Who We Are

Jews on the Big Island - The Membership

Becoming a Member - The Board - WaKoBeS - AlteKaKoBeS

FAQs

Jews on the Big Island

 

Congregation Kona Beth Shalom (KBS) serves the west or Kona coast of the Big Island of Hawaii.  Although the largest island in the Hawaiian chain, the island of Hawaii has a total population of only 140,000, with about 40,000 living on the Kona side. Kona has about 400 Jews with 45 families as members of our congregation.

 

The Membership

 

Congregation Kona Beth Shalom has been active in Kona for about thirty years. We are unaffiliated and our membership is very eclectic. Most of us have come here to escape the more formal aspects of mainland big city life. Our origins include New York, Chicago and many West Coast cities. We use The Gates of Prayer, a reform text, as our Siddur, but have also used the Art Scroll Siddur. Members lead our Shabbos services. We sometimes have visiting Rabbis lead us also. A few of our congregation read Torah for Saturday services.  Our Torah is an old Czechoslovakian Torah Scroll rescued from the Holocaust.

 

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. 

 

Board of Trustees


Our Board of Trustees meets on the first Sunday afternoon of each month. The officers are:

President, Shari Berman
1st Vice President, Una Greenway

2nd Vice President Erwin Myhre
Secretary, Joel Gimpel
Treasurer, Michael Bernstone

.The remaining trustees are: 

Debera First, Lorraine Highkin, Barbara Lewis, Erwin Myhre, Bob Rhée, Helen Salzberg, Tony Franken, Una Greenway, Paul Janes, Alan Pollak,  Michael Zola, Marilyn Anderson, Vivienne Aronowitz, Ruth Glatt, Noah Salzman, Ruth Adar.

WaKoBeS 

The WaKoBeS, or Wahinis (Hawaiian for women) of Kona Beth Shalom, are a group of over 30 women (that's number of women, not their age), whose co-presidents are Ruth Ader and Jan Rae. They meet periodically at one of their member's homes. The WaKoBeS help with preparations for the congregation's Shaloha-Shabbos and holiday events,  celebrate life cycle events of members, organize tzedakeh activities and generally have a good time in each other's company.

Alte KaKoBeS

The Alte KaKoBeS or Alte (Yiddish for Wise) Kane (Hawaiian for men) of Kona Beth Shalom held their first meeting a day after April 1, in the first year of this millennium. Formed recently in response to the need to carry out a particular project, the group prepared for it’s inaugural meeting with the following agenda (excerpted):

  1. Vote on whether breakfast should be ordered before everybody shows up (or should we wait)
  2. Argue about whether officers, agendas, schedules and dues are actually needed (after all we are in Hawaii)
  3. Discuss endlessly a meaningful AlteKaKoBeS mission statement (or agree on a trite one quickly)
  4. Tell jokes about whatever topics the previous discussions bring up (a good rule: a joke takes precedence over all other talk)
  5. Decide on the proper course to obtain world prosperity, peace, and justice (while being careful to chew your food)
  6. Vote on how the check should be written and paid (it’s the economy, stupid)
  7. Leave in a huff because nobody listened to your brilliant ideas (or be resigned to the lowest common denominator)

Unfortunately the planned project was cancelled and could not be carried out, but the purpose and objectives of the group were determined to include the promotion of fellowship among members and service to the congregation and the community. Members then shared stories and gossip, discussed and deplored current world and national events, and agreed, without difficulty, to split the bill and leave an appropriate tip. The group will meet as often as is desired.

FAQs

Is kosher food available on the Big Island?
There is no kosher restaurant on the Big Island. In Kona, a few kosher foods, usually just delicatessen items, are available at Safeway and KTA super markets. From time to time, kosher chickens and turkeys become available at Safeway. There are lots of good fruits and vegetables around, and the local fish is delicious. Costco often carries kosher lox and Sinai kosher hot-dogs. Check with folks on the other islands for more information about foods available where they live.

Is there a minyan?
There is no regular minyan in Kona, but if you're traveling and you need one, you may contact Barry Blum and see if we can get one together for you. This is actually a very big island and if you're staying at one of the resorts in Kohala, you may have to drive down into Kailua-Kona (about 30 miles) to find other Jews for the minyan.

What about a mikveh?
The Pacific Ocean is wide open. 

Regarding employment opportunities:

Is there a mohel on the Big Island?
No. There isn’t. If you are a mohel, consider moving here.

What about shatnes? Is there a shatnes inspector on the Big Island?
I’m glad you asked. Although not a pressing need in Hawaii where people don’t wear much wool, let alone combinations of wool and linen, if global warming continues much more, we may need a shatnes inspector here some day.

What about a rabbi or a Hebrew School teacher?
We have received enquiries from Jewish educators who are looking for employment. We certainly would welcome the arrival of any talented teacher, rabbi, cantor or other Jewish professional in Kona, but our community is still too small to be able to support such an individual if that were their only job. Our recommendation is almost always the same: come here, meet us, see if this place is right for you and if you are right for us.  

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