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Aloha & Welcome to Kona Beth Shalom
Kona Beth Shalom (KBS) is the only Jewish congregation on the Kona or West Coast of the island of Hawaii, also called "the Big Island," the southernmost island of the Hawaiian Island chain (not to be confused with Oahu, the most populous island on which Honolulu is located, or the state as a whole, also called Hawaii). We are unaffiliated and open to meet with and learn from all Jewish resources.
KBS serves the community by conducting Shabbat Services on the last Sabbath of each month, observing and celebrating Jewish holidays throughout the year, and hosting presentations of topics interesting to Jews. E-mail us by contacting Shari Berman, President.
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Shabbat Services
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. |
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Community
Becoming a Member
We offer annual membership at the time of each Jewish New Year. The amount is $125 for Single Membership, $250 for Family Membership and $360 for Sustaining Membership. We have no paid employees; volunteers do all the work. Click here to see a KBS Contribution and Membership Application form.
We have also established a Building Fund to be used to acquire or build our future home. Our vision is to have a one to two-acre parcel of land with a structure (or structures) that will house a sanctuary, library, office, kitchen and rest rooms. This facility would also serve as a school, a meeting hall, and a place to come together for lecture, festivity, dance, and worship. The land would have ample parking and landscaping to make it conducive to its proposed functions.
Congregation Kona Beth Shalom is incorporated in the State of Hawaii and is qualified as a religious institution described in Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions to the Congregation are tax deductible.
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Aloha & Welcome
