Aloha is not just a word. What is it, exactly? And you don’t have to go to Hawai’i to find Aloha. We can look for and share Aloha in our everyday lives to help make our world a better place. Aloha kekahi i kekahi….love one another…..it’s a way of life!

Kumu Kainani Hartnett (she/her)
Kumu Kainani Hartnett was born and raised in the cultural melting pot of Hawai’i. Although she is of Okinawan and French/German heritage, Kainani adopted hula, Hawaiian music and culture as her long time passion. Her journey eventually led her to the Academy of Hawaiian Arts in Oakland, where she learned and danced hula with Kumu Mark Keali’i Ho’omalu, who honored Kainani with the title of Kumu. Although not Jewish herself, Kainani was inspired by Jewish music to adopt Jewish education as her profession, mostly in early childhood but also in Temple schools. (Shalom+Aloha = Shaloha!) Kainani is the director of ‘Ahamele (hawaiian music ensemble) which is made up of dedicated musicians and hula dancers who enjoy sharing their love of hawaiian music and aloha.