| Congregation Kol Ami | |
|---|---|
 Kol Ami of Frederick, in 2018 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Reform Judaism |
| Ecclesiastical or organisational status | Synagogue |
| Leadership | Rabbi Jennifer Weiner |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | 4880 Elmer Derr Road,Frederick,Maryland 21703 |
| Country | United States |
  Location inMaryland | |
| Coordinates | 39°24′51.5″N77°24′48.5″W / 39.414306°N 77.413472°W /39.414306; -77.413472 |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Church |
| Established | 2003(as a congregation) |
| Website | |
| kolamifrederick | |
Congregation Kol Ami is aReformJewish congregation andsynagogue inFrederick,Maryland, in the United States.
Founded by a group of eight families on February 21, 2003, the congregation's services are held atUnitarian-Universalist Congregation of Frederickchurch at 4880 Elmer Derr Road.[1] In 2004, the congregation borrowed aTorah for use in worship and in 2005, Kol Ami hired a traineerabbi, Daniel Sikowitz. The same year, Kol Ami began its religious school,[2] and joined theUnion for Reform Judaism. Sikowitz was elected as the congregation's first rabbi in 2007.
In October 2007, a group of women at Kol Ami celebrated theirb'not mitzvahs. The women, who varied in age, were older than the traditional age for such a celebration, however had never had such an opportunity since the tradition was not popular when they were that age.[3]
Congregation Kol Ami paid $20,000 for a Torah saved from theHolocaust fromLviv, Ukraine in 2008. It was the first Torah scroll owned by the congregation.[4][5] Members of the congregation, some of whom are ofUkrainian descent, assisted in writing the Torah.[6]
The congregation frequently participates in social action programs such as the Frederick food bank.[7]
The Torah that was sold to the congregation by RabbiMenachem Youlus from Save a Torah Foundation, an organization that brings forgotten Torahs to welcoming congregations, was purportedly acquired on the basis of the followingprovenance:[citation needed]
One of these Torahs was purportedly reassembled and was sold as a genuine item to Congregation Kol Ami.[4]
An investigation by theWashington Post cast doubts on the authenticity of Youlus' claims and other Torah scrolls purportedly discovered to have survived the Holocaust and recovered by Youlus and the Save a Torah Foundation.[8] Following a criminal investigation, Youlus was convicted of two counts ofmail and wire fraud in a Manhattan federal court on October 11, 2012. He served a 51-month prison sentence and was ordered to pay restitution to his victims.[9][10] Youlus was incarcerated until August 26, 2016,[11] and served three yearsupervised release.[9]
