Temple Kol Ami Honored As a 'Green' Congregation

Michigan Interfaith Power and Light recently awarded West Bloomfield's Temple Kol Ami a 2013 Outstanding Earth Stewards and Green Congregations Award.

'Wonderland' Welcomes All at Orchard Mall for Chanukah

Three-day event pays tribute to historic Jewish uprising with the lighting of the menorah.

Fun for children is sure to abound at the annual Chanukah Wonderland event in Orchard Mall Shopping Center in December. Bais Chabad Torah Center sponsors the three-day tribute to the eight-day Jewish holiday, one of the most widely-celebrated holidays and a favorite amongst children. Hanukkah (also spelled Chanukah) takes place this year from sunset Dec. 8 until the evening of Dec. 16. The Chanukah Wonderland event takes place Dec. 9-12. Hanukkah commemorates the victory of the Jews over Syrian-Greek invaders in 164 BCE (Before Common Era). Hanukkah (Hebrew for dedicate) refers to the rededication of second Jewish Temple in Jerusalem and is celebrated by lighting one additional candle in a candelabrum, called a menorah for eight days. Oil …

• Videos (1)

Muslim, Jewish and Christian Communities Come Together at Thanksgiving

West Bloomfield Clergy Association gets patriotic at annual interfaith Thanksgiving service.

Religious communities from all around West Bloomfield came together in unity at Temple Kol Ami Wednesday night to celebrate Thanksgiving. The West Bloomfield Clergy Association's annual event, including representatives Kol Ami, Pine Hill Congregational Church, the Islamic Cultural Association and the West Bloomfield United Methodist Church, featured a litany of gratitude for the diversity of American culture as well as traditional prayers. Offerings were made to Gleaners Community Food Bank.

•  3 Comments
• Videos (1)

Rabbi Conrad Remembered with 'Social Action Shabbat'

Memory of Temple Kol Ami founding father to be celebrated with interfaith dialogue, Oneg Shabbat service and free concert.

ln loving memory of its founder Rabbi Ernst J. Conrad, the Temple Kol Ami Social Action Committee and its congregation will celebrate Shabbat this weekend with the Muslim Unity Center of Bloomfield Hills. The first event of its kind at the Reform Jewish temple, founded in 1966, the Social Action Shabbat will feature a discussion of Jewish/Muslim sacred texts as well an Oneg Shabbat service beginning at 7:30 p.m. Friday. On Sunday afternoon, TKA members will travel to a cultural exchange program at the Muslim Unity Center. It was a dream of Conrad to see humanity live in harmony, having pushed for civil rights for women and African-Americans in the 1960s while working as a rabbi at Temple Beth Jacob in Pontiac. Conrad was known as a peace …

• Photos (1)

West Bloomfield Synagogue Eliminates Dues System

Temple Kol Ami to launch new pledge system, believed to be first of kind in Metro Detroit synagogues, in effort to help congregation in down economy.

An innovative Reform Jewish temple has become a little more unique to the Metro Detroit area in a big way. West Bloomfield-based Temple Kol Ami voted to abolish its dues structure effective July 1. Kol Ami's approximately 340 families are currently being solicited for a one-time annual pledge, based on personal discretion, in lieu of an annual membership statement.  The change, believed to be the first of its kind at a Metro Detroit synagogue, was made in order to facilitate members which had arranged to pay less than the standard dues, as well as to attract new families without the concern of finances. "Temple Kol Ami is a smaller, warm, friendly congregation, and the concept of dues just didn't fit with our identity," Paul Gross, 50, the…

•  1 Comment
• Photos (7)

Julie Flashner

2:26 pm on Saturday, June 30, 2012

I am a full supporter of our getting rid of dues and asking people to pledge what they feel to help Kol Ami collect what it needs to function. Member, employee, volunteer and parent of a Kol Ami student, Julie   more ›

Viewfinder: Jewish Groups Deliver Yad Ezra Groceries

Congregants from Temple Kol Ami and B'nai Israel Synagogue, both in West Bloomfield, went door-to-door Sunday delivering food from the kosher food bank in Berkley.

What's the best way to take advantage of unseasonably-warm conditions this January? For Temple Kol Ami social action committee chairperson Lisa Redmond and other volunteers from Kol Ami, as well as B'nai Israel Synagogue, both in West Bloomfield, it was getting outside Sunday to go door-to-door with bags of groceries from Yad Ezra kosher food bank in Berkley. Redmond said the event is held three times annually by the two congregations and that it serves the dual functions of promoting togetherness between congregants as well as performing social action in the community. Volunteers went to homes in West Bloomfield, Farmington, Royal Oak and Southfield. Farmington Hills residents and Kol Ami members Chris and Joseph Bocker, 13, joined …

• Photos (6)

Weekend Countdown: Bingo at Temple Kol Ami

Patch tells you what's happening this weekend around West Bloomfield.

Happy Halloween! Whether it's taking the little ones out tonight or passing out candy, we know you will be busy this evening. But what about this weekend? Patch would like to help you plan ahead. We are going to pick some of the fun events daily to help you plan and count down until it's the weekend again. Our pick: Bingo Where: Temple Kol Ami When: Sunday at 12 p.m. Why go: I imagine we all have some sort of memories of playing bingo, whether it be with your mom, grandparents, or at a local fair. Bingo has been a favorite game for years. You don't see it around as often, so grab your dabber and play when you can. On Sunday, Temple Kol Ami is offering the game of chance as a fun afternoon for the whole family. They have some great prizes …

• Photos (1)