped volunteers from the organization Community Initiatives for Visiting Immigrants in Confinement (CIVIC) from visiting immigrants detained at the West County Detention Facility (WCDF) in Richmond. Since 2011 CIVIC, a national organization working to end the […]
ICE Raid In My Neighborhood
by Carol Rothman, Kehilla Immigration Committee On Feb. 20th Kehilla hosted a rapid response training run by ACILEP (Alameda County Immigration Legal & Education Partnership) to prepare over 150 members of the interfaith community to support immigrant neighbors by confirming and documenting ICE raids in progress and by providing support and resources to those affected. The […]
An Interview with Kehilla Congregant Lea Delson
by Bill Lazurus From 1972 to 1978, Lea Delson spent junior high school and high school years growing up in Omer, a Jewish village near Beersheba. Lea’s parents, originally from Chicago, immigrated to Israel in 1972. Her parents were committed Zionists and their family joined a small Reform congregation which was lay led and had […]
Thank You for Your Time
Thank You for Your Time Purim, from Rabbi Gray and Natalie: Natalie and I want to thank everyone who contributed to making the Kehilla School Purim schpiel and the Purim carnival both run so smoothly. If you donated a baked good, shaped hamentaschen, made the dough, ran a game station, helped set up or clean […]
Thank You for Your Generosity
Thank You for Your Generosity Annual Fund Harold and Diana Feiger Jeanette Nicols Ellen Burke in honor of Burke Rainey Helene Frommer and Steve Lipton Ruth Fagen Phillips Laura Nelson Nikki Sachs in honor of Rabbi Burt for his years working for peace in the Middle East Janet Linder and Elena Moser General Donation Judit […]
Miriam Smolover’s Chanting CD Release Party
By Marcie Rubel Our beloved Jewish chanting and meditation teacher, Miriam Batia Smolover will be releasing her new CD The Source of the Sound. It is a compilation of chants designed to inspire and soothe your spirit. The CD project includes a manual to guide people interested in creating their own local chanting meditation […]
Stand Together CoCo
On March 1, a new immigration hotline to report ICE activity or to seek assistance for someone detained by ICE was launched to serve Contra Costa County residents: 925-900- 5151. The hotline is part of a deportation defense initiative called Stand Together CoCo. OCO is one of a coalition of nonprofits that manages the program, […]
Save the Date: Sanctuary Shabbat Morning Service Followed by Lunch and Community Conversation
Sanctuary Shabbat: Morning Service Followed by Lunch and Community Conversation ~ Cosponsored by Kehilla’s Economic Justice Committee for Affordable Housing Week May 12th 10am-3:30pm Kehilla has been a sanctuary synagogue since the 1980’s. In November of 2016 the Kehilla Board passed a resolution reaffirming this commitment. Kehilla members have been deeply involved in the many aspects of sanctuary […]
Kehilla’s Deepening Sanctuary Work in Our Season of Liberation
by Rabbi Dev Noily ועשו לי מקדש ושכנתי בתוכם Together, make Me a sanctuary so that I may dwell among you. – Exodus 25:8 As we gather to celebrate Pesach this year Kehilla is taking the next step on our path as a Sanctuary congregation. As our Board took its vote on March 28, I […]
