Our Community History

1992-1993

In 1991, Rabbi Jeffrey Schein, a graduate of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, came to Cleveland with his wife, Debbie, and their three children, to teach at the College of Jewish Studies. Several people, many of whom were students in the courses Rabbi Jeffrey taught, expressed an interested in learning more about Reconstructionist Judaism. Only one had grown up in a Reconstructionist home.

In November 1992, Rabbi Jeffrey invited them to attend a meeting. Sitting in a circle in the Scheins' living room, each person expressed feelings about their past experiences as members of various Jewish congregations, their present needs and interests, and their hopes for the future of this newly forming Reconstructionist Havurah (fellowship – specifically, a small group of like-minded Jews who come together to learn, pray, and share communal and life cycle experiences).

In March 1993, the group of founders began to organize itself, forming a Mazkirut (a steering committee of committee chairs) and named Ellin Friedman and Fran Zamore as Co-Chairs.

From the beginning, the group desired to be inclusive –  open and welcoming to people of all ages and from a wide range of Jewish practice and learning, comfortable for Jews-by-choice and for intermarried couples.

Community service was a focus from the start. We were soon involved with organizations like Mazon, Harvest for Hunger, and Habitat for Humanity. A custom of volunteering on Christmas day began. Education was also an important early priority; we began by studying the book Exploring Judaism by Rebecca T. Alpert and Jacob J. Staub.

1993-1994

Mazkirut co-chair Ellin Friedman and her husband moved to Schenectady, NY, and Fran Zamore continued as solo Chair. Membership had grown to 18 families.

That year also marked the start of our relationship with the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation (JRF), now Reconstructing Judaism, the national Reconstructionist movement organization to which we and more than 100 other Reconstructionist congregations and havurot belong. The national organization is an exceptional font of resources and encouragement. Over the years, many of our members have become very active in the national movement. 

In December 1994, a Hanukkah party was held at the home of the Kelmans. Our first religious service was held in celebration of Shavuot in May 1994. The success of that service led us to begin holding monthly Friday evening services in members' homes.

Those interested in education wrestled with The Meaning of God in Modern Jewish Religion by Mordecai Kaplan.

Rabbi Jeffrey, an indefatigable volunteer, taught, guided, and sustained us through all these activities.

1994-1995

Now grown to more than 30 households, we secured legal status as a not-for-profit organization, officially incorporating as The Reconstructionist Havurah of Cleveland. Our new legal status required us to adopt By-Laws and elect officers. Fran Zamore became our first president, and the Mazkirut expanded to include the officers.

Despite advice that we were too small and too young to have our own High Holy Day services, a team worked hard through the summer of 1994 to create our first High Holy Days services that drew from many sources. We held our services at the Shaker Lakes Nature Center on Rosh Hashana morning in September 1994. Some say two Havurah traditions began that day: a Tashlich ceremony, a time of spiritual renewal at the Shaker Lakes, and a lunch (which, some say, started a custom of communal eating at nearly every opportunity).

Strengthened by the success of our first High Holy Day services, we began to hold Friday night services each month at the Nature Center.

1995-1996

Barbara Epstein became the Havurah's second president.

As the space on the second floor of the Nature Center was not accessible to all, we began having Friday evening services and some holiday services at the Wuliger Chapel at Bellefaire, and High Holy Days in the sanctuary of Congregation Bethanyu in Pepper Pike.

1996 -1997

Rosh Hodesh monthly gatherings of Havurah women began, in member homes. To better serve families with school age children, the Next Generation Committee was formed. Monthly in-home Saturday afternoon Torah study sessions began.

1997-1998

Leah Kamionkowski became the Havurah's third president.

We began to hold larger events at the Agnon School - Cleveland College of Jewish Studies building on Shaker Boulevard. For new members as well others in the community, we started Reconstructionism 101, a three-evening seminar, held in member homes. It was well attended and attracted many new members. Upon discovering that more than 80% of members were using the internet we launched a website. In May 1998, a group of members, the Chai Lights, organized a celebration to honor Jeffrey Schein’s twenty years as a rabbi.

1998-1999

Rabbi Jeffrey Schein and Rabbi Steve Segar, who came to Cleveland to serve as Director of Spiritual Life for The Agnon School, were formally engaged to serve the Havurah on a part-time basis. Services were now held twice each month: the first Friday evening and the third Saturday morning. We started a year-long Jewish Alive & American seminar, with nearly a third of our growing membership (now 70 households) enrolled.

On Shavuot 1999, we welcomed our first Sefer Torah, purchased with funds raised at the celebration of Rabbi Jeffrey Schein celebration the year before.

1999-2000

Rabbis Schein and Segar continued to serve the  Havurah part-time. The prior year's programs continued and we added informal "Living Room" services on the fourth shabbat of each month, Aytz Hayim We and Prayer seminars, and a Bonim (builders) group for children ages 8-10. Three Social Action projects began. We adopted new Bylaws that replaced our steering committee with an elected Board with staggered terms.

In August 2000, the Havurah selected Steve Segar to serve as its rabbi, and named Jeffrey Schein Founding Rabbi.

We held a successful "Rabbi Fund" campaign to finance the first two years of our transition to more regular rabbinic service.

2000-2001

Selma Gwatkin became the Havurah's fourth president. 

We added a second Shabbat morning service each month and announced a Tishri (first month of the Jewish Year) Membership plan to encourage nonmembers to experience the High Holy Days period with us. Programs in all areas expanded.

In three years, the Havurah had grown from 60 households to more than 100. We examined the issue of limiting our size and concluded we would remain open to all who wished to join after being well informed about the Havurah and the expectations of belonging to such a participatory community. We also decided to give more attention to the orientation of new members and to member participation.

2001-2002

We enjoyed further growth in membership and programs. In June 2002, we increased Rabbi Steve's appointment to full time, leased our first office space, and adopted a new dues structure that would share the Havurah's costs fairly across all members.

2002-2003

We celebrated our 10th anniversary in January 2003. 
Deena Epstein became our fifth president.

2003-2004

In June 2004, we chose a new name for our community: Kol HaLev (Voice of the Heart), Cleveland's Reconstructionist Jewish Community.

2004-2005

Sue Pelleg was elected our sixth president. Rabbi Estelle Mills was named our first Education Director.

2005-2006

(Coming Soon)

2006-2007

Kol HaLev celebrated its "B’nai Mitzvah" year with a weekend of events culminating in a party honoring our first six presidents (a.k.a. “the founding mamas”) and featuring a silent auction of services and items donated by our members.

Kol HaLev held its biennial Shabbaton (Shabbat retreat) at a new location, Geneva on the Lake.

Kol HaLev received a special grant from the Legacy Heritage Foundation for innovation in family-based education programming.

After several community-wide planning sessions, we adopted new vision and mission statements.

We welcomed Tamar Kamionkowski, vice president for academic affairs at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College as our scholar-in-residence for a special weekend of education in May.

New educational guidelines for B’nai Mitzvah were adopted.

2007-2008

Allen Binstock was elected Kol HaLev’s seventh president, the first male to hold the position.

Kol HaLev received its second Legacy Heritage grant.

Robyn Novick was hired as Director of Youth and Family Education.

2008-2009

Kol HaLev moved to its new home at the Lillian and Betty Ratner School in Pepper Pike, and launched the Securing Our Sacred Space fundraising campaign.

2009-2010

Simcha Zevit became Kol HaLev’s first rabbinic intern.

Thanks to Fran Zamore, Anne Adamson, Deb Schein and Barbara Epstein for the history through 1998.