The Charlotte Jewish News - August 2010 - Page 19
A New Chapter Begins: Fort Mill’s Temple Kol Ami
By Jonathan Cohen
For more than 50 years, Jews in
York County, SC have had no
place to worship. Since the closing
of Rock Hill’s synagogue in the
late 1950s, Jewish families have
had to drive more than 45 minutes
to Charlotte or Gastonia to attend
services. But no more.
In January of this year, Jonathan
Cohen and Jonathan Shaw began
exploring the need for a Jewish
community in the York County
area. “Initially we had considered
forming a chavurah or minyan that
would meet once per month. We
anticipated maybe thirty or forty
people attending, but we never
dreamed of the response we would
receive,” said Jonathan Cohen.
The response Cohen refers to is the
more than 90 families who con
tacted Cohen and Shaw about the
new endeavor. “We knew once we
received such an overwhelming
response that people desired a syn
agogue; a home for themselves in
an area where one did not exist,”
said Jonathan Shaw, the congrega
tion’s first President.
On April 25, an organizational
meeting was held to explore the
idea of forming a synagogue. More
than 50 people attended the first
meeting. A Steering Committee
was selected to help guide the
fledgling congregation through its
early stages of development. “It
was truly exciting watching a
dream become reality and the
enthusiasm displayed by so many,
which had longed for a Jewish
community,” said Cohen.
Choosing the name. Temple Kol
Ami, which means “All My
People” was an important first step
in the young life of the new syna
gogue. “We want to form a congre
gation, which is inclusive of all
Jews and their families. We truly
want to become a ‘community
synagogue,’” added Cohen. As
such, Jews from all movements
and backgrounds flocked to the
first Shabbat service of the new
Temple Kol Ami held on June 4.
With more than 170 people in
attendance, rabbinical student
Jonathan Cohen led the service,
which included a keynote address
from congregational President
Jonathan Shaw, festive music, an
oneg, and even a baby naming.
Despite its youth. Temple Kol
Ami is positive about the sense of
community it can bring to Jews in
the greater York County area.
“There is a fremendous need for a
nexus to pull the Jewish communi
ty together,” said Shaw, and added,
“our mission is to become such a
nexus and offer a haven for Jewish
families to worship, leam, and
come together.”
Currently, Temple Kol Ami is
holding Shabbat services every 1 st
and 3rd Friday of the month at 7
PM with Saturday morning service
offered every 1st Saturday at 10
AM. Services are being held at St.
Philip Neri Catholic Church at 292
Munn Road East in Fort Mill. In
addition, Kol Ami will host its first
High Holy Day services, celebrat
ing Rosh Hashanah September 8-
10 and Yom Kippur September 17-
18. Tickets are $100 and can be
purchased by contacting the syna
gogue.
Said Cohen, “We plan on begin
ning a religious school very soon
along with adult education classes.
Other items we still need are a
Sefer Torah, High Holiday mach-
zorim, and so on,” remarked
Cohen. “We hope those in the
Charlotte Jewish community can
help us with some of these items,”
he added.
One thing is for certain; howev
er, Temple Kol Ami is meeting the
need for a burgeoning Jewish com
munity in the greater Charlotte
area.
If you would like more informa
tion about Temple Kol Ami or if
you would like to make contribu
tions, please contact the synagogue
at yorksynagogue@ gmail.com or
by phone at 803-701-0149. You
can also find the congregation on
the internet at www.kolami-tem-
ple.com or on Facebook under
“York County Synagogue.” ^
Havurat Tikvah High Holy
Day Schedule
Selichot: September 4
Rosh HaShana: September 9 &
10 at 10 AM
KolNidre: September 17 at
7 PM
Yom Kippur: September 18 at
10 AM
Services held at
2201 Springdale Ave.
Visit www.havurattikvah.org or
call 877-203-5848 or email
bcfein@gmail.com.
The Sins of Our Generations: Temple Beth El
and Temple Israel Come Together for Selichot
Rabbi Judy Schindler, Rabbi
Murray Ezring, Rabbi Micah
Streiffer and Rabbi Faith
Cantor
Ashamnu... Bagadnu...
Gazalnu....
The haunting melody of the
vidui, the communal confession
al, aids us in our quest to uncov
er the changes we must make
within ourselves for the new
year. As Jews we confess our sins
in the plural - “We have gone
asfray; we have done wrong” -
because we recognize our collec
tive responsibility for each other
and for the actions of the com
munity.
How have our deeds changed?
What were the confessions
offered by Jews in the 1920s?
What wrongs were committed by
those living in the ‘40s, ‘60s or
‘80s? How do our prayers of
remorse differ from those of the
other generations? From the
excesses of the interwar era, to
the national divisions of the years
of student rebellion, to our
responses - or lack thereof - in
the face of humanitarian crises
throughout the world, or to pre
vent the great oil spill devastat
ing the Gulf... Our prayers
reveal a great deal about who we
are.
We invite you to join us on
Saturday night, September 4, as
Temple Beth El and Temple
Israel will once again welcome
the season of reflection together.
For the second year, we will
gather as one community to
observe Selichot, the opening
moments of the High Holy Days.
The evening will begin at 8:30
PM with an engaging discussion
entitled “The Confessions of
Each Generation.” At 9:30 PM
we will gather for a dessert
reception. Then at 10 PM the
Selichot Service will inspire us
with the uplifting music of the
combined Temple Israel and
Temple Beth El choirs, led by
our gifted Cantors Andrew
Bernard and Elias Roochvarg.
We Need Your Help: Please
email us your feedback to be
used (anonymously) as the basis
of our discussion. Share your
answer to this question: “What
do you feel were the sins of each
particular decade or era through
which you have lived?” (Please
email responses to either mstreif-
fer@beth-el.com or rabbican-
tor@templeisraelnc.org.) ^
We came for the academics,
we stayed for the Jewish experience.
When our oldest, /Michael, started school,
l^oh and I looked at all the private
schools out there. The Charlotte Jewish
Vay School s studentiteacher ratio and
the attention given to each student are
what impressed us the most.
Over time we realized that by choosing
the ^ay School, we gave each of our
boys a wonderful gift - the development
of a Jewish identity. 6ach child in his
own way has demonstrated the joy he
finds in Judaism and applied it to his
everyday life. The boys know and love
the Jewish tradition, but what
it s in their hearts.
IS more
Nancy Kipnis
CJDS
^ Charlotte Jewish
Day School
A BENEFICIARY AQENCY OF
JEWISH^
FED^TjON
Pictured left are Michael (Washington University in St. Louis), josh (Vanderbilt),
Noah and Daniel (Charlotte Country Day School) with their parents. Bob and Nancy.