Young Adults of Kol Ami
We are a community of Jewish and Jew-curious folks in our 20s & 30s based in West Hollywood. We believe that Judaism helps make our lives meaningful in the contemporary world, and we aim to create opportunities to share and experience that meaning through communal gatherings, spiritual exploration, and social justice.
Whether you’re Jewish or just Jew-“ish;” whether you know a lot about Judaism, or want to explore the unknown; we want to extend a hand of welcome and community to you. In fact, it’s in our very name! “Yad” means hand in Hebrew, and so an “open hand,” an “open yad” represents our mission to reach out to folks in their 20s & 30s who may not be currently involved in Jewish life, but who seek chances to learn, (re)connect, and explore the wisdom and spirituality of Judaism. That open hand also reflects our commitment to building that Jewish community within an inclusive and progressive environment.
The Open Yad Project is a program of Congregation Kol Ami, and we’d love to hear from you! Read more about our programs below, sign up for The Open Yad Project newsletter, or reach out directly today!
Our Programs
Since July of 2018, we’ve hosted dozens of programs—all of them opportunities to build relationships and community, and to learn about and explore Judaism.
Make sure to follow our Facebook page for up-to-date event information.
Monthly Havdalah Experience
On the Second Saturday of each month, we gather to mark the end of Shabbat with the rituals of Havdalah, which means “separation” in Hebrew, and marks the separation from the end of one week to the beginning of the next. These gatherings offer us a chance for a spiritual reset — a breath of fresh air for our spirits, and a chance to strengthen each other as we enter the week ahead.
The program itself varies from month to month, and we’ve done things like making our own Havdalah candles, to a rugelach (rolled cookie) baking workshop, to game night and more.
Brunches, Hikes and More!
We also host hosted Brunch & Learn events, as well as group hikes (or “Hike-vrutah,” named after the traditional practice of learning with a partner called chevrutah.) These opportunities are designed as casual chances to connect with one another, and to connect the ancient wisdom of Jewish sacred texts to our contemporary lives.