Who We Are

 

Formerly founded as Beth Shalom in 2008, AOI is a small Jewish community on the Southern part of the California central coast. Contrast to our small size, our presence is well known throughout California. Our close knit, family-like community has been compared to an Israeli experience by many who have visited us.

 

The majority of our members are Spanish speaking, which also includes many bilingual members, and a good number of English speakers. Services are trilingual, including; Spanish, English and Hebrew to accomodate for members. Our sanctuary includes beautiful handcrafted peices donated by members and friends of AOI. Our Hekhal houses our Sefer Torah, which was donated to our community by Bet Haverim located in Northern California.

 

 

Our Torah

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On December 16th, 2012 AOI recieved its first sefer torah from Bet Haverim (CBH) in Davis, California. CBH had been looking to give one of their older torahs to a fledgeling community to make room for a new sefer torah that they were to recieve in celebration of 50 years. The torah had been brought to the Davis community by Joyce Goldman's father. CBH tells AOI that in their earlier years, this very torah had been made mobile from house to house, before they had their own sanctuary. 

 

AOI looks up to CBH as a younger sibling does to his older. CBH's story of perserverance and outstreched arms to the community of Davis serves as a model for us here in Santa Maira. With the inheritance of this Torah, we are now a part of its story and forever tied to the community in Davis. Our new torah has made many torah services possible under the leadership of Rabbi Daniel Mehlman.

 

Bet Haverim is truely a "House of Friends".  By giving us their torah, they have given life to our community in more ways than they can imagine. It is with much gratitude that we say "TODAH RABAH" to our friends at Bet Haverim.

 

 

For More On The Event Click HERE.

 

 

Our Rabbi 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aside from woking with our community, Rabbi Daniel Mehlman is also Rabbi to Ner Tamid in Downey, CA. Rabbi Mehlman does a tremendous amount of work with various other communitues in other countries. He is a graduate of The American Jewish University in Los Angeles, California... 

 

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