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Beit Klal Yisrael

BKY is committed to what founding rabbi Sheila Shulman described as “creative engagement with contemporary Judaism” through building a community of friends – a chavurah. Above all, we aim to BE KIND; to live by this instruction from the Holiness Code, as interpreted by Hillel: “That which is hateful to you do not do to others.” The Talmud (Shevuot 39a) tells us that we must also support one another: kol yisrael arevim zeh le’zeh ‏ כל ישראל ערבים זה לזה ‎ “All of Israel are responsible for each other.” In this spirit, the community calls on each other to be considerate and to appreciate what every person has to offer.

For BKY, the communal study of Torah is key to exploring our identities as Jews. We study in order to put our learning into practice, both within our community and beyond it. By greeting each other as well as newcomers with a warm welcome, we also follow the example of Abraham and Sarah, putting people at ease from their first visit.