Leo Baeck

Leo Baeck




  • Home
  • About
    • History
    • Philosophy
    • Director’s Welcome
    • Board of Directors
    • Staff
    • News & Events
  • Education
    • Preschools
    • Elementary School
    • Middle School
    • High School
    • Special Needs Education
    • Ethiopian Scholarship Fund
    • Schools Photo Gallery
  • Community and Satellite Centers
    • Beit El Community Center
    • Beit Ligdol Tov
    • Clore Shared Existence Center
    • Ruth Center
    • Sauwa Center
    • Sports Center
  • Ohel Avraham Synagogue
    • Ohel Avraham Community – Who Are We
    • Jewish Life on Campus
    • Photo Gallery
  • Programming
    • At-Risk Children and Youth
      • Beit Ligdol Tov
      • Sauwa Center
    • Combating Hunger
    • Shared Existence Programs
      • Clore Shared Existence Center
      • Playing Cultures Arab-Jewish Music Troupe
      • Ein Hayam Trail
      • Cultural Rainbow Program
      • Peace Drums Project
    • Special Needs Programming
    • Supporting Haifa’s Ethiopian Immigrants
      • Beit Ligdol Tov
      • Elementary School Scholarships for Ethiopian Students
  • Programs Photo Gallery

One Caring Community

August 3, 2017 by Meital Riskin Leave a Comment

Congregants at “Ohel Avraham” come together not only for holiday celebrations but also for the important moments in each other’s lives. As Congregation “Ohel Avraham” grew over the past few years, synagogue leadership started setting up modest subcommittees within the Va’ad, or leadership council.

Rabbi Na’ama suggested starting a Caring Community subcommittee. After being touched that, during her time of need, congregants supported her with meals and visits, Rachel Rose Shalev agreed to chair the subcommittee. In an interview a few months ago, she said, “we want to be a community that offers support for people who need it, either in times of strife or even in good times to know that they’re not alone.”

Rachel began as the only committee member, though other congregants help the committee thrive. People cook, drive, being food, buy things, etc.  People identify a need in the community and contact Rachel, who finds people to help. Now, she and others are thinking about how to expand the committee, a testament to its success. Shula Vardi, a congregant and beneficiary of Caring Community, spoke to this success, sharing that members of the congregation made her feel like she is part of the Kehilah – the Community. She is “proud” to belong to the synagogue, which she calls “a real family.”

The warmth that people bring to the Caring Community permeates throughout aspects of synagogue life. As Rachel said, “It’s a priority for us to make sure that our congregants feel that they are a part of a community, in rain and in shine.”

Written by Talia Kaplan

Filed Under: Jewish Life, Ohel Avraham Synagogue

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Support Us

We deeply appreciate the contributions of our donors from throughout the world. Thank you for supporting Leo Baeck's programming and progressive philosophy!

Recent News & Events

Sukkah of Peace

Last night, clergy from all religions and denominations, and dozens of Arab and Jewish activists, including of course from the Wadi-Jamal/Ein Hayam neighborhood, gathered together in the in the Peace Sukkah at the Leo Baeck Education Center. The religious leaders brought a message of peace, … [Read More...]

A Summer Creating Community: A Look Into the Leo Baeck Arab-Jewish Summer Camp (WRJ Blog)

By Rabbi Oshrat Morag … [Read More...]

Blog Categories

  • Afterschool Centers for Children-at-Risk
  • Arab Jewish Summer Camp
  • Arab-Jewish Shared Existence
  • Arab-Jewish Youth Leadership Training
  • Beit Ligdol Tov Early Childhood Education
  • Capital Projects
  • Clore Shared Existence Center
  • Combating Hunger
  • Disadvantaged Children and Youth
  • Donor Events
  • Ein Hayam Trail
  • Ethiopian-Israelis
  • Family Events
  • Haifa Fires
  • International Exchange
  • Jewish Life
  • Leo Baeck Community Center
  • Leo Baeck Elementary School
  • Leo Baeck High School
  • Leo Baeck Middle School
  • Leo Baeck Preschools
  • Leo Baeck Schools
  • LGBT Pride
  • Ohel Avraham Synagogue
  • Peace Drums
  • Ruth Center for At-Risk Youth
  • Senior Citizens
  • Special Needs Programming
  • Sports
  • Student Blogs
  • Uncategorized
  • Youth Programming

Contact Us

Leo Baeck Education Center
90 Derech Tsarfat
P.O.B. 6283, Haifa 3106201
Tel: +972 (0) 4 8300 571
Email: DIA@leobaeck.org.il

Friends of Leo Baeck

Leo Baeck Education Center Foundation
c/o Houston Jewish Community Founation 5603 South Braeswood
Houston, Texas 77096
U.S.A.

Friends of Leo Baeck Haifa
c/o Israel Desk, Alliance for Progressive Judaism, The  Montagu Centre                     21 Maple Street
London W1T 4BE
United Kingdom

Follow Us

Newsletter Signup

Copyright © 2025 The Leo Baeck Education Center | WordPress website by Pixel/Point Press