{Suzanne Taylor - President Kesher Israel Congregation}

Welcome to Kesher Israel-- a diverse, vibrant community located in the heart of Chester County. My family have been members since 1997, and there are so many things I love about the Kesher Israel community that I want to share with you, particularly how we put our mission - Building community using the tools of Jewish Tradition – into action.

 

Through acts of Tikkun Olam, Kesher Israel has a strong commitment to making the world a better place.  From our preschoolers to adults, our members support our local community and the community at large through opportunities such as our gleaning garden, food, clothing, school-supply and toy drives, support a local homeless shelter with meals,  and providing comfort to a congregant families in need through our Mitzvah Corps.

 

We offer a myriad of activities for our members so that all members, no matter what stage of live, have the opportunity to be active participants in our congregational community.  From our Young Parents Playgroup to our Empty Nesters Chavurah - you will find something here that interests you. We offer Shabbat services, including beautiful musical Friday nights, holiday celebrations, opportunities to continue to learn and grow in the Jewish tradition, Call Synagogue Home -- a program focusing on the needs of Interfaith families, outstanding Preschool and Religious Schools, three Youth Groups spanning grades 2 - 12, social events and more. Last year our Sisterhood and Men’s Club offered some of our most popular events including the Purim Carnival, yearly Fashion Show, brunch lecture series (on topics such as the legality of the Israeli settlements and the peace process, and Jews in the Civil War), bike rides and family bowling. Kesher Israel is a community where you can celebrate a simcha, explore our tradition, learn or find comfort and support in times of sorrow. We foster a sense of community, family, friendship, and provide avenues for personal spiritual growth.
 
We also have a central commitment to ensure that our Jewish tradition is accessible and meaningful to all. Our Rabbi, Eric Rosin, provides our members with the tools to grow spiritually and to deepen their understanding of Jewish traditions, values, and practices.
Friday evening services are informal, filled with lively songs and prayer. Shabbat morning services feature an interactive Torah Study on the weekly portion led by our Rabbi. Lay members (from beginners to the more experienced) have ample opportunities (are in fact encouraged) to lead portions of the service and read Torah and Haftarah. Kesher Israel is a Synaplex congregation; the goal of Synaplex is to enhance our Shabbat experience by offering different ways in which to celebrate Shabbat. We bring in special programs and speakers, offer choices in the way in which Shabbat can be celebrated, and foster a sense of Shabbat community and togetherness.

 

We value the process of transmitting Judaism to the next generation. Kesher Israel is the only synagogue in Chester County with a full-time Education Director, Rabbi Cynthia Kravitz. In our Religious School our children learn about Jewish history, holidays, Hebrew and more. Kesher Israel also offers programming for families with young children, including a Friday evening Tot Shabbat, Young Parents playgroup and Chaverim, and interactive program for parents and children ages 2 through 5 to learn about Jewish holidays. Our Pre-School and full time kindergarten programs are widely recognized in the county as centers for excellence in early childhood education. Our Religious School students are active in Kadima, a youth group for children grades 5 through 7, and our teens participate in USY, attending chapter, regional and international events. 

 

Our children are taught the skills, including Hebrew and prayers, and values of Judaism, so they may participate meaningfully in worship and in other aspects of congregational life. Kesher Israel is the only synagogue in Chester County with a full-time Education Director, Rabbi Cynthia Kravitz. In our Religious School our children learn about Jewish history, holidays, Hebrew and more. Kesher Israel also offers programming for families with young children, including a Friday evening Tot Shabbat, Young Parents playgroup and Chaverim, and interactive program for parents and children ages 2 through 5 to learn about Jewish holidays. Our Pre-School and full time Kindergarten programs, led by Preschool Directors Rohna Paskow and Gail DeMarco, are widely recognized in the county as centers for excellence in early childhood education. We recognize the importance of building strong social connections among our children, as well as opportunities for leadership. Our spirited Religious School students are active in Re’ut (grades 2 – 4), Kadima (grades 5 through 7), and USY (grades 8 – 12), attending chapter, regional and international events.  Our USY chapter has won the Chapter of the Year award for the past two years in a row, and several of our teens serve in leadership roles at the regional level. Teens may also continue their Jewish education through Gratz Hebrew High School, offered at Kesher Israel on Sunday and Wednesday evenings.

 

Jewish education is a lifelong process. In addition to the educational opportunities we provide for our children and families, we also offer an Adult Education curriculum with a variety of courses. Here is just a sampling of some exciting things we are planning this year: Conversational Hebrew, Jewish Skills (such as learning Torah trope, leading services), provocative lecture series on topics such as morality and ethics and synagogue wide Holocaust programming, a day of Jewish learning, in-depth learning through year-long Melton Classes, and Jewish-themed movie series.  

 

Every other Sunday, we have a very special class for special needs adults in the community.
 
At Kesher Israel, we believe that we have the responsibility to respond meaningfully to the diverse and evolving needs of our members. We strive to meet these needs as we provide a home in which a sense of Jewish community and continuity flourish.  Come visit us to experience the Kesher Israel Community for yourself. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or to request more information. Send me a message or leave me a message through our office at 610-696-7210.

 

{click me}  Frequently Asked Questions about KI