Members of Congregation Beth Israel Abraham & Voliner take pride in calling their congregation a welcoming, caring and spirited Orthodox congregation. Its leadership wants more people in the Jewish community to experience that without worrying about financial obligations, so it’s throwing open its doors and offering free membership for a year to any Jewish individual, student, couple or family.
“Part of our mission is to inspire our members and all Jews in the community and we’ve found that getting people into the congregation is a great way to do that,” said BIAV President Andy Ernstein. “Everyone that comes here for a Shabbat, whether it’s a Friday night or a meal or Shabbat morning, constantly tells us what unique and wonderful experiences they had and we want to share that with more Jews across the community.”
The free membership package includes the following:
• Free High Holiday tickets for the new members’ immediate family
• Free Passover seder
• Free weekly youth programs and education, and
• Free adult education
Debbie Graham, BIAV’s membership vice president, said the congregation has decided to make the effort to expand its membership from both inside and outside the local Jewish community. In March, several members of BIAV’s membership committee traveled to New York to promote the Orthodox congregation and the Kansas City area at the Emerging Jewish Communities Fair sponsored by the Orthodox Union.
While many congregations are struggling with their operating budgets these days, Ernstein said BIAV can afford to offer these free memberships because the “offer is an investment in our future.”
“We are blessed to be in a relatively stable financial position such that we can make this investment and are already increasing programming each year. We are also making modest building renovations including our youth wing, kitchen, sanctuary entrance and the green footprint of our facility. We are confident that as individuals in the community experience what BIAV has to offer, the enthusiasm and vibrancy of our community, we will gain committed members who will be with us in the long term,” Ernstein said.
Every walk of life
BIAV currently has about 110 member units. Ernstein points out that while they often joke that BIAV is no longer “your grandfather’s congregation,” it reaches out and has a spot for people of every single age group. Members include singles, young families, empty nesters and seniors.
Young families have been particularly drawn to the congregation in recent years. Rabbi Daniel Rockoff, who joined the congregation three years ago, points out that there’s been a birth in the congregation every month since August. He and his wife, Ayala Zoltan Rockoff, a school psychologist, have been a part of that baby boom adding a second son to their young family recently.
“BIAV really spans the spectrum, from accomplished community leaders, to young adults, to families with young children. Our parking lot is lined with strollers every week,” Rabbi Rockoff said.
While the congregation is certainly Orthodox, it doesn’t turn people away if they are not strictly shomer Shabbat (Sabbath observant).
“My husband and I drive (on Shabbat) and I don’t feel different or left out in any way,” Graham points out.
“We’ve got Jews of every walk of life,” Ernstein added. “We’ve got people who attended yeshiva to those with virtually no Jewish education at all.”
For those who may be a little timid attending a Shabbat service at the congregation for the first time, Rabbi Rockoff said that members are more than happy to sit with visitors and lead them through the prayer book and show them the choreography of the service.
BIAV also keeps up with all the social media trends. It has a website, www.biav.org, and a presence on Facebook and Twitter.
Attractive programs
Both Ernstein and Graham believe non-members will be enticed by the variety of programs the congregation offers. The newest is called Perek in the Park, where Rabbi Rockoff honors the tradition of reviewing the chapters of Pirkei Avot between the holidays of Pesach and Shavuot. It is held at 6 p.m. on Shabbat at Brookridge Park.
“It was great to see a couple dozen kids playing and on the swings while we studied,” Ernstein said. In addition to Jewish study, there are social gatherings such as pizza and sushi nights and even basketball and yoga for men.
Most programs are congregant driven.
“If there’s a need or a want, we’ll do it,” Graham said.
Because the congregation has so many young families with children, Shabbat programs are offered for children of all ages, including adolescents.
“Everyone has something to do and they have friends here. It’s really a very vibrant place to be,” Graham said. Those programs including babysitting, a group for toddlers to Pre-K, a junior congregation for pre-Bar Mitzvah age and Shabbat B’Yachad for parents with tots under age 2.
For those who don’t choose to join during this membership drive, Ernstein noted that High Holiday services, which typically require congregational memberships to attend at other congregations except the Lubavitch ones, are free to anyone in the community who needs a place to worship.
The energy and passion of youth
Ernstein thinks the enthusiasm Rabbi Rockoff brings to BIAV is also a reason for people to check out the congregation.
“I think he and his wife bring the energy and passion of youth. But they also seem to have the wisdom and thoughtfulness well beyond their age, and it’s a great mix,” Ernstein said.
The rabbi’s contract has just been extended another three years and, Ernstein said, “we hope he is here for much, much longer.”
Rabbi Rockoff enjoys the synagogue as well, calling the members “a very special group of people.”
“I’ve been in many other synagogues around the country before I came here, both visiting as well as in various employment statuses. There are wonderful people in every place but there is very much a special spirit that exists at BIAV that I and my family appreciate ourselves. I think people in the congregation appreciate it and people who visit it appreciate it. We want to share that with others in Kansas City who may be interested.”