About Us
Congregation Kol Ami is an egalitarian Conservative Congregation that is highly participatory and energetic. Emphasis is placed on education, fostering Jewish values and ideals, and encouraging our congregants to grow Jewishly. Our mission is to advance and promote the ideals, values, and practices of Conservative Judaism Congregation Kol Ami is a unique and wonderful synagogue. One reason that we are special is because of dedicated, caring, involved, and skilled volunteers who participate in synagogue life at all levels. As individuals and as a congregation, we are on a ladder, trying to move upward one step at a time. We have great pride in the Jewish growth that has occurred in our synagogue and in our members over the years. We have gone from a handful of Torah readers to a cadre of fifty readers, a smaller group of daveners to a larger group. Attendance at services has increased. We have exciting programs in place that encourage Jewish growth and development. For example, in 1995, 25 new families put up sukkot in their homes, bringing to over 30 the number of our members who had a sukkah!! We believe that it is important to create an atmosphere of warmth, caring, and appreciation. We think that our members tend to look at Congregation Kol Ami as their extended family. We aspire to continue to grow as a Kehillah Kedosha, a holy congregation, dedicated to the ideals, values, and practice of Judaism. We have put together this, our web site, to provide you with detailed information about our synagogue, its programming and the community of which we are a part. We have tried to anticipate questions you might have, but if we have missed one or two, please send an email to one of us at synagogue or call us on the phone, and we will be happy to shmooze with you.
Mission Statement
Congregation Kol Ami is a family-oriented synagogue that is focused on serving the Jewish community in Tampa, Florida. Our Congregation seeks to advance and promote the ideals, values and practices of Conservative Judaism and is characterized as highly participatory, egalitarian and energetic. Emphasis is placed on providing educational opportunities for our members, fostering Jewish values and ideals and encouraging our members to grow Jewishly. Our Congregation has an ongoing commitment to promoting awareness concerning, and the interests of, the State of Israel.
Vision Statement
As a Bet T’filah, or House of Prayer, it is our goal to provide high quality, inspiring and spiritually nourishing religious services. Our services and observances of Jewish holidays and life cycle events tend to reflect a traditional orientation.
As a Bet Midrash, or House of Study, it is our goal to provide high quality education programs for adults, teenagers and children, promoting Judaism through participation, education, role modeling, assisting our members to learn and grow Jewishly and celebrate their Judaism, while understanding that Judaism’s core values are important and relevant.
As a Bet Knesset, or House of Gathering, it is our goal to encourage participation by all members, to be embracing, warm and caring, to facilitate Jewish growth through our programs and activities, and to provide an environment which encourages the development of an extended, caring congregational family.
Our Congregation is committed to G'milut Hasadim, acts of loving kindness, through recognition of our social responsibilities not only to our membership but also to the community at large and providing support for those in need.
Our Congregation is also committed to the maintenance of high standards of ethical behavior.
Life Cycle Events
Life cycle events are very special times (both happy and sad) in the lives of our members and our congregational family. These events provide an opportunity for us to become closer with one another, with our Rabbi, and with our Jewish traditions. At Congregation Kol Ami, we celebrate our simchas, our great joys, together: Brit Milah, Baby Namings, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, Weddings, and Anniversaries. We also share each others' grief and provide support during illnesses and times of sorrow. If you have any questions about life cycle events, please ask.
History of Congregation Kol Ami
Congregation Kol Ami was organized in 1978 and began with approximately 50 member families. The synagogue was formed for the purpose of providing a Jewish focal point in northern Tampa. Lay members of the congregation conducted all aspects of the services until we engaged our first rabbi in 1980. However, even since that time, the lay members of the Congregation who want to do so have continued to participate extensively in our religious services. Although we have plenty of room for more people on the bima, we also love people who simply like to daven and participate from their seats.
The original synagogue facility contained a Sanctuary, a Social Hall, classrooms, office space, and a Kitchen, and opened shortly before the High Holiday Services in 1982. In 1998, the Congregation completed a major expansion, enlarging the Sanctuary, the Social Hall and Kitchen and adding a Chapel for daily minyans, Board Room and School Wing.
The synagogue family has grown to over 450 households. Of greatest importance, though, is not just how our numbers have grown, but how our Congregation has grown Jewishly.