Synagogue's website earns award

Congregation Or Ami in Calabasas recently received the Belin Outreach Award for its innovative use of the Internet to promote its openness to interfaith families through the website www.orami.org/community/interfaith.

The honor is bestowed by the Union for Reform Judaism and is awarded to only 10 congregations nationwide every two years. The awards are designed to encourage and honor Reform synagogues with outstanding outreach programs that actively welcome and integrate those new to Judaism.

The Union said, "Rabbi Paul Kipnes and Congregation Or Ami creatively utilized their website to highlight the wonderful way they welcome and integrate interfaith couples and families into their synagogue."

The website states "Congregation Or Ami, like all Reform Jewish congregations, holds the mitzvah (religious responsibility) of ahavat ger (welcoming the stranger) among the most important tenets of our faith. We actively welcome interfaith families into our community and encourage their participation in our synagogues. . . . We strive to be welcoming places for people of diverse religious backgrounds, sexual orientations and ethnic backgrounds."

The synagogue is at 26115 Mureau Road, Ste. B, Calabasas. Kipnes may be reached by phone at (818) 8804880 or e-mail at rabbipaul@orami.org.