Or Ami's rabbi was born for the job
Kipnes likes to meet people where they are
By Joann Groff joann@theacorn.com

Rabbi Paul Kipnes

When Paul Kipnes was 9 years old, he dressed up as a biblical character for the Purim holiday. Since then, Kipnes knew the path he wanted to take in life.

"Everyone thought I was a rabbi," said Kipnes, who is now the rabbi at Congregation Or Ami in Calabasas. "It just stuck in my brain. I wanted to help people see Judaism as engaging and real."

Kipnes credits his surroundings with fostering that desire.

"I grew up going to youth groups and summer camps," he said. "I saw Judaism as an exciting, engaging and uplifting part of my life. I met rabbis who were approachable, human and very spiritual. I just knew I wanted to be one."

Kipnes describes himself as an East Coast boy who fell in love with a California girl. After he followed Michelle to the West Coast, he never left. The Calabasas couple have lived in the area for 20 years. They have three children.

The rabbi started out as a camp director and later ran a religious school in North Hollywood.

"Then I saw this little (then-) 90-family congregation looking for a full-time rabbi," Kipnes said. "In the rabbinic world, you have to be crazy to go from a 1,000-family congregation to a 90-family (one), but Or Ami was so warm and welcoming."

Now in his ninth year at Or Ami, Kipnes has seen the congregation triple in size. But despite the many new faces, Kipnes said the sense of community has grown.

"There's been a deepening of community and sense of warmth since I've been there, even as we've grown," he said. "That's what I like about Or Ami: People matter. People need to feel welcome before you can do any teaching or praying."

As for his leadership style, Kipnes emulates the human nature of the rabbis he met while growing up.

"I try to be the kind of rabbi who's real," Kipnes said. "I meet people at coffee shops a lot. I work with bar mitzvah kids at the ice cream store in The Commons. I'm more likely to be talking about God with someone in a booth at Jerry's (Deli) than I am formally sitting around in my office.

"I love to tell stories because when you're listening to a story, you forget you're learning a lesson."

Kipnes said he really enjoys hanging out with young people at Temple Teen Night.

"They are so open to talking about the big, important stuff in life," Kipnes said. "They haven't learned how to cover it up yet.

"There's a lot of really serious stuff in Judaism, like the legacy of the Holocaust, the dangers to Israel and the like, but Judaism has survived so long because we are creative and energetic and inspiring."

Kipnes spends a lot of time working with people who are struggling with addiction or recovery. He also said he finds "special joy" working with kids with special needs.

His favorite services are those held outdoors.

"The best services we do are the campfire services," Kipnes said. "It's easy to praise God sitting under the stars in nature. There's nothing like it."

A campfire service will be held tomorrow, Friday night, Sept. 28. Call the synagogue at (818) 880-4880 for directions or additional information.

The synagogue is at 26115 Mureau Road, Ste. B in Calabasas.