HONORS

Rabbi Brous is honored in the Forward 50 (2005, 2006 & 2007)

The Forward newspaper describes the Forward 50:

Membership in the 50 doesn't mean that the Forward endorses what these individuals do or say. We've chosen them because they are doing and saying things that are making a difference in the way American Jews, for better or worse, view the world and themselves. Not all these people have put their energies into the traditional frameworks of Jewish community life, but they all have embodied the spirit of Jewish action as it is emerging in America, and all of them have left a mark.

On Rabbi Sharon Brous:

In the burgeoning world of unconventional young congregations, Sharon Brous, 32, has taken on an unusual role, doubling as a youthful firecracker, storming the barricades, and a grand dame, dispensing wisdom. Brous began her own Los Angeles religious community, IKAR, only three years ago, but it has swiftly become one of the largest of its kind, drawing more people on Friday nights than almost any traditional synagogue in the city. The lure is Brous's ability to make Judaism accessible -- with an emphasis on social activism -- while keeping the work tied to serious Jewish text and ritual. No Kabbalah Centre here. As IKAR has boomed, Brous has become a model and a mentor for many other religious innovators. She took on several leadership positions in the newly formed Synagogue 3000 network, which serves as a gathering point for new Jewish communities around the country. Brous was trained at the Conservative Jewish Theological Seminary, but her unwillingness to follow institutional models is one of the things keeping her fresh and popular.

IKAR is honored in Slingshot 06

In an effort to highlight Jewish innovations of today, we [Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies] created Slingshot, a resource list of 50 of the most creative and effective organizations and leaders across the country, all of them offering valuable projects with different perspectives, strategies and in different locales. This book is meant to be used by funders of all sizes and ages who want to support innovative Jewish life.

On IKAR:

Founded by powerhouse Rabbi Sharon Brous and a group of 20 and 30-something peers, IKAR "emerged in response to a deep sense of alienation that many disaffected Jews feel from established Jewish institutions. The very idea of a "synagogue" was neither enticing nor fulfilling for many young Jews." In turn, IKAR became a "spiritual community" that, like its name, strives to get to the "root, essence and the core" of Judaism.

IKAR is at the forefront of new models of spiritual communities, experimenting with rituals, study and social justice. "The Grey Area," for example, is a monthly gathering where participants explore, debate and discuss meaningful Jewish and contemporary issues to complement the text study and Shabbat services that happen weekly.

While IKAR has all of the traditional elements of prayer, study and tikkun olam, Rabbi Brous's "commitment to social justice is infectious" and the spiritual experience "feels like Tzfat." To get a taste of IKAR, check out the testimonials online that describe a spirit of Judaism and a Jewish community that the writers have never found elsewhere.