Kesher Israel Congregation

01/23/2026

Hope you can join me at this Women’s Philanthropy event on February 19 in Ambler.

Join the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia's Women of Vision and Women's Philanthropy groups for an inspiring evening with award-winning photographer Debbie Zimelman. She will take us behind the scenes of her 10-year journey interviewing and photographing women IDF soldiers.

Register at https://hubs.ly/Q03_P8B_0

11/02/2025

100 years ago today (November 1), Kesher Israel dedicated their new congregation on Church Street in West Chester, but did you know it wasn’t the first synagogue in West Chester? The first place for gathering in prayer and ritual resided in a humble, brick rowhouse on Chestnut Street from 1915 until the newly built Kesher Israel opened its doors on November 1, 1925. Before that, the Jews of West Chester had to travel to Philadelphia to attend temple. In 1988, the congregation of Kesher Israel moved once again, this time to their current location on Pottstown Pike. Interested in exploring our Photo Archives? Visit www.mycchc.org/collections/photo-archives/

12/11/2024

145 TICKETS SOLD!!

Someone is going to win $10,000…

Support Kesher Israel with a chance to win $10,000!!!

Hanukkah Raffle Details:
• Tickets are $100
• We are accepting cash, check or venmo- -ISRAEL
• If you venmo- please make a note it is for raffle ticket- Lannie will follow up ASAP.
• You can purchase your ticket in person at the front office- Lannie, Marci or Janna will be happy to help you.
• Tickets can be purchased during preschool and religious school
• All ticket purchases are being tracked digitally in case you loose or do not pick up your ticket

The drawing will take place at the Kesher Israel Pre-Hanukkah Celebration on Wednesday, December 18, 2024. The winner does not need to be present to win.

YOU CAN BUY AS MANY TICKETS AS YOU WANT!

HELP SPREAD THE WORD!!
YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE A MEMBER OF KESHER ISRAEL TO PARTICIPATE. PLEASE SHARE THIS OPPORTUNITY WITH FAMILY, FRIENDS & NEIGHBORS!

CHANCE TO WIN $10K MAKE A GREAT HOLIDAY GIFT!!

12/03/2024

WIN $10,000 BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS!!!

Hanukkah Raffle Details:

• Tickets are $100

• We are accepting cash, check or venmo- -ISRAEL

• Message Lannie Bickman Hulnick or email [email protected] and I will coordinate your ticket purchase.

The drawing will take place at the Kesher Israel Pre-Hanukkah Celebration on Wednesday, December 18, 2024. The winner does not need to be present to win.

HELP SPREAD THE WORD!!

YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE A MEMBER OF KESHER ISRAEL TO PARTICIPATE. PLEASE SHARE THIS OPPORTUNITY WITH FAMILY, FRIENDS & NEIGHBORS!

CHANCE TO WIN $10K MAKE A GREAT HOLIDAY GIFT!! BUY TICKETS FOR YOUR FRIENDS, FAMILY, NEIGHBORS

05/20/2024

Kesher Israel will be closing out Pride Month with a special Pride Shabbat Dinner & Service. This effort is being led by Zoe Goldberg-Smotherman

In an effort to reach out to the LGTBQ+ community Zoe has written the letter below. Please feel free to share this information with anyone you think would be interested.

Please join us on Friday, June 28 at 6:00 pm.
https://www.kesher-israel.org/events/prode-shabbat-dinner/

My name is Zoe Goldberg-Smotherman. I am a q***r Jew, use they/them pronouns, and I am making it my mission to reach out to other LGBTQ+ identifying Jews and give them a space where they feel they can be safe and be themselves.
My initiative is starting at Kesher Israel in West Chester. This is the synagogue where I grew up. I was Bat Mitzvahed there, and it’s the synagogue where I would like to raise my children. But before I can do that, I want to make sure I’m creating a good place, not just for myself, my wife, and our future children, but for others and their loved ones as well. The idea behind my initiative was the fact that I can’t be the only q***r Jew in this area. I want to find and meet all of the other ones!
I have a lot planned for my initiative, but I’m starting with a kick off Shabbat dinner. On Friday, June 28th, we will have Shabbat dinner, followed by the lighting of the Shabbat candles. The idea of this dinner is to come together as Jews, getting to meet each other, and sharing in a tradition that spans thousands of years. And of course, we’re not just welcoming all LGBTQ+ identifying Jews, but our allies. We are all a community, but I feel like, above all, LGBTQ+ identifying Jews need to meet each other. We need to know that we’re not alone. This is about bringing all of us together.
It’s a beautiful thing to come together over good food and good company. I would like to invite both LGBTQ+ and allies to Shabbat dinner at Kesher Israel, so we can do just that. I would like to personally meet everyone who’s interested in joining me on this journey, and I would like everyone else to meet each other as well.
As a q***r Jew in my mid-30s, I think I can really bring together, not just people my own age, but the community as a whole. I am so excited to meet and greet people with this Shabbat dinner. I think we all have a lot to say, to each other, and to the world. This is just the start of something absolutely beautiful.

Thank you all so much,

Zoe Goldberg-Smotherman

05/17/2024

Come and see what Kesher Israel is all about... and enjoy some ice cream!! This Sunday, May 19, 12:00-1:00 pm
DM for more information.

01/04/2024

Looking to learn about Judaism? Reach out to Kesher Israel Congregation for more information. Open House on January 28th is to learn more about the Judaism 101 program with Rabbi Sam Yolen.

11/22/2023

As we come together for Thanksgiving this year, we remember that our tables are incomplete until all the hostages, who were brutally abducted by Hamas on October 7th, are back home.

Our Kesher Israel Community is praying for the release of all hostages with the hope that they will be in the arms of their loved ones soon.



AM ISRAEL CHAI 🇮🇱🇮🇱💙💙🇮🇱🇮🇱

11/01/2023

Kesher Israel Congregation is very excited to see Rabbi Sam Yolen featured in the Jewish Exponebt this week!!

The Kesher Israel Congregation in West Chester began a new rabbi search in September 2022. There were dozens of candidates, according to Jim Tischler, the chair of the rabbinic search committee. Yet one stood out: Sam Yolen. He’s a 33-year-old millennial who wears a beret and brings his dog, a min...

10/08/2023

10/04/2023

Wishing Everyone a Chag Sukkot Sameach- Happy Sukkot!
Join us all week as we celebrate this harvest festival.
Check out our website for programs and service times:
https://www.kesher-israel.org/

08/15/2023

Religious School Open House is TOMORROW! Tell all your friends and family that KI is the place to be for Religious School and so much more. Don't forget...free tuition for members this year 😀