Jewish Joy in Song: Klezmer Concert with the Eastside Jewish Community Choir

One of the things I am most proud of as the rabbi of Kol Ami is how we serve not only our own members, but the broader Jewish community—and beyond. We are a small synagogue with a big heart, and our work ripples out.

Did you know that the Eastside Jewish Community Choir is a project of Kol Ami?

We sponsor it. We fund it. We nurture it.

And it’s open to everyone—Jews and non-Jews alike—who want to sing the music of our people with heart and harmony.

On Saturday, June 14 at 7:00 PM, the choir will join forces with some of the region’s most beloved klezmer musicians for a joyful evening of Jewish music at:

Congregation Kol Ami @ Northlake UUC

308 4th Ave S, Kirkland, WA 98033

The evening will begin with Havdalah, the ritual that marks the transition from Shabbat to the new week, followed by a lively concert featuring:

🎻 Shawn Weaver and Wendy Marcus

🎻 The fabulous Violinistas

🎶 And our own Kol Ami Choir

It will be a night of freilach (joy), ruach (spirit), and neshama (soul).

Jewish Joy Is a Mitzvah

We often focus on the heaviness of the world—and rightfully so. But Judaism teaches that joy is sacred. It’s not just an emotion, it’s a practice, a spiritual muscle we must exercise, especially in hard times.

“Ivdu et Adonai b’simcha—Serve God with joy.” (Psalm 100:2)

“Simcha poretz geder—Joy breaks through all barriers.” (Talmud, Sanhedrin 106b)

“There is no holiness without joy.” – The Baal Shem Tov

This is why we sing. This is why we dance. This is why we play violin and clarinet and sing in harmony. Because Jewish joy must be nurtured—and shared.

While I will be away on sabbatical during this event, I encourage each of you to attend, bring a friend, and allow this music to lift your spirit and connect you more deeply to the beauty of our tradition.

Let your neshama be stirred.

Let your body move.

Let your heart sing.

Show up for Jewish joy.

Celebrate our culture and community.

Kol Ami is here for all of us—and we sing together.

B’simcha (with joy),

Rabbi Yohanna Kinberg