Rabbi's Message

I have a personal mission. Join me. I am working to bring down the barriers that separate so many from Jewish life and the Jewish community. Taking part in this mission requires only that you accept wholeheartedly the premise of KULANU and its message of "All of Us Together." Together, what can't we accomplish?

In the movie Field of Dreams, Kevin Costner hears a voice telling him, "If you build it, they will come." We, Jewish professionals and lay leaders, built spectacular institutions to which people came, but unwittingly we also built a wall that kept many others outside. The obstacle most often cited is a financial one.

At Temple Beth Am, we have taken the brave, and as we see it, logical step of replacing the membership dues system with a voluntary financial commitment. This is KULANU. This is Temple Beth Am. This is All of Us Together.

The removal of a mandatory financial commitment is only one important step to removing barriers. More will follow. We are working to make Judaism accessible to all. Every function of Temple Beth Am will be evaluated with one question: Does this action or effort place or remove barriers to embracing Jewish life and the Jewish community? This is my mission. Join me. To make KULANU a reality, we need you.

All of Us Together.

B'shalom,
Rabbi Alon Levkovitz