Officers & Committees

The following is a brief description of the committees that have been established by Kol Ami, the Northern Virginia Reconstructionist Community.

Each committee is under the leadership of one to three community members. As more people become involved and express an interest and/or expertise in establishing and chairing additional committees, we will do so.

If you would like either to join a committee or develop a new committee (or if you would like more information about a committee) please e-mail admin@kolamivirginia.org, and your request/comments will be forwarded to the appropriate individual. Or feel free to write directly to our President, Vice-President, or Children’s Program Chair.

Adult Jewish Education Committee – This committee plans and implements Jewish education programs for adults, focusing on Jewish religious and cultural topics.

Care and Concern Committee – The Care & Concern Committee facilitates support to Kol Ami members experiencing life challenges, such as illness, disability, grief, death, loneliness and aging. Support includes maintaining lists (Yahrzeit, healing, resources), providing transportation and food, assisting with Shivas, and offering healing services and educational programs. 

Children & Family – The Children & Family Committee organizes and runs Kol Ami’s Jewish Children’s Education Program (JCEP), multiple family-friendly holiday celebrations each year, and helps with the B’nai Mitzvah Program. JCEP is a small school with approximately 20-30 students, taught by volunteer teachers from the Kol Ami Community, and focused on Hebrew language skills and Jewish Studies. Annual family-friendly holiday celebrations we organize include High Holiday Children’s Services, Hanukkah, Tu BiShvat, Purim, and a JCEP-led Shabbat service/pizza party.

Honors Committee – The Honors Committee identifies Kol Ami members whose contribution to the community has been exceptional. It proposes them for recognition as Kol Amites of the Year or as recipients of the Hineni Award.

Inclusion – The Inclusion Committee strives to raise awareness of and respond to the special needs and concerns of our members. We work to identify and remove potential obstacles to their full participation and to build a fully inclusive culture in the Kol Ami community.

Membership Committee – The Membership Committee provides a personalized welcome to new and potential members in order to help new members find a fulfilling home in our congregation. The membership committee also reaches out to departing members to better understand why Kol Ami was no longer meeting their needs.

Ritual Committee – The Ritual Committee plans the Ritual calendar of services and establishes policy with regard to religious services and other activities (i.e. Passover Seder). Its work  includes: food and kashrut issues, format for services, adherence to holiday customs and ceremonies, and answers to questions about established ritual issues. Members of this committee might have skills and/or interest in leading lay-led services. This committee also interfaces with Kol Ami’s rabbinic support.

Tikkun Olam Committee – The Tikkun Olam Committee seeks out and organizes opportunities for volunteer action.

Kol Ami Officers

July 1, 2018 – June 30, 2019

POSITION	NAME	EMAIL [at] = @
President	Debra Linick	president@kolamivirginia.org
Vice President	Jane Schulman	vice-president@kolamivirginia.org
Secretary	Ted Joseph	secretary@kolamivirginia.org
Treasurer	Erv Walter	treasurer@kolamivirginia.org
Past President	Lynda Erinoff	past_pres@kolamivirginia.org

Kol Ami Committees

July 1, 2018 – June 30, 2019

Position	Name	Email
Steering-At-Large Members	Gordon Achtermann Rayna Aylward Jon Baumgarten Mattie Cohan Lance Feiner Mindy Rudell David Sidransky Jason Wright
Committees
Adult Education	Richard Ruth	adult_ed@kolamivirginia.org
Care and Concern	Rayna Aylward, Chair Susan Freiband Joan Goldfarb Betsy Greer Louise Lerner Toni Popkin Sharon Sterling	care@kolamivirginia.org
Children & Family	Mindy Rudell, Chair Dayna Davitz Joan Goldfarb Emily Toll	children@kolamivirginia.org
Fundraising	David Sidransky, Chair
Honors	Ed Bomsey, Chair Rayna Aylward Jane Petkofsky Toni Popkin Mindy Rudell
Inclusion	Toni Popkin, Chair Todd Birkenruth Harriet Epstein Louise Lerner Cameron Vanore	inclusion@kolamivirginia.org
Membership	Jane Schulman, Chair Dayna Davitz Jane Petkofsky	membership@kolamivirginia.org
Ritual	Mike Jawer, Chair Erin Bueno de Mesquita Mark G Joan Goldfarb Margie Jervis Steve Pershing Jane Petkofsky Anne Salzberg	ritual@kolamivirginia.org
Rabbi’s Programming	Elenor Hodges, Chair	planning@kolamivirginia.org
Tikkun Olam	Mattie Cohan, Chair Elizabeth Lower-Basch, Chair	tikunolam@kolamivirginia.org
Key Volunteers
Healing List	Toni Popkin	healing@kolamivirginia.org
JCRC Liaison		jcrc@kolamivirginia.org
Leyning Coordinator	Anne Salzberg
Liaison to Synagogue Disability Inclusion Working Group	Toni Popkin	inclusion@kolamivirginia.org
NOVA Education Directors’ Council Liaison	Jason Weiss
Reconstructionist Movement	Lynda Erinoff	jrf@kolamivirginia.org
Schmooze Club	Madeleine Levy	schmooze@kolamivirginia.org
Shabbat Hosting	Valerie Herold	hosting@kolamivirginia.org
Webmaster		webmaster@kolamivirginia.org
Yahrzeit List	Betsy Greer	yahrzeit@kolamivirginia.org