About Us

Many of us have experienced discomfort between our core values and the current state of Sephardic and Mizrahi religious institutions.  The belief in equality and inclusivity that pervades our secular lives has been lost in many of our congregations and communities. To address this challenge, some of us have turned to more inclusive Ashkenazi communities or have tried to make do with the socially conservative Sephardic/Mizrahi options available. Others have gone even further, leaving the fold altogether.

Each of these “solutions” demands we forfeit something precious: we must either lose the familiarity and expression of our own culture, silence our beliefs and veil our identities, or be denied the social and spiritual sustenance our community can offer.  

Kanisse exists to remedy this problem.

As a non-denominational organization composed of diverse Sephardic and Mizrahi beliefs, traditions, and practices, Kanisse is a home for all and embraces you as your complete self, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, or any other part of your identity. We see ourselves as “new traditionalists,” coming together to reclaim our liturgical and cultural heritage in a way that better complements our core values of egalitarianism and inclusivity. 

Kanisse also encourages cross pollination between and exploration of the connected yet varied traditions of the Sephardic and Mizrahi world.

Our Name

Kanisse is the Arabic word for “synagogue”, used by many Sephardic/Mizrahi Jews as the equivalent of “shul.”  Like the related Hebrew phrase בית כנסת (bet kenesset, “synagogue”) and the Ancient Greek συναγωγή (synagogē, from which the English word is derived), the root of the Arabic “كنيس” means “to assemble” or “to come together.”  Kanisse is a space that welcomes all to assemble, celebrate, and learn together, both for prayer services, as well as for cultural programming.