Rabbi Paul Kipnes

Rabbi Paul Kipnes (he/him/his) is the spiritual leader of Congregation Or Ami in Calabasas, California. He also serves as rabbinic dean at URJ Camp Newman in Santa Rosa, CA. He consults on synagogue disruption and transformation, using his viral articles, Disruptive Judaism: Will Your Synagogue Be Beit Blockbuster or Kehillat Netflix and Synagogue dues are dead: What’s the price point at which quitting the temple is impossible? Rabbi Kipnes and his wife, Michelle November, co-wrote Jewish Spiritual Parenting. He also co-edited a national CCAR Journal issue, "New Visions for Jewish Community." His searing poetry and insightful writings can be viewed at PaulKipnes.com. 

an image of two people wrapped in an Israeli flag looking at the Western Wall
Israel

A Prayer for When Israel Needs Us

Rabbi Paul Kipnes
Holy One of Blessing… When Israel is suffering Way over there, And our people are in turmoil And we are right here When the news is heart-wrenching And so little is clear
waves crashing into each other

A Prayer for After Elections

Rabbi Paul Kipnes
There was that moment at the Red Sea when our people despaired like never before. Looking behind, the people saw an enemy coming for them. Looking ahead, the waters seemed ready to swallow them up.