Over five years ago, Ayelet Hashachar (“AH”) began working in Kibbutz Sde Nechemia, among various of the Kibbutzim in Emek HaHula. It all started with a phone call from a resident looking for a place to daven. “I’m davening under a street lamp by myself,” he explained. Two weeks he called back: “I put a sign on the lamppost “mechakim l’tisha,” “waiting for nine”! Erev Pesach, he asked “what will I do on Pesach”? Rav Raanan brought his entire family and everything they needed to make Pesach to the Kibbutz. Rav Raanan and his family hosted more than 20 meals during the week and to each one they invited different members of the Kibbutz, sharing Pesach stories and sparking friendships.
Two months later sparks ignited: ten members of the Kibbutz agreed to daven together every l’eyel Shabbos. Seeing the commitment of its residents, the Kibbutz agreed to provide them with a place daven. AH provided furniture and a Sefer Torah. Slowly, the davening “circle” widened and the Kibbutz understood that it was time to build a schul in the center of the Kibbutz. The Kibbutz was expanding and accepting new members from all over, including traditional Jews who needed a schlul.
AH thought it fitting dedicate the schul in memory of Tamar Ariel, A”H, the first religious female navigator in the Israeli Air Force, since the Chief of the Air Force Base where she had been stationed came from that Kibbutz, and the Kibbutz wanted to memorialize her. The architectural plans for the schul beautiful. AH together with the Israeli Government has raised 80% of the costs to break ground (close to 1,000,000 NIS). But, AH can’t break ground until it raises the remaining 300,000 NIS. If you would like to be part of this project or hear more about it, please contact Rav Shlomo Raanan at
