Rabbi Jennifer Frenkel’s spiritual leadership encompasses the idea of b’shert—meaning, her path to becoming the senior rabbi of Congregation Kol Ami was always meant to be, even from a young age. Her destiny and aspirations to not only be among passionate communities but also to guide them has been continually affirmed through the kinship shared among a congregation comprising more than 800 families.
“Ultimately, it's the relationships and connections that as a rabbi—or as any clergy person—we're honored to be given a key to a community's heart and to the souls of the individuals within that community. We get to share in some of the most joyous and the most difficult and challenging moments in their lives, and to be invited into those moments is truly where I find those sparks of sacredness,” Frenkel says.
That perspective sparked Frenkel’s pursuit to become immersed in both the Jewish faith and its guiding principle of helping others. When she was a sophomore in high school, she grappled with a community tragedy that led her to seek comfort and answers from her congregation’s rabbi and Jewish study. Originally from Detroit, Frenkel has been a South Jersey resident for the past 15 years after finishing undergraduate and then rabbinical school.
“Instantly and immediately, the community, the people here, the vibe, the energy, how they were experiencing and expressing their Judaism felt like the right fit,” she affirms. “It's a sacred thing when you fit into a community and they trust you and you trust them to just share life together. It was pretty seamless, and I'm eternally grateful for that.”
At Congregation Kol Ami, Frenkel enjoys sharing that beautiful energy with her congregants, from the early childhood center’s preschool-aged members who wave as they walk by her office, to adult and senior members who attend services and life-cycle events. Children as young as three months old are cared for at the early childhood center, and often grow to attend Kol Ami’s Religious School or Youth Engagement groups when they are grade-school age. Congregation Kol Ami’s emphasis on continuous education is exemplified in its opportunities for adult learning opportunities, as well.
“It's making that journey with people wherever life takes us,” Frenkel says. “We get to do it together.”
In addition to preparing them for the next grade level, the curriculum is focused on Jewish holidays, and Jewish values such as kindness, collective care and being an honorable individual—or a mensch. Frenkel notes that the early childhood center students are a part of different faiths, but families connect to the values and ethics that are both taught there and essential to personal development, especially at a young age.
“The whole idea is to make sure that in all of our sanctuaries and our synagogues that we pray in a place with windows, because we're supposed to. While what we do here within our walls is important, we're constantly supposed to be looking out into the greateand figuring out how to act in a way that brings a sense of tikkun olam—of repairing the world and healing—looking out and seeing the needs around us and how we as individuals and as a community can meet those needs. If we can teach those things to a two year old, a three year old, a four year old—I think it sets them on a path to look at the world with those eyes and through that lens for the rest of their lives,” Frenkel says.
A restoration of hope in and empathy for the world is eternally important, but maintains an urgency in the year following the October 7 tragedy that was the largest attack upon Jewish people since the Holocaust. The aftermath continued the devastation across the globe, leading to increased antisemitism in the United States and an increased fear of proclaiming one’s identity. Frenkel believes in amplifying voices and expression, especially when that message is synonymous with hope.
“The Hebrew word is tikvah, and it's a sense of active hope. This is not a time for passive hope, it's not a time to simply hope things get better, or that they heal or repair themselves. Rather, it’s the sense that we're reminded that what we do matters, that what we say matters, that what we stand for matters, that how we express our faith and our values matters, and Judaism has really always been about caring for others and looking for those needs,” Frenkel shares. “As individuals born into this world, we are part of a chain that will extend far after our lifetimes. What we can do in this moment in our history is to take a stand for what we believe in, and to make sure that we're acting in a way to create a present and a future that we want to leave for the next generations—it's about engaging in that active hope so that everybody can find a sense of sanctuary … where they can find safety, comfort, community, a place to cry, a place to bring the heaviness or joy of their hearts, and the message that life was never meant to be a journey that we take alone.”
Congregation Kol Ami
Cherry Hill
(856) 489-0029
KolAmiNJ.org
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Published and copyrighted in South Jersey Magazine, Volume 21, Issue 7 (October 2024)
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