Doings & Events
Shaloha Shabbos - High Holidays - Passover Seder - Other Holidays
Varieties of Jewish Experience -
Board Meetings - WaKoBeS Meetings- AlteKaKoBeS Meetings - Annual Membership Meeting -
Thanksgiving Interfaith Service
Last Updated: March 24, 2009
KBS services are next Friday and Saturday at our usual Keahou Beach Resort location. Friday March 27 will start at 6:30 on the Kalani Kai and March 28 will begin at 10:00 in the ballroom.
CLASSES
We plan to participate in the National Jewish Outreach Program and have free Hebrew Classes through the Read Hebrew America Program. We have received preliminary material, but we still need to sign up and get our books from them. This year, we will have an advanced beginner group, as well as a beginner class meeting at the home of Shari Berman and Alice Bratton in Holualoa. We had a great group last year and this really helps people learn how to read the prayers in the siddur.
We did not get folks at the orientation meeting, even though some of you have signed up by e-mail. Please get this information to me as soon as possible: your name(s), street address, telephone number and preferred e-mail account and I will add you to our roster.
In addition to the prayerbook reading class, we will be adding a Modern Hebrew Conversation class taught by Trina Yerlick. There will be a modest charge for this. We will meet on non-KBS service Saturdays.
Advanced Beginner Hebrew Reading: 12:30-2:00pm
Modern Hebrew Conversation: 2:15-3:15pm
Beginner Hebrew Reading : 3:30-5:00pm
Please RSVP to Shari at this e-mail address or call 322-1638.
HATS
Hebrew and Torah Studies
Since the 1990s, Congregation Kona Beth Shalom (KBS) has provided a Hebrew educational program for children and youngsters in our Jewish community. Our program has varied in structure but has always been devoted to certain basic principles.The mission of KBS is to promote the enduring and fundamental principles of Judaism and to ensure the continuity of the Jewish people; to enable its adherents to develop a relationship to God through communal worship, study and assembly; and to apply the principles of Judaism on the values and conduct of the individual, family and society in which we live.
Our Hebrew School program was dubbed “HATS” by our students, meaning Hebrew And Torah Studies. Its purpose is to provide an education to the young people of our Jewish community that gives them what they need to take on the responsibilities of Jewish adulthood in today’s and tomorrow’s world. We also wish to inspire them to become part of the Jewish community here on the Big Island. This process includes study of the Hebrew language (reading, writing and speaking skills); understanding Jewish customs and ceremonies (including our festivals and Shabbat); study of Torah and Bible; and learning about Jewish history and Israel from ancient to modern times.
KBS is also able to provide education and training needed for Bar or Bat Mitzvah with us. This program is separate from the HATS program but is coordinated with it to fit the needs of the students.
The shape of our school varies as does the shape of our Jewish community, depending on the numbers and ages of our students.
At the present time, we are pleased to have Trina Yerlick as the primary teacher for the HATS program. Trina grew up in New York and attended Brandeis University as an undergraduate. She studied Education at San Francisco State University where she received her Master's Degree. Trina taught and lived in Israel for almost 5 years where she became fluent in Hebrew and grew to love the language as well as the history of Israel. After returning to California she became a full time mom and part time Hebrew school teacher. She taught all grades but especially became expert for fourth and fifth graders, important years before the Bar/Bat Mitzvah studies. She teaches both Modern and Siddur Hebrew as well as history and holidays. It is her hope that every Jewish child on the island learns what it means to be Jewish and has fun while learning.
Classes meet twice a month, for 1 ½ hours at a time, at Trina’s home in Holualoa. Students are between the ages of 5 through 12. One (or both) parents/grandparents must be members of Congregation Kona Beth Shalom (Family Membership). Membership in KBS is open to Jewish persons and families. The suggested donation for Annual Family Membership is $288; and for Annual Sustaining Membership (for those feeling more generous) it is $396. Reduced rates are available whenever needed.
In addition, the tuition for the HATS program is a suggested donation of $30 per month (advance payment is preferred). There is no refund for classes not attended. Reduced rates and scholarships are given whenever needed. From time to time there may be an additional charge for materials, payable directly to Trina Yerlick.
For more information, contact Trina Yerlick (tyerlick@gmail.com) or Shari Berman (konabethshalom@gmail.com).
We conduct Shabbat Services at the Outrigger Keauhou Beach Resort, 78-6740 Alii Drive, Kailua-Kona (telephone 808 322-3441). Announcements appear in the religious section of the Friday editions of “West Hawaii Today” (Kona’s newspaper). Friday evening services begin with candle lighting at around sunset in the Kalanikai Pavilion at the ocean’s edge. After the short service there is a kiddush, followed by a potluck supper (no pork or shell-fish please) sometimes followed by a Jewish educational program that includes musical performance, learning Hebrew, appreciating Jewish humor and other topics.
On Saturday mornings the Shabbat service begins at 10 am either in the “Secret Garden,” a secluded area surrounded by palms on the south side of the circular driveway at the hotel entrance or in a hotel ballroom. For the Torah Service, the Congregation uses a beautiful scroll rescued after the Holocaust. Over 180 years old, it is from Polna, Czechoslovakia. The service ends shortly after noon and is followed by a kiddush.
Members of the congregation conduct Shabbat services. Our siddur is “The Gates of Prayer.” Congregational members, volunteers, including occasional visitors, read the Torah. Different members offer their drush on the parsha of the week and Joel Gimpel and Yehudah Plaut provide violin and guitar accompaniments to many of the prayers. Vigorous group collaboration keeps the services interesting and successful.
High Holiday Observance Services, led by a rabbi invited from the mainland for the High Holidays, are held on the evening before Rosh Hashana, on the first day of Rosh Hashana, on Shabbat Tshuvah (Friday evening and Saturday morning), for Kol Nidre, and all day for Yom Kippur. Over the years we have had the pleasure of being led by Reform, Conservative, Orthodox and Renewal rabbis. In 2000 and 2001 and 2002 Rabbi Mark Shapiro (Reform) from Chicago led us, in 2003 Rabbi Sue Levy (Reconstructionist) from Texas. In 2004, services were led by Rabbi Laura Duhan Kaplan. The last two years services were led by Rabbi Yossi Caron. This year services were conducted by Rabbi Daniel Lev.
Each year the Congregation conducts a Community Seder at one of the hotels on the first evening of Passover. Although the meal is not technically kosher, we make every effort to follow traditional practice, sometimes a little more Ashkenazic, sometimes a little more Sephardic (i.e., rice). The Seder is mostly in English, but many of the prayers and the Four Questions are sung in Hebrew, English and Yiddish and sometimes in French, Spanish and Italian. We even have a translation in Hawaiian (click to see). When possible, musicians play and accompany the singing.
Kona Beth Shalom celebrates many other Jewish Holidays during the year. Notable among these is our Chanukah Party, often attracting over 100 people and featuring the Traveling Jewish Wedding Band. We also often celebrate the following holidays (Kona Beth Shalom’s plans to be announced in the Upcoming Events section of this web site):
SIMCHAT TORAH (right)
TU B’SHVAT
PURIM
YOM HASHOAH
YOM HA’ATZMAUT
LAG B’OMER
SHAVUOT
TISHA B’AV
The Varieties of Jewish Experience
Shabbaton with Reb Zalman and Eve Ilsen
See other photos taken by event photographer Ben Plaut
Programs in our series entitled “The Varieties of Jewish Experience” are offered from time to time to present rabbis, cantors, speakers, teachers and entertainers who may be visiting Kona and who wish to share their talents with the local community. Programs this year have included a discussion about the current political situation in Israel, a concert of Israeli, Yiddish and Russian folk songs, and a talk on a Nepalese trek. The congregation is open to hearing from persons interested in presenting a program here. Call Shari Berman at 322-0659 with information.
Our Board of Directors, opinions not lacking, meets once a month, usually at President Shari Berman's house, with all members welcome. KBS business is taken care of and KBS events are planned at these meetings.
The WaKoBeS, or Wahinis (Hawaiian for women) of Kona Beth Shalom, a group of over thirty women, meet periodically at one of their houses. Call Una Greenaway, at (808) 328-8888
The AlteKaKoBeS, or the Elder Kanes (Hawaiian for men) of Kona Beth Shalom, the men's group, meets quarterly at one of their houses.
Call Joel Gimpel at 325-4991
KBS has an annual membership meeting. The meeting includes voting for Board Members, a barbecue potluck meal and music and singing.
Thanksgiving Interfaith Services
On the evening before Thanksgiving day, KBS participates in a Thanksgiving Interfaith Service that includes our Jewish congregation and many local Catholic, Protestant, Buddhist, Bahai and New Thought congregations.
Click on this section to go to Annual Newsletters.
Beit HaShamayim
Birth is a beginning,
And death is a destination.
And life is a journey,
A sacred pilgrimage –
To life everlasting.
by Alvin Fine
Congregation Kona Beth Shalom has established a Jewish Cemetery following the principles to perpetuate the biblical requirement that Jews respect the memories of their departed ancestors by providing suitable burial grounds and care for their graves.
Ours is a Jewish cemetery. As Jews, although the specifics of our practices may differ, the individuals who undertake to manage and oversee our cemetery have committed themselves to the respectful care of those sacred grounds and the trust that has been bestowed upon them as trustees or directors. Just as synagogues preserve Jewish continuity in life, so do Jewish cemeteries preserve Jewish continuity after life has ended.
Our cemetery is located within Homelani Memorial Park at 388 Ponahawai Street in Hilo. Homelani is a Hawaiian word that means “heavenly home.” Thus our choice of the name, Beit HaShamayim.
The first two persons buried here are Judy and Jerry Rothstein (ז״ל) who passed away after a tragic accident in January 2005. Judy and Jerry were among the first who created the Jewish community on the Big Island. Their son, Natan, was the first Bar Mitzvah on this island. Their daughter, Ann, still resides here.
Congregation Kona Beth Shalom is a non-affiliated congregation. In burial practice we follow Jewish traditions but not necessarily all orthodox practices.
Any Jewish person or member of a Jewish person’s family (Jews by birth, Jews by choice, individuals married to, or life partners of, or the children of Jews) may be buried in Beit HaShamayim. Our cemetery is surrounded by a mechitsa and is considered sacred ground. Burial plots may be purchased from the Congregation. Members who purchase in advance will have reduced costs.
For information, contact Shari Berman at konabethshalom@gmail.com or call 808 322-0659. The telephone number for Homelani Memorial Park is (808) 961-6051. Their web site is: www.homelanimemorialpark.com. Tell them that you are inquiring about Kona Beth Shalom’s Jewish Cemetery. Obviously, making arrangements at the last minute can be extremely trying. Advance planning is highly recommended.
