Kol Halev - Cleveland's Reconstructionist Jewish Community

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    • Participation

    Kol HaLev is a Participatory Community!

    Among the joyful work of Kol HaLev membership is the responsibility for creating the programs and other ways of connecting that make this community thrive. At Kol HaLev, we use our values to drive community decisions, as well as to organize our governance structure. Our overall strategic plan is organized by our community's values. Committees and activities are organized under one of six Values Teams:

    • Welcoming, Caring & Communicating
    • Spiritual
    • Democratic & Fiscally Sustainable
    • Learning
    • Informed & Involved
    • Participatory

    Each Values Team is led by a Values Team Leader (VTL) who is also a board member. Each VTL is charged with guiding the community's programmatic life in his or her values area, based on our strategic plan, and overseeing the various tasks undertaken by that Values Team's committees.

    Our committee chairs welcome your interest. While each committee needs members for continuing service, chairs are also delighted to hear from you even if your schedule only permits short-term or very focused help. 

    Committee service is an important way to be involved in Kol HaLev life, but there are also many other ways to participate in the community.  Click here

    For a list of our officers and Board members, click here.
    For the Membership List, complete with addresses, phone numbers and emails, click here. (This will take you to the "Members Only" section where a User Name and Password are required.)
    Links to our Bylaws are included below for our standing committees.

    Communications
    Kol HaLev has three main communication vehicles:

    • Monthly Newsletter 
    • Weekly Email Update 
    • Website

    Adult Education Committee
    Our Adult Education Committee plans and implements educational opportunities so members can study and enrich their understanding of Judaism in all its aspects, historical, cultural and religious, including the Reconstructionist perspective. It also helps other committees develop educational programs related to their objectives. To view the committee's Web page, click here.

    Building Liaison
    The only person authorized to deal with Ratner School re: our use of their facilities. Members are asked to work with Ratner School through the Building Liason.

    Cemetery   
    Deals with our section of Hillcrest Cemetery and the rules for purchase and use by Kol HaLev members and their families. To learn more, click here.

    Child Care Coordinator   

    Development Committee
    Engages in developing fundraising strategies and events.

    Executive Committee  
    Per our Bylaws, this committee (our President, Vice Presidents, Secretary, Treasurer and Rabbi) is a facilitative body to appoint committee Chairs, strengthen the operation of committees, develop the agenda for Board meetings and follow up on Board decisions.

    Finance Committee 
    As stated in the Bylaws, the Finance Committee prepares our annual budget with assistance from the Treasurer and from other committees. It is also responsible for monitoring the treasury function and coordinating all funds. Our Dues page is approved by this committee and our Treasurer. 

    Hesed Committee
    Hesed means "loving kindness". Our Hesed Committee performs Gmilut Hasadim - acts of loving kindness - to the members of our community by aid and support during life cycle events and other times of need. We arrange for meals or transportation for members who are ill, bereaved, or experiencing transition such as new parenthood. We ensure minyans for shiva services, send gifts and cards as appropriate, and mobilize a phone tree to contact members about timely matters. Our small committee can provide these Gmilut Chasadim because over the course of the year nearly all members help. If you have a need or know someone who does, contact the chair.

    High Holy Days Committee
    Each year our tradition of participation can be seen in the work of the High Holy Days Committee which, with the advice of Rabbi Steve Segar, plans our celebration of the High Holy Days. Then it "orchestrates" the hundreds of small steps that will create our observance of the Days of Awe. Nearly all of our members will play a part -- large or small -- in this process.

    Holidays Committee
    Organizing our holiday celebrations - Hanuka, Purim, Simchat Torah, Sukkot and more - is the mission of the Holidays Committee. It emphasizes both community and home celebrations and building inter-generational activities.

    Kiddush Coordinator
    Our Shabbat morning services are followed by a simple kiddush hosted by one or two member families. The sponsors are usually sharing the joy of a special event - a major birthday, wedding anniversary, a child's graduation, or the birth of a child or grandchild - with the community. The coordinators arrange for hosting at each service and maintain our Guidelines for Hosting.

    Marketing Co-Coordinators
    Our marketing committee is involved in a variety of activities designed to distinguish, better communicate and strenthen our overall brand and messaging. This important committee's work permeates many of the acticvities being undertaken across our community.

    Membership Committee
    Per our Bylaws, this committee is responsible for recruiting and retaining members. Its emphasis is 'inreach' - to welcome new members and help all members get connected with the activities and committees that would be of most interest to them. It also conducts 'outreach' activities - helping potential members make an informed choice (see our Membership page) about joining our community.

    Rabbi Liaison Committee
    This committee was formed when we engaged Rabbi Steve Segar. It meets regularly to hear his views of how things are going and what needs he might have, to share with him the views of the committee and feedback from other members, and to be a sounding board for his ideas, concerns, and plans.

    Religious Practices Committee
    Our Religious Practices Committee (see Bylaws), working closely with Rabbi Steve Segar, arranges for Shabbat Friday evening and Saturday morning services. This includes writing guidelines, selecting leaders, analyzing services that have been held, etc. The committee conducts workshops on leading a service, on the structure of a service, and the meaning of prayer. It also determines many of our ritual practices, e.g., how to handle kashrut. With the rabbi's advice and the participation of members it recommends guidelines on other matters, such as the role of the non-Jew in ritual and our B'nai Mitzvah celebrations, for Board approval. See our Services page.

    Tikkun Olam (formerly Social Action)
    Our goal is to provide our members with opportunities for tikkun olam (repairing the world). Projects are created for people of all ages with the hope that they will be inspired to volunteer in some way during the year. We plan various avenues in which one may give such as donations of food and/or money to a food bank, tutoring children in an inner city school, aiding a housing project for the homeless and political action initiatives. Our committee also runs our High Holy Days food campaign for Mazon and local needs. See our Tikkun Olam page.

    Torah Study
    All members are welcome to join in these monthly meetings which take place in a member's home.  Learn more

    Youth and Family Education
    This committee was established in January 2002 to address the educational needs of our children and provides support to our Director of Youth and Family Education.

     

     


     

    Services and Programs: The Lillian and Betty Ratner School . 27575 Shaker Boulevard . Pepper Pike, OH 44124

    Office: 2245 Warrensville Center Road, Suite 215 . University Heights, OH 44118 . (216) 320-1498

    Kol HaLev is affiliated with the Jewish Reconstructionist Communities and the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College

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