Who We Are

Kehilat Mevasseret Zion (or Kamaz, which is the acronym for the Mevasseret Zion Congregation) began as a small group of people who looked for a different way to express their Judaism. Gradually, over a number of years, additional families joined the group, the prayers were moved from their living rooms to the entrancefoyer of the junior high school on Rehov Yasmin, study groups were established, and the group became a congregation that continues to grow. Kamaz consists of men and women who have come together in the spirit that is rooted in Jewish traditions, heritage and values as an inseparable part of contemporary Jewish-Israeli identity. Our congregation places a particular emphasis on the commandments (mitzvot) on the individual towards his fellow man, encouraging religious thought and action in light of our changing times, our society and of science and technology.
Kamaz enables its diverse congregation to express its Jewishness in an egalitarian and democratic manner by providing the secular (non-Orthodox) families in Mevasseret Zion, whose population is about 30,000, with a means of carrying out Jewish cycle-of-life rituals in a modern, liberal spirit and in a style that is meaningful to them, accompanied by studying and working for betterment in the local community. Within Kamaz are persons and groups from a wide variety of backgrounds and nevertheless with many elements in common. Kehilat Mevasseret Zion was founded in 1993 and numbers about 160 families who pay annual membership dues. In addition, there are another 250 families who participate in various activities while not being actual members.

Religious, educational, cultural and social services and functions.

Religious services

Prayers: Kehilat Mevasseret Zion has prayer services every Friday evening, Saturday morning, holiday evening and holiday morning.
Cycles-of-the-year: Prayers every holiday eve and morning, including celebration according to traditions
Cycles-of-life: Birth of a son, Brit Mila, Bar and Bat Mitzvah, marriage, burial and memorial (Yahrzeit).
Courses for conversion: Various topics are studied, including Jewish history, holidays and traditions and rabbinical decisions as a preparation for conversion.
Courses in reading the Bible: Cantorial instructors are youths age 15-18 who guide the Bar Mitzvah student in intonation and reading their Biblical portion. A separate course prepares the cantorial instructors for training Bar Mitzvah students.

Educational services

Preschool: Three separate classes-two of which are nursery school, and the third a kindergarten class in conjunction with the local Mevasseret Zion town authority-contain children from about 80 families, all of whom are existing or potentially future members of Kehilat Mevasseret Zion.
Adult education: Classes (Beit Midrash) for a 'learning community' of a variety of the Jewish sources.
Every Friday morning the 'They say there's love in the world' group meets to discuss the topics of love, slimming (dieting) and faithfulness in the Bible, the writings of the sages and in Hebrew literature.
Every second Monday evening "studies"
Every second Wednesday evening a group meets to study and discuss the weekly portion (Parat Hashavua) reading from the Bible, and then some topic as it is dealt with all throughout the Bible.

Social services

Telem (acronym for the Progressive Youth Movement): Two groups-a year apart in age-operate according to principles of the Telem youth movement.
"Hand in Hand" : A group to support people who are sick or lonely or have just given birth etc. This committee offers various forms of help, such as weekly visits, phone-calls, help with shopping etc.

Cultural services

Cultural programs, such as lectures meetings and workshops on a variety of topics.

Activities of the congregation are supported by the Jewish Agency in the Land of Israel.