Kolot Kavod
Welcome to Kolot Kavod, the new page that honors significant efforts by Kolot Chayeinu members that have grown, shaped, or otherwise strongly influenced this community.
Kavod is Hebrew for honor, and for things that are weighty; it also sometimes refers to the presence of God. We hope this page will give honor to the weighty work that links the human and the divine. We call that work Avodah, meaning service divine and human, as well as labor. To our divinely inspired laborers, we say Kol haKavod: Good job, but more literally, all honor to you!
Kol Ha-kavod to:
LISA AUERBACH
Lisa Auerbach served as High Holydays chair from the year 2000 or before to 2011, organizing Kolot's Holydays celebrations and services as they grew out of the Church of Gethsemane and into Mission for Today, and then grew into two evening services to accommodate all who wish to join us for prayer, song, reflection, learning, celebrating and more. It is a "yeo-woman's" task and for it and all of what Lisa brought to it, we honor her here.
She joined Kolot Chayeinu a year or two before she began this task, and has thus been a member since 1999 or even longer.
Her Hebrew name is Lieba Rokhel bat Reuven vRifka Leah.
About the job she has done so well and for so long, Lisa herself says,
"This job has been incredibly important to me because it gives any Jew or anyone else the opportunity to come and be a part of a community on the High Holydays. I have taken such pride in this community when we open our doors and do the work needed to allow all to pray together."
SHIRA SAMEROFF
Shira Sameroff served as coordinator of High Holydays labor for close to ten years, beginning in 2001 or perhaps 2002. She created systems of engagement, detailing the many kinds of tasks that need doing for our Holydays services and events to run smoothly, enlisting more than 100 Kolot members and friends each year in a workforce of setter-uppers, cleaner-uppers, greeters, overseers, safety caretakers, food-bringers, schleppers of ritual items, and more. They have been our "Leviim," modern descendants of the ancient Levites whose task was to build, take down and carry the ancient mishkan, the tabernacle in the wilderness that was the people's center of connection to God and leadership.
Shira says:
After playing hard to get for a few years, I faced my commitment issues and joined Kolot over 10 years ago. We were still having services on the balcony. I took on my HHD role when Ruth was president and we were still having HHD services at 10th street. Maybe 10 years ago?
My work has been to organize people to do most all the work to make the High holidays happen except for clergy and music.
It has been challenging and demanding work, especially as we have grown but with many rewards. Specifically I have loved creating opportunities for members and non members to contribute to the Kolot community and see the meaning so many get from that. I also really appreciate the lovely connections that are made among people working together and the relationships I myself have built over the years of doing this work.
