Olney Kehila is an open Jewish community that welcomes new members year round.
Shabbat Services
Olney Kehila meets for Shabbat services on the first Friday of each month. Currently we hold services at the Sandy Spring Friends Meeting on Meetinghouse Road in Sandy Spring, MD, right off of Rt. 108. During the school year, each one of our Hebrew School classes helps to lead a Shabbat service.
Spiritual Leadership
Olney Kehila is led by Holly Taya Shere. Read more about her here.
Membership and Participation
All people are welcomed in our community and encouraged to participate.
Opportunities exist for volunteers to serve on our Executive Board, to assist in our classrooms,
to direct community celebrations and to usher at a service or planning a holiday celebration.
Download a membership form here.
Life Cycle Events
We look forward to celebrating with our families as they mark special occasions such as Bar- and Bat-Mitzvahs, welcoming new additions to their families, and other milestones. So, too, are we there for support in times of need.
Bar- and Bat-Mitzvahs
A Bar-Mitzvah or Bat-Mitzvah is an important milestone for a young man or young woman, for the family, and for our community. We look forward to sharing in this traditional ceremony as our children come of age, and to celebrating by acknowledging our newest adults at Shabbat services or other venues. Mazel Tov to all of our recent Bar- and Bat-Mitzvahs, and to those coming up.
Olney Kehila recognizes that each family must choose to mark this occasion in a way that is most meaningful to them. As a community, we ask that each student engage in a significant Tikkun Olam (social action) project during the year before the celebration.
