Dear Friends,
I hope this message finds you well and preparing for a sweet Shabbat.
This is a big weekend for KHN, with Rabbi Zari leading her final Kabbalat Shabbat with us tonight at 6pm, followed by Sebastian Cohen’s bar mitzvah tomorrow morning at 10:45am. One of Rabbi Zari's greatest strengths is how beautifully she leads b'nai mitzvah services, holding sacred space as our young people transition from student to teacher on the bima. We hope that you tune in to both services this weekend and share your appreciation for Rabbi and the Cohen-Price family!
In this year of our Rabbinic Search, we are elevating KHN’s founding commitment to participatory Judaism. We are excited that members of all ages will be carrying our community ark forward with congregant-led services and study. But we will not be alone on this journey.
Today I am happy to announce that Rabbi Allison Flash will be working with KHN to provide rabbinic support to congregants and lay-leadership beginning this October. She will first step up to our digital bima for Kabbalat Shabbat services on Friday October 16th at 6pm.
Rabbi Flash comes highly recommended to us by Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) and community advisors, KHN members and professional staff. Rabbi Flash was ordained by the Hebrew Union College and holds a Master of Arts in Jewish Education and Hebrew Letters. For Rabbi Flash the most meaningful aspect of the rabbinate is “being present for people during their most celebratory and most challenging times". She is looking forward to providing rabbinic support as KHN navigates the joys and pains of this transitional year.
Ensuring that our youth have a positive, full, rite of passage during this extraordinary time is of great importance to us all. Rabbi Flash is a consummate ‘b’nai mitzvah rabbi’ and will be able to maintain KHN’s storied b’nai mitzvah tradition.
Rabbi Flash's title for the year is "support rabbi". In this role, Rabbi Flash will provide core support for b’nai mitzvah families, pastoral care for members, support for lifecycle observances, monthly Kabbalat services, and rabbinic consultation to support our congregant-led, participatory goals for 5781. Rabbi Flash is currently working with Rabbi Zari, Jenn Stewart, and the board to ensure a smooth transition for b’nai mitzvah families and pastoral care prior to starting her contract in October.
You can read more about Rabbi Flash’s approach and philosophy at https://rabbiallisonflash.com/.
Finally, I want to make sure that everyone has next week's Celebration Havdalah on their calendar. We will gather to celebrate Rabbi Zari's many years and accomplishments as our spiritual leader and send our love and best wishes with her on she steps into her next journey. Please join us Saturday August 29th at 7pm.
Shabbat shalom, friends.
Jennifer Stewart
Shammes President
