The Kehillah RVA Podcast

The FREE SYNAGOGUE Movement

Should Judaism be accessible before someone can afford it? The Free Synagogue Movement was built around: *  A free pulpit  *  Freedom of conscience  *  No pew rentals  *  No required dues  *  Equality and social justice  And that's Kehillah. At a time when many people feel disconnected from institutions, perhaps people are not looking for less community. Perhaps they are looking for a different kind of community. Let's talk about it. Upcoming Kehillah Events 📅 Friday, August 7 @ 6:00 PM Shabbat Service & Dinner Commonwealth Autism (Bon Air) 📅 Friday, August 14 @ 6:00 PM Home Hosted Shabbat Hosted by Joel (Woodlake) 📅 Friday, August 28 @ 6:00 PM Home Hosted Shabbat Hosted by Natalie (Glen Allen) RSVP: https://kehillahrva.org/calendar/ [https://kehillahrva.org/calendar/] Support Kehillah If this vision of Jewish community matters to you, consider supporting Kehillah: https://kehillahrva.org/donate/ [https://kehillahrva.org/donate/] Community Partner Spotlight: Commonwealth Autism Autism & Neuroinclusivity in the Workplace A foundational training for individuals, organizations, and businesses seeking to build more inclusive communities and workplaces. LEARN MORE: https://www.commonwealthautism.org/ Craft and Read Along 📍 Good Foods Grocery  📅 July 23, 2026 | 11:00 AM–12:30 PM A fun morning for children ages 3–7 featuring crafts, reading, and a sweet treat from The Baking Agent. RSVP: https://goodfoodsgrocery.com/events-calendar/ Got questions? Send us a text and we'll read it on the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2458253/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2458253/support] 🕯️ Learn more about Kehillah: kehillahrva.org [https://kehillahrva.org] 💛 Support Kehillah: kehillahrva.org/donate [https://kehillahrva.org/donate] 📲 Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/kehillahrva [https://instagram.com/kehillahrva] 📘 Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/kehillahrva [https://facebook.com/kehillahrva] 🔁 Share this episode with a friend and help build something sacred together.

Recap of Shabbat at Commonwealth Autism | Kehillah Volunteer Opportunities

A big thanks to Jacob, Joe, Martha, Robin and everyone who volunteered to make our first Shabbat at Commonwealth Autism possible. While the rabbi is away on vacay, enjoy this sneak peek at volunteer opportunities. If you'd like to get more involved in our social circles and ambassadorship (aka hanging out with new people) fill out this form: https://kehillahrva.org/social-circles/ [https://kehillahrva.org/social-circles/] From our friends at Commonwealth Autism Autism & Neuroinclusivity in the Workplace This is a foundational training offered to individuals, organizations or businesses looking to build inclusive culture into their communities. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1992565694631?aff=oddtdtcreator [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1992565694631?aff=oddtdtcreator] Craft and Read Along Date & Time: July 23, 2026 at 11:00 AM (Eastern Daylight Time) Location: Good Foods Grocery Join us for a fun-filled read along and craft day designed especially for children ages 3 to 7! Kids will get creative making their very own paper mouse ears before all the little mouses get to reading along to the classic, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. Then finish up with a sweet treat from local vendor, The Baking Agent. We hope you can join us! Craft and Read Along Tickets, Thursday, July 23  •  11 AM - 12:30 PM | Eventbrite [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/craft-and-read-along-tickets-1992075724116] Got questions? Send us a text and we'll read it on the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2458253/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2458253/support] 🕯️ Learn more about Kehillah: kehillahrva.org [https://kehillahrva.org] 💛 Support Kehillah: kehillahrva.org/donate [https://kehillahrva.org/donate] 📲 Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/kehillahrva [https://instagram.com/kehillahrva] 📘 Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/kehillahrva [https://facebook.com/kehillahrva] 🔁 Share this episode with a friend and help build something sacred together.

Survey Results + We Need Your Help

The results of our community survey are in, and there are many ways you can make Kehillah MORE of what you need it to be. Yes -- this podcast episode has a lot of asks in it. But they are all fun. * Wish Kehillah was closer to you? Host a Shabbat (we pay for food, setup, cleanup -- all of is) * Wish there were more groups that you can connect with? Start one! Info is on the website. And also, we need ambassadors! That's something you can do, too * Want to grow in your Jewish knowledge and practice? We need people to help lead. Call them para-rabbis, cantorial soloists, darshanim or lay leaders, you can be one We also have BAYIT (a long term project for a permanent home), playdates for families with kids and more. Reach out to rabbi@rabbipatrick.com ["rabbi@rabbipatrick.com"] if you have questions or to get started. Got questions? Send us a text and we'll read it on the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2458253/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2458253/support] 🕯️ Learn more about Kehillah: kehillahrva.org [https://kehillahrva.org] 💛 Support Kehillah: kehillahrva.org/donate [https://kehillahrva.org/donate] 📲 Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/kehillahrva [https://instagram.com/kehillahrva] 📘 Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/kehillahrva [https://facebook.com/kehillahrva] 🔁 Share this episode with a friend and help build something sacred together.

Radical Pragmatism: A Jewish Gift for America's 250th Birthday

As America celebrates its 250th birthday, Rabbi Patrick explores a different path through our nation's political and cultural divisions: Radical Pragmatism. Drawing on the wisdom of Yitro's advice to Moses, and the daughters of Zelophehad, this episode argues that Judaism offers a model for solving problems practical action rather than ideological certainty. What might happen if we focused less on winning arguments and more on discovering what actually works, for America, for Israel, for the Jewish community, and for one another? Let's find out. Happy 250th, America. UPCOMING SHABBAT: July 10th a TowneBank Community Kitchen inside Commonweath Autism. Free tickets if you need them. RSVP at KehillahRVA.org [https://KehillahRVA.org] Got questions? Send us a text and we'll read it on the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2458253/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2458253/support] 🕯️ Learn more about Kehillah: kehillahrva.org [https://kehillahrva.org] 💛 Support Kehillah: kehillahrva.org/donate [https://kehillahrva.org/donate] 📲 Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/kehillahrva [https://instagram.com/kehillahrva] 📘 Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/kehillahrva [https://facebook.com/kehillahrva] 🔁 Share this episode with a friend and help build something sacred together.

False Nostalgia — Why We Sometimes Want to Go Back

Why do people return to unhealthy relationships, destructive habits, or situations they worked so hard to escape? And why does Rabbi Patrick watch Halloween commercials from 1988? In this episode of the Kehillah Podcast, Rabbi Patrick explores the phenomenon of false nostalgia through the lens of the Torah's wilderness narratives. Topics include: *  Why the Israelites repeatedly wanted to return to Egypt  *  The difference between healthy remembrance and false nostalgia  *  How addiction, unhealthy relationships, and family systems can keep us stuck in resisting positive change, and wishing we could go back to unhealthy times in our life *  And what to do when we find ourselves daydreaming about the past, when we need to move into a brighter future. Also -- real transformation rarely happens alone. The path forward is often found not in returning to what was, but in finding people who can help us build what comes next. Kehillah is there for you, exactly for that. Learn more about Kehillah: https://kehillahrva.org [https://kehillahrva.org?utm_source=chatgpt.com] Support the podcast and our community: https://kehillahrva.org/donate [https://kehillahrva.org/donate?utm_source=chatgpt.com] Got questions? Send us a text and we'll read it on the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2458253/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2458253/support] 🕯️ Learn more about Kehillah: kehillahrva.org [https://kehillahrva.org] 💛 Support Kehillah: kehillahrva.org/donate [https://kehillahrva.org/donate] 📲 Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/kehillahrva [https://instagram.com/kehillahrva] 📘 Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/kehillahrva [https://facebook.com/kehillahrva] 🔁 Share this episode with a friend and help build something sacred together.