A dynamic community of inspiration and experimentation dedicated to translating Jewish tradition and practice for ringers and rookies, holy rollers and heretics, die-hards and the disaffected – in Los Angeles and throughout the Jewish world. We see an integral connection between intellectual and spiritual development, and political and social activism. It is our hope that our community will energize and revitalize elements of the broader Jewish community, and profoundly impact the way we, as Jews, live and act in our world. IKAR was created in the spring of 2004, and has been inspired by the spirit of B'nai Jeshurun in New York City, where Rabbi Brous served as a Marshall T. Meyer Rabbinic Fellow before moving to Los Angeles. Our VISION: We believe that the Jewish community can and should be vibrant, vital and deeply engaged in the world. We believe that prayer and learning in a holy community can be soulful, inspiring, and profoundly impactful. We believe that matters of the spirit are intimately linked to matters of the world, and that the Jewish community has a distinct responsibility to participate in social justice and tikkun, healing. We believe in the transformative power of Shabbat, and we celebrate the dynamic potential of communal prayer that is joyful, musical and heartfelt. We believe that serious, passionate, and authentic engagement with Torah is an enduring response to the deepest cry of the human heart. We strive to receive sustenance from the wisdom of our tradition, while simultaneously engaging it in lively debate. We believe that a community of conscience can make manifest the presence of God both within and beyond the walls of the synagogue. We are both traditional and progressive. Our community is creative, spiritual, and egalitarian, welcoming people of diverse backgrounds, affiliations and lifestyles. Please join us as we continue to search for increasingly more meaningful ways to serve each other, our world and God.
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