By Rabbi
Mark S. Glickman
Congregation
Kol Shalom
In the outskirts of Winslow, in a clearing at the end of a long gravel driveway, sits a small building that used to be an old house. Enter through the heavy glass doors in front, and you will find yourself in a room with a low ceiling, wooden floors, and several rows of chairs. To the right is a kitchen, and to the left is a small meeting room and some creaky steps leading upstairs.
The
building is that of Congregation Kol Shalom, Bainbridge IslandÕs only
synagogue. The sanctuary seats about 30 people - 40 if they're friendly and its
three other rooms provide some much-needed office, meeting, and classroom space
for our various activities.
Our
congregation numbers some 70-80 families - some native Washingtonians, others
imported. We hold regular Sabbath and festival worship services, about 40
children attend our religious school classes, and several adults come to our
programs for grown-ups, too. Sociologists of religion call our little group of
Jews a Òsmall congregation.Ó
But to
designate the Jewish community of Bainbridge as ÒsmallÓ would be misleading.
For one thing, when we get together to worship at the beginning of our Sabbath
on Friday nights, and then again Saturday mornings, we don't sound very small
at all. Maybe itÕs just because of the great acoustics in our uncarpeted
sanctuary, or maybe weÕre secretly trying to sing loud enough so that our
fellow Jews over in Seattle will be able to hear some of our Island Jewish
Spirit. Whatever the reason, when we at Congregation Kol Shalom sing the words
of our ancestors, the sound booms forth with real gusto.
Also, it
is at this building where our young people study Hebrew, sacred Jewish texts,
and the history and values of our people. Here is where members of our
community come daily in search of God, guidance, and their extended Jewish
family. Here, each month, our board meets. The board members Ð people who were
drafted into service in a process we call an ÒelectionÓ Ð laugh during their
meetings sometimes, and occasionally, because they all care so deeply for the
place, they bicker, too.
What all
of these various activities share in common is that each of them is one way
that we in the Bainbridge Island Jewish community forge a new link in the
ancient chain of traditions, values, and practices of our people. What we do at
our little synagogue binds past to future. In a world of rampant isolation, we
go to the synagogue to find our community; in a world of growing despair, we go
to our synagogue to find hope; in a world that so often idolizes fame, fortune,
and facade, we go to our synagogue in search of what is truly sacred.
In the
outskirts of Winslow, at the end of a long gravel driveway, sits a small
synagogue. In this little building, we Jews find community, support and love.
Here is where we make ancient truths real in our world today; here is where we
open our hearts to God.
Come check it out for yourself sometime. We donÕt evangelize, but we would love to welcome you as our guest. DonÕt worry, there will always be room for you when you come. Our little synagogue, you see, isnÕt very little at all.