August 2021
a headshot of board president kineret jaffe
Dear Friends,

Becoming President of KAM Isaiah Israel has led me to think about many aspects of our congregation differently than I had in the past. Each day, as I learn something new about our congregation, I become more inspired by all the ways in which KAMII is a uniquely wonderful institution. I hope you are aware of the incredible ways our clergy and staff responded to COVID, but did you also know that we were able:
  • to sustain our membership numbers and actually bring in additional revenue during a year when many congregations lost members and saw a dip in revenue?
  • to grow and distribute fresh vegetables to the soup kitchen at Kenwood United Church of Christ, adding to the more than 30,000 pounds of food grown and delivered over the last 10 years?
  • to launch a leadership development program to train a diverse group of congregants about board service, so that two of those participants now serve on our board, and two are playing active roles on committees?

I have not even mentioned two of the most significant activities of this last year: the construction work that will restore our beautiful sanctuary and the launching of our campaign Mishpacha: Our Family. Our Future. Who would have thought that we could successfully launch a campaign during a year when we couldn’t see each other or meet in person? We have defied adversity and are proving that we are a congregation that DOES want to support KAMII and that we CAN raise a significant amount through individual contributions. The leaders of this campaign and you, my fellow congregants, together inspire me by showing we can develop the culture of philanthropy that will enable us to become the center for Jewish Life on the South Side and a resource for our neighborhood and for the City of Chicago.

We have raised $3.9 million toward our $5 million goal. I am enormously grateful for each and every pledge. As much as we have achieved however…we are not done yet.

We would like to meet individually with every KAM Isaiah Israel member, to talk about the future of our congregation, and to enable you to make a decision about what you would like to give to make that future a reality. Our leaders have been reaching out to KAMII members and inviting co-congregants to join them in support of this campaign. When you receive that email or call, please take the meeting; your gift is about your dedication to KAM Isaiah Israel, not our expectations. 

If you have not yet heard from one of our campaign leaders, feel free to contact us to schedule a meeting. There is a form on the website here to request a meeting. Take a few minutes with us to hear about our vision for KAMII, and the many ways you can become involved in helping to shape that vision. Each conversation only increases my optimism about the future of KAM Isaiah Israel.

Looking forward and thanking you in advance for your participation,
Kineret Jaffe
President