Congregation Beth Ami sits on a leafy stretch of Mayette Avenue in Santa Rosa, in the heart of Sonoma County wine country, an hour north of San Francisco. Since its incorporation in 1943 as the religious congregation of the Santa Rosa Jewish Community Center, Beth Ami has been the spiritual, educational and social anchor for Jews across the region. Today the synagogue is known for its hybrid Shabbat services, a robust calendar of adult learning with Rabbi Ron Koas, a kosher kitchen that fuels weekly potluck lunches, and a lively Purim tradition that includes hand-baked hamentashen and an original Purimspiel performed by the congregation every year.
A Kehilla with Eight Decades of Sonoma County Roots
Congregation Beth Ami was incorporated in 1943 as the religious arm of the Santa Rosa Jewish Community Center. In its earliest decades the synagogue was both a place of worship and the social center for a small Jewish population scattered across Sonoma County. Members came together for holidays, lifecycle events, education and plain fellowship, and many of those original families, the synagogue's self-described "old-timers," remain part of the community today.
The congregation acquired its present campus in 1962 and dedicated the sanctuary building in 1963. A classroom wing followed in 1985, and in 1987 Benny, Rosemary and Joe Friedman donated the Friedman Center, a gift that gave the congregation its signature event space. Growth in the late 1970s and 1980s, as Sonoma County's population expanded, transformed Beth Ami from a small gathering into the broader Conservative synagogue it is today. In 2014 the community marked its seventieth anniversary with a champagne brunch and a celebration honoring the pioneers who built the synagogue.
Rabbi Ron Koas and the Warmth of a Conservative Egalitarian Kehilla
Beth Ami is affiliated with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism and describes itself as a "traditional egalitarian community synagogue open to all Jews who seek to embrace and enhance their Jewish life." Rabbi Ron Koas, installed in 2025, leads the community. Born in Israel to a family with roots in Iraq, Rabbi Koas studied theater before turning to Jewish education, spent three years as a shaliach (emissary) in Australia and completed rabbinical school in the United States. He speaks Hebrew, English and Spanish, knows some Arabic and a little Yiddish, and finds God most easily in nature, which helps explain his affection for the hiking trails of Sonoma County and his signature Torah on Trails program.
Rabbi Koas describes himself as "not your typical Conservative rabbi" but rather an open-minded, forward-thinking rabbi who serves a Conservative synagogue. His teaching draws on Pirkei Avot: "It is not incumbent upon you to finish the work, nor are you free to avoid it altogether." Rabbi Mordecai Miller, who preceded him and celebrated a Jubilee with the congregation, remains Rabbi Emeritus and continues to be honored for the music, learning and pastoral care he brought to Beth Ami for many years.
Lay leadership includes President Esther Baruch, Vice President of Administration Barbara McGee, Office Manager Elizabeth Jarlsberg and a Board of Directors that meets monthly. The synagogue's day-to-day work is carried out through a network of committees, including Religious Practices, Youth and Education, Membership, Budget and Finance, Fundraising and Special Events, Israel Affairs, Building and Grounds, Social Action, Chesed, Personnel, Communications, Library, the Friedman Event Center Board, the Book Club and a Wellness Committee that oversees infectious disease protocols.
Hybrid Shabbat: In the Sanctuary and on Zoom
Beth Ami operates as a "true hybrid" community. Saturday morning services take place in the sanctuary at 4676 Mayette Avenue and on Zoom at the same time, with active participation from remote members, a configuration the congregation adopted during the pandemic and has kept. Hearing assistance devices are available for in-person attendees, and closed captioning with a live transcript is offered on Zoom. Masks and hand sanitizer are on hand, and members who are ill are asked to join from home.
The regular Shabbat rhythm begins Friday evening at 6:00 pm with Kabbalat Shabbat. Most Fridays Rabbi Koas leads the service, followed by a communal potluck dinner. Once a month the evening becomes Shir Shabbat, with the Klezmer Creek musicians joining the service, followed by a catered dinner prepared by David Kahn and a team of volunteers. A reservation, made through the office by the preceding Wednesday noon, is needed for the catered meal. On another Friday each month, Leah Gerber leads a shorter, very sweet musical Sing In Shabbat at 6:00 pm, ending around 6:30 with a communal Kiddush on Zoom.
Saturday mornings begin at 8:45 am with Torah Study led by Rabbi Koas in the sanctuary. Drop-ins are welcome, Hebrew is not required, and the discussion works through the weekly parashah on three levels, the ancient meaning, the classical commentators and the personal and communal meaning for today. Shabbat morning services begin at 9:45 am, led by the rabbi together with congregants, and conclude with a light potluck lunch prepared by the Kitchen Committee. When Rabbi Koas is away, lay-led services begin with preliminary Psukei d'Zimra at 9:30 am, with Shacharit at 9:45. Weekday morning, afternoon and evening minyan services are arranged as needed for those saying Kaddish; the office helps secure a minyan when requested a week in advance.
High Holidays and the Year of the Jewish Calendar
Beth Ami does not charge admission to High Holiday services; guests are asked to RSVP, and donations help keep the doors open. Rabbi Koas prepares a multi-page High Holiday Guide and Information Packet that walks members through the theology, customs and schedule of the season, alongside a one-page schedule for the entire holiday run. Each year the congregation also participates in a community-wide canned and non-perishable food drive for the Redwood Empire Food Bank on Kol Nidre.
The festival calendar includes a Pizza in the Hut Shabbat dinner on Erev Sukkot, a Sukkah Hop on Sukkot Day 2, a Reverse Tashlich cleanup along Santa Rosa Creek's Prince Memorial Greenway with Jewish Allies for Justice, a Shemini Atzeret program and Yizkor, an Erev Simchat Torah celebration with Klezmer Creek, a Havdalah and Dance Night, and a solemn Tisha B'Av observance that begins in a darkened sanctuary with Lamentations read by candlelight. The Simchat Torah service on Sunday morning invites the entire community to dance with the Torahs.
Lifelong Learning, from the Early Learning Center to Adult Torah
Education has been central to Beth Ami since 1943. The newest offering is Beit Sefer, an interactive, content-driven Jewish education program for school-age children and teens piloted by congregants and experienced teachers. Bar and Bat Mitzvah preparation begins with finding a tutor and culminates in leading the congregation through the Shabbat morning service: taking the Torah from the Ark, chanting Maftir and Haftarah with trope, reciting the blessings, leading Kiddush and offering a D'var Torah. For students who struggle with Hebrew, the rabbi works with the family on an appropriate accommodation. A teen program is offered through the office, and an Early Learning Center on campus is home to the Santa Rosa Montessori School (formerly Brush Creek Montessori School).
Adults have a packed calendar. Rabbi Koas teaches weekly Torah Study before services on Shabbat morning, Lunch and Learn on the second Wednesday of each month at noon, Torah on Tap on the second Thursday evening, and Torah on Trails on the second Sunday, a walking, learning and discussion program along Sonoma County trails. On the second Saturday night of the month, Havdalah gatherings bring the community together with karaoke, game nights, painting or storytelling. Twice a month on Mondays, Robin Lowitz and friends lead Israeli Folk Dancing in the social hall at 7:00 pm, free to members, with a suggested $8 donation for non-members and a pushke for those who want to contribute. The Introduction to Judaism / Adult Bnai Mitzvah class meets twice a month on Wednesdays at 7:00 pm and is open to anyone exploring Jewish life. A monthly Book Club draws on the SF Jewish Community Library's Book Club in a Box program.
On weekday mornings, the social hall fills with the Exercise Class for Older Adults, a friendly group of active adults aged 65 to 103 who meet every Wednesday at 10:30 am to work on strength, flexibility, balance and fall prevention.
The Kitchen Committee, Kashrut and the Shabbat Table
Food is at the heart of Beth Ami's communal life, and the Kitchen Committee keeps the synagogue's kosher kitchen running smoothly. The kitchen is overseen by volunteer mashgichim who verify that food meets the congregation's kashrut standards. Shabbat morning services are followed by a potluck lunch to which members are encouraged to bring pareve or dairy dishes. The published Potluck Food Guidelines explain what can be brought from home, including store-bought items with a kosher symbol in their original packaging, packaged baked goods with a hechsher, raw cold salads, tuna or egg dishes and home-baked items that do not require cooking on the stove or in the microwave. Pasta salad, potato salad, kugel and pudding are not accepted if prepared outside the synagogue kitchen. The kitchen also provides cooked foods for community events following its own kashrut protocols.
Several times a year the kitchen produces landmark meals: a Chanukah latke dinner, a Purim seudah with hamentashen baked by members (918 of them in one celebrated year), a Scholarship in Residence luncheon and the catered Shir Shabbat dinners. A Shabbat Pot Luck Recipe book compiled by Mieneke Drake and a set of guidelines for using the kitchen help members navigate the practicalities.
Social Action, Tikkun Olam and the Wider Sonoma County Community
Beth Ami's values statement names Tikkun Olam, repairing the world, as one of its core commitments, and the synagogue takes that work seriously. The Social Action Committee continues to serve hot meals from crockpots to residents of The Palms and organizes volunteer shifts at the Redwood Empire Food Bank. The Advocates for Social Justice committee, formed as a subcommittee of Social Action, focuses on racism and injustice affecting Jews of color and all people of color, partnering with local faith and social organizations. Annual programs include a Reverse Tashlich cleanup along Santa Rosa Creek and educational programming on white privilege, antiracism and community change.
The Chesed Committee visits the sick, supports members in bereavement, runs food chains for those in need and coordinates drivers, shoppers and other practical help for the Beth Ami community. A Grief Support Group meets regularly, and the Sonoma County Chevra Kadisha, made up of volunteers from across the county's congregations, provides taharah, shmira and traditional burial preparations for Jewish families. Members of Beth Ami also serve on the Sonoma County Interfaith network and partner with the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties, the Jewish Community Free Clinic, Keshet, Big Tent Judaism and other regional bodies.
The Israel Committee and the Teddy Bear Project
The Israel Affairs Committee has a self-described CLEAR mission: Communicate, Learn, Educate, Act for peace and Respond to anti-Semitism. The committee organizes Israel Independence Day celebrations, an Israel Memorial Day observance, the Sonoma County Israel Fair, guest speakers and scholars-in-residence, and seminars on anti-Semitism. Members also curate resources on current events in Israel and the Middle East.
The committee's signature project is the Teddy Bear Project, a crafters' circle that sews and ships teddy bears to children in Israel during difficult times. The project is one of the synagogue's most beloved hands-on mitzvot and welcomes new volunteers of any skill level.
Rosh Chodesh, Chavurot and the Smaller Circles of the Kehilla
Beyond the larger calendar, Beth Ami nourishes smaller circles of belonging. The Rosh Chodesh women's group gathers at the beginning of each Hebrew month to mark the new moon with study, ritual and conversation, free and open to all Jewish women regardless of affiliation. Chavurot, friendship groups of roughly twenty people who share an interest, life stage or geography, meet monthly for Shabbat dinners, Sunday brunches, theater trips, hikes or Lake Tahoe retreats. Some chavurot are intergenerational, intentionally creating an extended-family feeling.
On the bimah, Beth Ami upholds the full participation of women and honors same-sex marriages in keeping with the Conservative movement's 2006 teshuvah on homosexuality, human dignity and halakhah. Jewish gay and lesbian couples are welcomed for auf rufs and weddings at the synagogue, and same-sex Jewish couples are recognized as full members of the community.
Life Cycle Events: From Brit Milah to Chevra Kadisha
The rabbi and staff officiate and guide members through the full range of Jewish lifecycle events. A new son is welcomed at a brit milah on the eighth day, performed by a mohel in the home or synagogue; a new daughter is named on the bimah, often with both parents called to the Torah for an aliyah. New houses are marked with a chanukat habayit ceremony, traditionally within thirty days of moving in, and the Beth Ami Judaica Gift Shop sells mezuzot and scrolls to help families observe the mitzvah. Bar and Bat Mitzvah preparation connects families with tutors and supports the young person's leading of the Shabbat morning service.
Weddings, auf rufs and commitment ceremonies are arranged through the rabbi; as a member of the United Synagogue, Beth Ami does not officiate at marriages between non-Jews or between a Jew and a non-Jew, but the congregation offers help with conversion and warmly welcomes interfaith couples. In times of loss, the Chevra Kadisha of Sonoma County coordinates taharah, tachrichim, shmira and a Jewish funeral, and the congregation provides shiva minyanim and condolence meals. Members may also purchase a Yahrzeit plaque for the Yahrzeit Board or a leaf on the Simcha Board (Tree of Life) in the sanctuary foyer to commemorate a loved one or a milestone.
The Friedman Event Center: A Ballroom, a Stage, a Caterer's Dream
The Friedman Center, donated by Benny, Rosemary and Joe Friedman in 1987, gives Beth Ami one of the most versatile event facilities in Sonoma County. At its heart is a 6,500 square foot ballroom with climate control, adjustable lighting and an acoustic design that can be sectioned for events of every size. A serene patio with a fountain serves as a reception or intermission space; a 31 by 26 foot stage with two backstage dressing rooms, electronic stage curtains and full lighting supports theatrical productions, concerts, presentations and weddings, and the stage itself is wheelchair accessible. A 40 by 34 foot flotation dance floor, display cases for memorabilia and a fully equipped commercial kitchen with icemaker, wet bar, prep areas and a private bathroom for catering staff round out the facility. Director Andrea Nett and the Friedman Center Board Chair Bill Friedman host tours Monday through Friday from 9:30 am to 3:00 pm, and the venue is available for community events, weddings and b'nai mitzvah celebrations.
The Judaica Gift Shop and the Celia Gurevitch Library
The Beth Ami Judaica Gift Shop, supervised by the Fundraising and Special Events Committee, stocks fine Judaica, mezuzot and scrolls, candles, jewelry, books, cards and gifts. Cash and checks are accepted, and special orders can be placed through Bonnie Boren. The Celia Gurevitch Jewish Community Library, named for the longtime congregant Elly and Russ and Evelyn Gurevitch, holds an extensive collection on marriage, lifecycle events, Jewish history, biography (in the 799s) and cooking (in the 699s), along with a children's and young adult section. The library operates on the honor system and is refreshed regularly by Library Committee volunteers.
The Shofar and the Voice of the Community
The congregation's bimonthly newsletter, the Shofar, carries essays, news and event details from the rabbi, the board, the Kitchen Committee, the Israel Affairs Committee, the Social Action Committee and the Book Club. Issues are produced on a continuous arc that reaches back to the early years of the congregation, with archived PDFs online back to 2006. The synagogue also publishes a weekly e-bulletin with current events, and the Communications Committee supervises the Cybershul.
Joining, Giving and the Open Door
Membership dues are set annually, and Beth Ami's longstanding policy is to enable everyone to participate regardless of financial situation, as long as a commitment to contribute is made. Membership includes discounts on events and classes and supports the staff and clergy who run the synagogue's programming. Donations can be made to the General Fund, the Shabbat Lunch Contribution, the Capital Improvement, Repairs and Maintenance Fund, the Miller Music Fund, the Malk Food and Shelter Fund, the Rabbi's Discretionary Fund, the Teddy Bears for Israeli Kids shipping fund or to pay for a specific event or purchase; the minimum donation through the office is $7.50. Tzedakah gifts in honor of, in memory of or for a special occasion are acknowledged with a card from the office and noted in the Shofar.
The office is open Monday through Thursday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm and Friday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, with a half-hour closure at lunchtime. Members of the public who wish to attend services or learn more can call the office at 707-360-3000 or write to office@bethamisr.org. A board member will return the call. For the rabbi, the address is rabbi@bethamisr.org.
On Mayette Avenue, between the sanctuary, the Friedman Center and the social hall where older adults stretch and potluck salads are laid out, Beth Ami continues the work it began in 1943. With hybrid services that welcome worshippers from across Sonoma County and around the world, a rabbi who teaches Torah on the trail as readily as in the beit midrash, and a community that bakes its own hamentashen, sews teddy bears for children in Israel and feeds its neighbors at The Palms, the congregation remains a working kehilla: open, rooted, and quietly transforming.