kehillah

Kehilla (Hebrew: קהילה) is a term used in Jewish contexts to denote a community, congregation, or self-governing Jewish body. In English, kehilla and its plural kehillot are used to refer to a local Jewish community or to the formal organizational structure that represents its members, oversees religious services, education, charity, and communal welfare.

Etymology and usage: The word derives from Hebrew kehilla, from the root qahal, meaning assembly or gathering. The term literally conveys an assembly or congregation and can refer to a single community or to multiple communities when pluralized as kehillot.

Historical usage: In medieval and early modern Europe, many Jewish communities were organized as kehillot (often transliterated as kahal) with autonomous governance. They maintained synagogues, schools, ritual courts, and charitable funds, and they collected taxes or dues for communal needs. Kehillot operated under charters or protective laws granted by rulers and served as the central institution of Jewish life in towns and regions.

Modern usage: In modern Hebrew, kehillot refers broadly to Jewish communities or congregations, including municipal or regional groups. In the diaspora, kehilla denotes membership-based congregational organizations that provide religious services, education, social action, and welfare programs. Some synagogues and Jewish organizations adopt the name Kehillat or Kehillah to signal a community-oriented approach.