Rabbanim LeYisrael
Transforming Israel religiously…
One congregation and one rabbi at a time
“When a shul has a rabbi, he can transform his people and the surrounding community, one person and one shiur at a time. If we can put a rabbi in every shul, what could this country look like?”
– Rav Yitzchok Elefant
Israel has thousands of shuls where there are Shabbat and even weekday services – but with no rabbi
Yet there are many rabbis (for example, working as teachers in schools or yeshivot, or as dayanim) who would be happy to serve as part-time congregational rabbis
Rabbanim leYisrael has already placed 70 rabbis in thirteen communities across Israel (as at April 2024)
Our aim is to place 1,000 rabbis in 1,000 congregations
And then another thousand, and then another thousand, and then another
Giving all Jews a positive Jewish experience
A non-observant Jew comes to his local beit knesset to say kaddish for a relative’s yahrtzeit, when during shiva when someone has passed away. Greeted by a friendly and nurturing rabbi, can a once-off visit be transformed to an active connection with the Jewish tradition?
The experience of the rabbis placed by Rabbanim LeYisrael is yes
Matching communities to rabbis
Sephardi rabbis lead Sephardi synagogues. All communities have rabbis involved who are an appropriate “fit”.
Blessing of Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv ztz”l
Rav Elyashiv ztz”l told Rav Elefant that the task of Rabbanim LeYisrael was “חשוב מאד” [very important] and guided Rav Elefant to ensure that he matched each rabbi appropriately to his particular community
Non-political
Rabbanim LeYisrael places both charedi and religious Zionist (modern orthodox) rabbis
Currently (as at April 2024) Rabbanim LeYisrael has seventy rabbis in the thirteen following locations:
Dimona, Afula, Zichron Yaakov, Netanya, Givat Shmuel, Ashdod, Yerushalayim, Beit Shemesh, Kiryat Malachi, Netivot. Ofakim, Beer Sheva, Yerucham
Letter from Chief Rabbi David Lau and other leading rabbis
“You have devised a wonderful idea: to place in every synagogue and in every community a rabbi who will be a spiritual beacon and attract many…”
Case studies
Below are a handful of the communities that have been transformed by rabbis placed by Rabbanim LeYisrael
Rav David Raz, rabbi of the Indian community in Dimona
- “I found a community that used to travel to Meron on Shabbat when Lag BaOmer fell out on a Sunday, justifying itself by saying, “Rabbi Shimon doche Shabbat”
- Today the Indian community has six shuls in Dimona, as well as several in Netivot and Yerucham
- Among these synagoes are dozens of shiurim
- Many congregants have become bnei Torah, and kollel yungerleit
Rabbi Yosef Natanov, rav of the Bucharim shul in Dimona
- He has opened an evening kollel both in Russian and Hebrew
- Over a hundred people come to shul on Shabbos – when he arrived there was no minyan at all!
“You have devised a wonderful idea: to place in every synagogue and in every community a rabbi who will be a spiritual beacon and attract many…”
Israel’s Chief Rabbi David Lau
CEO, Greenprint
Watch, Read, Listen
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Rabbanim LeYisrael - Placing rabbis in communities around the country, nurturing the Jewish soul of Israel 