| Rabbi Chen Tsfoni Chair, Roi Edelstein 94 Pardess Meshutaf Street 43576 Ra’anana Israel Phone: 011-972-9-7740311 office@beit-samueli.org.il www.beit-samueli.org.il |
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About
Established in 1986 and officially recognized as a non-profit organization (NGO) in 1992, Kehillat Ra’anan is a congregation located in the city of Ra’anana, Israel and serves the Sharon region. We are affiliated with the Israeli Movement for Progressive Judaism and work together with Reform congregations throughout Israel and abroad. Our community is founded upon the ideals of pluralism and equality. Our goals include strengthening our relationships with each other and fostering participation in Israeli-Jewish culture in a changing and evolving Israeli society. Since 2002, when we moved into our own home – Beit Samueli – we have been able to offer many more activities and expand our reach to the surrounding community.
Beit Samueli – Kehillat Ra’anan strives to promote pluralism and tolerance in Israeli society, acting as a comprehensive, inclusive hub embracing a variety of Jewish and Israeli identities. To bring our vision to life, Beit Samueli has adopted a proactive, hands-on approach. The organization makes use of a host of services and advanced facilities to offer Jews and Israelis from all walks of life an accessible platform for social, religious and civic engagement, creating a culturally vibrant and welcoming community in the spirit of progressive Judaism.
Celebrating Judaism
Our rabbi, Rabbi Chen Ben-Or Tsfoni, leads services and encourages a rich spiritual and ritual life for our members. We celebrate Shabbat each week and come together to observe and celebrate holidays throughout the year. Rabbi Chen also creates opportunities for Jewish study on a regular basis.
Life Cycle Ceremonies – An opportunity for Jewish inclusion
At Beit Samueli, we believe that every Jew is entitled to a rich and meaningful spiritual life and the right to actively practice their faith in a manner best suited to their own specific needs and desires. As such, we have created a ceremonial format and infrastructure to provide people from all walks of life accessible and welcoming ways to take part in Jewish life-cycle ceremonies such as Brit Mila, baby namings, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, weddings, and funerals.
Beit Samueli provides an inclusive experience for families who wish to celebrate ritual occasions together, for children with disabilities to be called to the Torah as Bar/ Bat Mitzvahs; Jewish weddings for the LGBT community and for other couples who prefer not to use the Orthodox Rabbinate’s services or who are unrecognized by them, as well as end of life ceremonies.
For our B’nai Mitzvah program, which in 2019 served over 230 families, Beit Samueli’s professional staff accompanies each family through the preparations, offering guidance and support as well as the use of our beautiful synagogue and banquet hall to ensure a joyful and touching celebration for all who take part.
Developing Tomorrow’s Jewish Leaders
Beit Samueli operates educational programs to enable children and adults to learn about and explore Jewish faith, rituals and values in an open-minded environment. Our programs seek to imbue the Jewish values of tolerance, pluralism, “chesed” (kindness), and civic engagement in the leaders of tomorrow.
We offer a wide range of outreach programs, including: educational and cultural programs, holiday celebrations, social events, community outings, volunteer projects, and hospitality for Jewish delegations from around the world.
Social Justice – Tikun Olam
We firmly believe that the journey to a more tolerant, inclusive and just Israeli society begins with social engagement, and we are involved in many activities to further this goal. Beit Samueli acts as an inclusive hub, offering its facilities, services, and capabilities to support and empower communities, groups, and individuals engaged in “Tikun Olam.”
Kehillat Ra’anan places a strong emphasis on dedicated and inclusive ceremonies for people with special needs, activities that promote gender equality and female empowerment, knowledge sharing and support of other NGOs and the spread of tolerant and inclusive views through outreach and educational programs.
We are privileged to have as our neighbors two residential settings for adults with special needs. Over the years we have developed a number of cooperative programs together and these special communities regularly join us for holiday celebrations.
Jewish Peoplehood
Beit Samueli – Kehillat Ra’anan works to strengthen the important bonds between Israeli Jews and their brothers and sisters in the diaspora. Understanding the importance of preserving Jewish values, traditions and peoplehood, our community is very involved in bringing Israel to the Jews of the world and vice versa. We maintain close ties with multiple Jewish communities around the world (in Australia, North America, Europe) and host delegations of visitors on a regular basis, encouraging Israelis and Diaspora Jews to rediscover a collective sense of Jewish purpose.
During the past two years, we faced uncertain times due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This second year was more beautiful in some respects – vaccine availability, a growing sense of shared responsibility and community support, our new Siddur, and the renewed spirit of our congregation. Nonetheless, it was still very challenging – new variants, security threats, changing restrictions, rising COVID cases, and confusing colorful COVID passes.
Despite the challenges, we didn’t give up and did our best to limit the risks by meeting face to face outside – at the beach, in parks, in friends’ yards, and also at the synagogue – sharing prayers, discussions, and meals. When it was too risky to gather in person, we saw each other through Zoom screens for Beit Midrash and Community Cafe to talk, provide support, argue, find understanding, share, and strengthen the community fabric.
We have intensified our relationships with other congregations in Israel and worldwide through watching movies, sharing learning sessions, joint prayers, and discussions.
Without the spirit of entrepreneurship, volunteerism, action, charity, and dedication, none of this could have occurred. We once again came to understand that we need to take action and stand up for the values that we believe in; no one will do it for us.
