About Kol Shira: Our Story and Values
Kol Shira — Voice of Song — is a Reform Jewish congregational community in Austin, Texas with a family feel, centered around connection, music-filled prayer, learning, and shared Jewish life.
The founders of Kol Shira came together in the summer of 2025 with a vision of a renewed approach to Jewish community and observance: a congregation where people are at the heart of Jewish life, every voice is valued, and relationships, participation, and spiritual connection are central.
Our first event was held on November 1, 2025, when we gathered to celebrate Shabbat and inaugurate this new community. In the short time since then, we’ve built a thriving, growing congregation and are excited to have brought the founding vision to reality.
A Participatory Austin Jewish Community
At Kol Shira, people are at the heart of communal life. We create a warm, participatory environment where relationships, conversation, music, prayer, learning, and celebration are shared experiences.
We build a community with a family feel — one where people know one another, support one another, and grow together through shared Jewish life.
Kol Shira encourages active participation and shared ownership of communal life. Members are invited to help shape the community through learning, music, hospitality, leadership, and volunteer involvement.
There is no financial commitment required to become a member. In our community, participation and belonging are not limited by financial barriers, and members support the community in ways that are meaningful and possible for them. Kol Shira is sustained through voluntary contributions and a no-dues model.
What We Do: Music-Filled Services, Learning, & Community Events
Kol Shira gathers for music-filled Shabbat and holiday services, Jewish learning, social gatherings like Shabbat and holiday dinners, mitzvah opportunities, life cycle occasions, and other community events.
We are actively building a Jewish education program for all ages. For families with children, our focus is on family and intergenerational education, centered on flexibility, home learning components, and integration into the congregation as a whole. Contact Cantor Gostein to learn more.
Where We Gather: A Synagogue Without Walls
Kol Shira is designed as a mobile community — a synagogue without walls — gathering in welcoming spaces throughout Austin rather than operating from a single synagogue building.
Many of our gatherings take place at the Shalom Austin Dell Jewish Community Center in Northwest Austin.
Others are held in community centers, parks, and private homes throughout the Austin area, especially in Northwest Austin and North-Central Austin.
Our community members live throughout the Austin area and we occasionally rotate our gatherings to far North Austin areas such as Cedar Park and Round Rock or South Austin.
By meeting in a variety of places, we enhance accessibility and personal connection.
To see the locations for our upcoming gatherings, request a My Kol Shira account.
Our Spiritual Leadership & Clergy
While many congregations are led by a Rabbi, Kol Shira thrives under the dedicated spiritual leadership of an ordained Cantor, placing music, participatory prayer, and collaborative clergy leadership at the center of our Austin community.
Cantor Abby Gostein serves as Kol Shira’s spiritual leader and cantorial guide. An ordained Cantor and member of the American Conference of Cantors, she brings more than 30 years of experience guiding Reform Jewish congregations and synagogues with a focus on engagement, participation, music, creativity, and spiritual connection.
Learn more about Cantor Gostein.
Our Values & Community Principles
Through collaborative and transparent leadership and shared celebration, Kol Shira is a community where trust is fundamental, spiritual joy thrives, and all feel a sense of belonging.
We are guided by kavod (respect), chesed (kindness), and tzedek (justice), and strive to weave prayer, learning, music, and celebration into heartfelt Jewish experiences.
Kol Shira is an inclusive Jewish community. We welcome all who share our values of committed Jewish community. We joyfully embrace people of every age, race, ethnicity, sexual identity, gender expression, background, and ability, and we create a space of belonging where each person feels valued and supported.
Join Our Austin Jewish Community
We are actively building this community and warmly welcome your participation.
We invite you to join us for services, learning, celebrations, mitzvah projects and other gatherings, subscribe to our mailing list, and become part of the growing Kol Shira community.
Consider becoming a member.