OUR CAMPUS
Our Home
Congregation Kol Shofar (CKS) began in early 1962 when a small group of Conservative Jews met in Marin to discuss the possibility of establishing a synagogue. The first Shabbat was celebrated in May at the Jewish Community Center in San Rafael.
Congregation Kol Shofar continued to grow in its first two decades while moving to different sites around Marin County. Over those twenty years, the community celebrated services at the Jewish Community Center in San Rafael, Aldersgate Methodist Church in Terra Linda, the Marin Jewish Community Center at Santa Venetia, and even the Larkspur-Corte Madera school.
In 1982 Kol Shofar began negotiations to purchase the current site - a former middle school in Tiburon. After agreements with the Town of Tiburon and support from a San Francisco development firm, Congregation Kol Shofar moved into its permanent home on Blackfield Drive in June of 1984.
In 2006 the community began planning for an extensive renovation to expand the synagogue space. Through dedication and perseverance, construction on the new building started in 2009 and the first Shabbat services were held on August 27, 2010.
The final project, designed by Herman Coliver Locus Architecture of San Francisco, added an 8,300-square-foot social hall and additional parking, as well as a renovated sanctuary space.
Our Clergy
Kol Shofar is blessed with a history of strong spiritual leaders and visionary teachers. Rabbi David Coren was the first Rabbi, followed by Rabbi Morris Schussheim. Rabbi Aryeh led the community until the appointment of Rabbi David White, whose vision was to make Kol Shofar more about the congregants than the Rabbi.
Rabbi Lavey Yitzchak Derby was hired as Senior Rabbi in 1990 and served in this position until 2010. He was instrumental in building a community based on Torah study principles, spiritual quest and practice, and social justice. While the Synagogue leadership worked to hire a new Senior Rabbi, Rabbi Chai Levy served as the Interim Senior Rabbi.
In 2012 Rabbi Susan Leider became the Senior Rabbi, combining her love of Judaism and music, bringing a participatory, multi-generational approach to the education programming and worship services. Rabbi Leider was succeeded by Rabbi Steinberg in 2022.
Rabbi Paul Steinberg became Senior Rabbi in July of 2022. He joined the staff in 2017 as the Director of Lifelong Learning and began his pulpit and pastoral duties in 2018. Cantor Naomi Weiss joined our clergy team also in July of 2022, Congregation Kol Shofar’s first Cantor.
