Welcome to the Afula Informational Program. The goal of this program is to present our groundbreaking initiative to build a new kind of American community in Eretz Yisrael.
Who Are We?
We are a group of American bnei Torah who are moving to Eretz Yisrael in the summer of 2022, under the leadership of Rabbi Nesanel Cadle, presently Rav of Knesses Hasefer in Yardley, PA.
Moving from Chutz La'aretz to Eretz Yisrael presents many challenges. It is our hope that by moving together as a supportive community, we can mitigate some of those challenges.
To us, community doesn’t mean just individuals and families living near one another. We are setting up a community with complete infrastructure to support ourselves. This infrastructure will include schools for all of our children, and a shul centered kehilla with a Rav.
Though we hail from various hometowns, we are coming together to create a truly unique, Torahdig community in Northern Eretz Yisrael. We believe that avodas Hashem and shemiras hamitzvos are the foundations of community life. These are the underpinnings of the kehilla we wish to build together.
Why Aliyah?
Eretz Yisrael is where limud haTorah is most vibrant and kiyum hamitzvos is most tangible. We have the opportunity to create an American community in Artzeinu hakedosha, while removing many of the barriers to American aliyah.
What is our Goal?
Our goal is to create the nucleus of an American frum community in Afula. The community will begin with a group of families committed to our vision for a community and chinuch system in which American olim can feel at home.
Our children will enroll in our own yeshivos and Bais Yaakov style schools - preschool through high school. The schools will be staffed with bi-lingual teachers to help the children transition from instruction in English to Hebrew. A graduated system for Hebrew immersion will be in place, with younger children adapting to full Hebrew instruction, and older children taught many subjects in English. Every student will receive ulpan instruction to learn the Hebrew language at the appropriate pace. A full curriculum of limudei kodesh and limudei chol subjects will be taught in all of our schools. The philosophy of every staff member will be to support the children of American olim in their unique journeys, al derech HaTorah.
Our community will have one shul from the outset. There will be learning and social opportunities for all ages, including regular shiurim from the Rav, a Nshei (Sisterhood) for the ladies, and a special kollel for retirees. B'ezras Hashem, future olim will be welcomed and our Afula family will increase in size, strength, and connectivity.
Why have our Own Community Infrastructure Instead of Joining an Existing Community in Israel?
The Israeli religious world is divided into numerous subcategories, and there are many strong disagreements across the Israeli religious spectrum. American olim often find themselves caught between communities they don’t understand, and feel hashkafically homeless. Having a trusted American Rav and familiar shul structure is vital to the comfort and security of our olim.
Israel is not America. Yerushalayim and Ashkelon are not Lakewood and Chicago. The cultural chasm between the Israeli and American Charedi world is far wider than most realize, and often most pronounced in schools. Upon aliyah, one has to pick a derech for chinuch, and there is little support for American olim who want their familiar school structure. For the children of our olim to be successful, we feel creating our own school system is imperative.
Why Afula?
Of the many cities in Eretz Yisrael that Rabbi Cadle has researched, Afula has the best options for 4 important communal needs:
1. Affordability. The housing prices in Israel are consistently high. In Afula,housing is 30-40% less than in Ramat Beit Shemesh and 50-60% less than in Jerusalem.
Furthermore, other life staples are less expensive in cities like Afula than in cities where olim have tended to settle over the last twenty years.
2. Municipal Interest and Agreement. In Afula, we are blessed with Rabbi Menachem and Dina Gold. Rabbi Gold is an American rabbi who has been living in Afula for the past 25 years. He is now the Vice Mayor and very close with many of the city officials and politicians. Rabbi Gold has seen Afula develop, and appreciates the enormous benefit that an influx of American olim will bring.
Rabbi Gold has arranged and streamlined municipal help with school buildings, a shul building, and job retraining programs for our community. For a country that is known for bureaucratic red tape, this is very important.
3. Potential for Parnassa. Afula is a medium-sized city in the lower Galil with its own employment possibilities. The municipality is courting companies to grow its commercial center, including High Tech which operates almost exclusively in English. Furthermore, as we all learned during the Corona years, jobs worldwide can be outsourced and done remotely.
Afula is situated on Route 65 which runs across the Galil from the Haifa area to Tiveria. Some of Israel’s largest cities are close by: it’s a 35 minute train ride to Haifa, a 30 minute bus ride to Tiveria, and an hour and 20 minute drive to central Tel Aviv.
The retraining programs the municipality can provide will be helpful in finding a career niche in Israel. Command of the English language is a huge asset, coupled with overall work experience and Hebrew language ulpanim, there can be lots of options.
4. Potential for Communal Housing in a New Neighborhood. In the last 10 years, Afula has been targeted for a development and housing boom. New neighborhoods have shot up, providing fresh housing and exciting urban planning. There is a huge new park with a small zoo, and large tracts of land developed for sports and recreational activities.
And there is still land to be developed...That’s where we fit in. Literally. =
What’s the Plan?
Our plan is to begin moving to Afula this summer, 2022. Our core group of families will come on a group Aliyah flight and settle in brand new, large apartments in the beautiful new neighborhood of Rova Yizreal. Rova Yizrael has been built in the past 5 years with residential apartment buildings that are between 6 and 9 stories tall. They are close together in a distinct neighborhood with shops and bus lines on the main roads. There is a magnificent park, complete with a community center and petting zoo, bordering our kehilla buildings.
We are purchasing 2 buildings next to each other in Rova Yizrael with 24 apartments altogether. While these apartments are already spoken for, there will be many apartments available for rent on the blocks next door. A third community building is currently in construction, with ten apartments reserved for families arriving in the winter. IyH, there will be apartments available for everyone to purchase or rent in the neighborhood who chooses to join the community.
Schools will begin on Rosh Chodesh Elul (for older boys) or September 1st (for younger boys and girls), like the rest of Israel. The boys' elementary and mesivta (yeshiva highschool) will be under the direction of Rabbi Nesanel Cadle, founder of Yeshivas Toras Chaim in Baltimore, MD. The girls’ elementary will be coordinated by Rebbetzin Mimi Cadle, an elementary and highschool mechaneches. Rabbi Bentzion Ungar, currently principal of Bnot Chaya Academy of Brooklyn, NY, will serve as the principal of our Bais Yaakov Highschool.
What is Your Next Step?
First, ask yourself these 3 questions to determine whether you are a good fit for our community:
1. Are you Bnei Aliyah? - people with a sincere desire to grow in ruchnius.
2. Are you Community Minded? - people who are excited to contribute their talents to a
developing community.
3. Will you Accept Hadracha from a Rav? Can you embrace and support all community standards and institutions guided by the Rav?
If you can answer these questions in the affirmative, then please:
Step 1. Contact our Intake Secretary, Mrs. Meira Greges - KCEafula@gmail.com
Mrs. Greges will take your contact information, ask you several questions to determine your interest level and potential to be a good fit for the community, and ask for 3 references (Shul Rav, friend, and school references if you have children).
Step 2. Rabbi Cadle will be in Touch
After contacting your references and determining that you are accepted into our community, Rabbi Cadle will reach out to welcome you and answer all your questions. During this conversation Rabbi Cadle will guide you to the right contact people for job placement, housing market, and chinuch questions.
Step 3. Begin the Aliyah Process
Rabbi Cadle will guide you to our community's Aliyah Advisor from Nefesh B'nefesh, who will guide you through the process of moving to Israel. If you are interested in moving to Israel, but not making aliyah, we can guide you to resources that will be helpful.
We are tremendously excited to proceed with you along the path of chibas ha’aretz. Please be in touch to see if this community is a good fit for you, and spread the word.
Map of the Afula area.
Buildings in Rova Yizrael for our community.
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