Congregation of Moses News

Big Beautiful Tent Adorns the CoM Kikar Space

Thanks to a generous grant from the Okun Foundation, Congregation of Moses was able to purchase a 30'x30' tent for our kikar (courtyard) space. It's...

Annual Meeting Wrap-up

The Congregation of Moses Annual Meeting was held on May 20 and was well attended. After a bit of eating and schmoozing, President Brad Hershbein...

Siddur Lev Shalem For Weekdays

Fisher Library has just acquired the new Siddur Lev Shalem For Weekdays and it is chock full of so many wonderful resources! Not only does it have...

School Year Wrap-Up and Looking Ahead to Summer

Our final celebration ceremony of the 5786 school year was held on Sunday, May 17th, in the CoM sanctuary. The highlight of the event was the...

Shmirah — Guarding the Deceased

Shmirah, meaning "guarding," is a sacred Jewish practice in which we sit with a deceased person from the time of completion of Taharah until burial,...

What Is A Chevrah Kadisha?

This is the first in a series of columns to teach about Chevrah Kadisha and Jewish funeral practices.Traditionally, the preparation of the deceased...

Tachrichim — Burial Garments

Our Chevrah Kadisha follows the Jewish tradition of burying the deceased in simple white linen garments called tachrichim. They are made from cotton,...

Taharah — The Purification Ritual

One of the main roles of the Chevrah Kadisha is to perform the ancient ritual of Taharah. Taharah means "pure" or "purify."We have other rituals in...

Their Memory Is A Blessing

June Birthdays and Anniversaries

Birthdays Anniversaries

June Mishpacha

Calendar for June

Big Beautiful Tent Adorns the CoM Kikar Space

Thanks to a generous grant from the Okun Foundation, Congregation of Moses was able to purchase a 30'x30' tent for our kikar (courtyard) space. It's...

Annual Meeting Wrap-up

The Congregation of Moses Annual Meeting was held on May 20 and was well attended. After a bit of eating and schmoozing, President Brad Hershbein...

Caring Circle, Here to Provide Support to Our Members

Caring Circle — compassionate volunteers for the Congregation of Moses family.Caring Circle is a network of volunteers who would like to support...

High School Seniors Apply Now!

The Andrew Levene Scholarship is available to any 2026 graduating senior. The award is up to $1,000 and the deadline to apply is June 1, 2026.Please...

The Role of Congregation of Moses Trustees

Since 1990, Congregation of Moses has had 24 Trustees, 15 of whom have now died, 3.5 live away from Kalamazoo year-round or part-time, two are local...

Judy Davis and Margaret Israelson – Trustees of the Congregation of Moses

Two of CoM’s Trustees passed away recently: Judy Davis on April 14, and Margaret Israelson on April 23. The Congregation of Moses mourns the loss...

Dr. Paul Wienir (1942-2026)

It is with sorrow that we report the death of Dr. Paul Wienir, z"l, on January 15, 2026. Paul and his wife, Linda Wienir, were married for 58 years....

CoM Joins OutFront Kalamazoo's Faith Alliance

The Congregation of Moses is now a member of OutFront Kalamazoo's Faith Alliance, supporting the LGBTQ+ community of Kalamazoo.The Faith Alliance is...

Letter to the CoM Community From the Verne Family

Dear Congregation of Moses friends, As most of you probably already know, we recently moved back to Chicago from Kalamazoo.This decision was not made...

Laundry Love Mitzvah Project

Laundry Love washes the clothes and bedding of low/no income families and person(s) across the US. Laundry Love Kalamazoo is a collaborative project...

Spring Food Drive Completed

Thank you to all who brought boxed or canned food or made monetary donations for the spring food drive for Loaves and Fishes. Hunger is still very...

A Traditional Jewish Scribe

My friend and colleague, Rabbi Bec Richman, is a soferet or traditional Jewish scribe and is currently Torah. She recently sent me a video of her...

Trees In Jewish Tradition, In Honor of Earth Day

Reading The Song of Songs at this moment has been helpful to me, as I begin to turn my attention to, likely, the greatest problem of our time. For...

Judaism and Democracy

As I sat down to write this month’s bulletin column, these words of Thomas Paine from December 23, 1776 rang in my ears: “These are the times...

Shmirah — Guarding the Deceased

Shmirah, meaning "guarding," is a sacred Jewish practice in which we sit with a deceased person from the time of completion of Taharah until burial,...

What Is A Chevrah Kadisha?

This is the first in a series of columns to teach about Chevrah Kadisha and Jewish funeral practices.Traditionally, the preparation of the deceased...

Tachrichim — Burial Garments

Our Chevrah Kadisha follows the Jewish tradition of burying the deceased in simple white linen garments called tachrichim. They are made from cotton,...

Honoring the Dead Across Traditions

Both Jewish and Islamic traditions place the highest importance on caring for the deceased with dignity, speed, and spiritual intention. Comparing...

Chevrah Kadisha Liturgy

The Chevrah Kadisha conducts two main functions - The Taharah - which is the preparation of the deceased for burial and The Shmirah, which is the...

School Year Wrap-Up and Looking Ahead to Summer

Our final celebration ceremony of the 5786 school year was held on Sunday, May 17th, in the CoM sanctuary. The highlight of the event was the...

Discover Camp Tavor!

Give your child a summer filled with adventure, friendship, and meaningful connection at Camp Tavor—where kids grow, lead, and belong. With...

"The Letters Ask to Begin the World," A Living Midrash for Graduation Day

Before the first word of Genesis — before the oceans, the mountains, or the first breath of wind — HaShem was preparing to create the world. But...

Looking Towards the End of the School Year

April was a shorter month for us, with both Spring Break and Passover taking place at the beginning. As we return to our regular routines, students...

A Busy and Exciting March for the Okun School

We’ve had an exciting few weeks in our school community!Thank you to all of our incredible volunteers and attendees who made this year’s Purim...

Protect the Egalitarian Kotel - Take Action Today

The Knesset advanced legislation that strikes at the heart of Jewish unity and religious pluralism. The bill would transfer authority over all prayer...

Siddur Lev Shalem For Weekdays

Fisher Library has just acquired the new Siddur Lev Shalem For Weekdays and it is chock full of so many wonderful resources! Not only does it have...

"Intervene" with Arlena Jones - Cerka Kirsch: Second Generation Holocaust Survivor

Public Media Network host Arlena Jones welcomes Cerka (Sarah), a second-generation Holocaust survivor, as she shares her family’s story of survival...

Morris Kirsch, Holocaust Survivor and CoM Member

As April is the month in which we remember the Holocaust, we are featuring an oral history of Morris Kirsch recorded in 1994, shared by his daughter...

Taharah — The Purification Ritual

One of the main roles of the Chevrah Kadisha is to perform the ancient ritual of Taharah. Taharah means "pure" or "purify."We have other rituals in...