WELCOME TO KOL AMI!

In the ancient book of the Mishna (compiled some 1,800 years ago), the following is written: When human beings mint coins, they make many coins from one die, and they are all alike. But the Source of all Life, the Holy One, blessed be, “minted” all human beings with the die of the first human and not a single one resembles another. Therefore, everyone must say,  “the whole world was created just for me.” [Mishna, Sanhedrin ch. 4]  

This centuries-old teaching could be a description of the spirit of our congregation, Kol Ami, the Northern Virginia Reconstructionist Community. We all have in common that we are human,  and yet each of us is very different — and this is what is most wonderful about our community — our diversity. This means that you are welcomed, and celebrated, just as you are: young, old, learned in Judaism, or a beginner, someone who has been committed to a Jewish life for many years, or a “Jew-by-choice” (whether through conversion or returning after a long absence), a deeply-believing individual, an agnostic, an atheist. We are here to celebrate Judaism and being Jews. We are here to speak about God, in our many different understandings (even those who believe that God may not exist). We are here to learn and teach together. We are here to sing together and pray together (however we understand “prayer”) — we are here to celebrate life together, to weave community together. Some of us are married or partnered, some of us heterosexual, some of us gay and lesbian, some of us single, some of us Jews partnered with Jews, some of us Jews partnered with people of other faiths (or no faiths). We celebrate all here — and we welcome all.