For Everyone, In Support of Those With Chemical Sensitivities

Our wonderful Bracha Betty Stone has made us a You Tube video on Scent Sensitivity and coming scent free to Kehilla services and events, under her alter ego Aunt Esther.

Please view this list of fragrance-free products and related resources that can assist you in keeping Kehilla fragrance-free.

How to be Scent-Free at Kehilla So Everyone Can Attend Services & Events

Please come fragrance-free to all of Kehilla’s services and events. This will help create a safe and healthy environment for Kehilla’s members and guests, especially those with multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), asthma that is triggered by fragrances and chemicals, and related health conditions. What does it mean to come scent-free? By “scent-free” we mean fragrance-free and non-toxic. To help make Kehilla safe, healthy and accessible to people with these health conditions, Kehilla requests that we all do our best to do the following:

• Please only wear fragrance-free products to Kehilla. It is especially important to avoid wearing strong fragrances. Please also avoid wearing any scented products to Kehilla, if possible.

• Please refrain from wearing clothes to Kehilla that were washed in scented detergents, fabric softeners or dryer sheets. Only use fragrance-free, environmentally-safe laundry products instead. Emissions from clothes washed with conventional fabric softeners or dryer sheets are particularly hazardous to many people with asthma, MCS, and related disabilities. Even the emissions from fragrance-free versions of these conventional fabric softeners and dryer sheets can be hazardous. Many fragrance-free, environmentally-safe laundry products are available locally and are listed in several documents that are linked to below.

• Please avoid wearing clothes to Kehilla that were conventionally dry cleaned or dry cleaned using hydrocarbon solvents. These clothes emit indoor air pollutants that are especially toxic to many people with MCS and related disabilities. The chemical emissions continue for quite some time. Some dry cleaners that use hydrocarbon solvents claim to be “environmentally friendly” although none of them are. If you can’t avoid wearing clothes that were dry cleaned, please remove the plastic bags, thoroughly air the clothes out before wearing and avoid the scent-free section of our rooms.

• Please avoid wearing clothes that were stored with mothballs to Kehilla.

• Please avoid wearing brand new clothing to Kehilla, unless you have first washed them with fragrance-free laundry products. Fabric finishes in new clothes or bags can be toxic to many people with MCS and related disabilities. Please also avoid wearing fresh shoe polish to Kehilla.

For Those With Mobility Concerns And In Wheelchairs

Physical Access to Our Building at 1300 Grand Avenue

Kehilla Community Synagogue is a three-story building located on a triangular, sloping lot bordered by Grand Ave and Fairview Ave. Although we do not have an elevator, our hillside location allows us to have doors with wheelchair ramps on the first two floors. The third floor of the building is a converted balcony, currently used as a classroom and offices. We minimize the use of the third floor for Kehilla activities. Both of the doors with wheelchair ramps have door bells that connect to our phone system. During regular office hours (Monday-Friday, 10am-5pm), please press the bell, and someone will answer the call.

Main Floor Access (Sanctuary, Multipurpose Room, & Main Administrative Offices)

The Sanctuary, the Multi-Purpose Room and our Main Administrative Offices are located on the main floor. This level is accessed by a ramp on Fairview Ave. There is a single handicapped parking space right next to this ramp. If this space is already in use, other street parking may be available on Fairview Ave. Someone using either the accessible parking space or other Fairview Ave. parking needs to be able to either independently walk up the curb or to navigate up a somewhat steep hill in order to use that ramp and entrance. If you have parked in the Kehilla parking lot, in order to reach the wheelchair accessible entrance, you will need to go the entire length of the building on Grand Ave, turn the corner and come up the hill on Fairview. Note that the hill is somewhat steep.

Lower Floor Access (Social Hall, Fireside Room)

The Social Hall and the Fireside Room are located on the lower floor of the building. The entrance for this floor is on Grand Ave, adjacent to the bus stop. We suggest parking in the Kehilla lot. Then go along the Grand Ave. side of the building (passing the main steps). When you get to the bus stop on your right, you will see the double doors into Kehilla on your left.

Moving Between Floors

For services that begin in the Sanctuary and are followed by refreshments in the Social Hall, you would need to first enter the building from the Fairview Ave entrance to attend the service. To transition from the service to the Social Hall, you need to exit through the Fairview Ave entrance, go down the hill and turn right onto Grand Ave. The double doors to the Social Hall are adjacent to the bus stop. Note that the hill is somewhat steep.

Bathrooms

Accessible bathrooms are available on the Social Hall level and partially accessible bathrooms are located on the Sanctuary level

Animals in the Building

We welcome service animals in our building. Pets that are not service animals are not permitted at public gatherings or in the sanctuary and social hall.
Any animals brought to Kehilla are subject to our scent-free policy; please see above for more information on being scent-free.