28 May 30 • 2019
jn

Congregation Ahavas Israel 
in Grand Rapids will hold 
a celebration to honor 
Rabbi David Krishef’
s 25th 
anniversary as spiritual leader 
of Ahavas Israel and to mark 
the 125th anniversary of Ahavas 
Israel as a kehillah kedoshah 
(holy community) in Grand 
Rapids. 
Its history reaches back to 
1892 when 15 families founded 
Temple Beth Israel, the first 
Orthodox Jewish congregation 
in Grand Rapids. As Temple 
Beth Israel, it moved several 

times around the 
west side. 
As sometimes 
happens within 
religious 
organizations, 
dissension 
occurred. 
In 1911 the 
congregation splintered, 
and a new congregation was 
formed: Ahavas Achim. Both 
congregations grew at an equal 
pace. Then in 1937, Ahavas 
Achim and Temple Beth Israel 
formed Ahavas Israel to stabilize 

both congregations. 
They sold their buildings and 
purchased a new building in 
1953 for $12,500 that became 
fully functional later that year. 
The congregation continued to 
grow and purchased 11 acres 
on Michigan Avenue NE. A 
building was erected at 2727 
Michigan NE that became 
Ahavas Israel’
s current home in 
1973.
Krishef was ordained by the 
Jewish Theological Seminary in 
1994 and received his first pulpit 
at Ahavas Israel later that year. 
He has become a leading voice 
of Judaism in west Michigan, 
speaking throughout the region, 
and has been the moderator 
of “Ethics and Religion Talk,” 
a weekly Grand Rapids Press 
column, since 2012.
A community-wide 
celebration will be held at 
Ahavas Israel the weekend of 
May 31-June 2. For information, 
contact Ed Miller at 
25/125ahavasisraelgr@gmail.
com or (616) 293-6064.

jews d
in 
the

Rabbi David 

Krishef

New YouTube Channel
for Young Jews

Jerusalem U, a nonprofit media company 
that aims to connect with young Jews 
through educational films and videos, is 
launching a new YouTube channel called 
“Unpacked,” featuring bite-sized videos that 
also tell complex, nuanced stories about 
Israel and Judaism. 
“Unpacked” aims to bring compelling 
content about Israel and Judaism to social 
media and digital channels that reach 
younger Jews where they live and get 
informed, starting on YouTube. 
“YouTube has billions of hours of 
educational videos being uploaded and 
viewed every month and it’
s where kids are 
choosing to do most of their learning outside 
of traditional institutions,” said Jerusalem U’
s 
newly named CEO Dina Rabhan. 
“Unpacked” offers young Jews a familiar 
place to discover their heritage. The 
“Unpacked” videos aim to answer big 
questions and untangle complex topics.
The first video series includes “The 
History of Israel Explained,” with 55 
episodes. More series are in the production 
pipeline for 2019 and 2020.

Grand Rapids Congregation Holding Celebration

Cancer Thrivers Network for Jewish Women presents

Innovati
ons 
i
n 
Breast 
Heal
th 
wi
th 
 
Dr. Jacqueline Jeruss 

Associate Professor of Surgery, Director of the 

University of Michigan Breast Care Center

The Doctor is in:

TUESDAY 
JUNE 18, 2019

Where:

CONGREGATION 
BETH AHM 

5075 
West 
Mapl
e 
Road, 
West 
Bl
oomfiel
d
When:

Regi
strati
on 

Kosher 
Lunch 

Program

11:30AM 

12:00PM 

12:30PM

THIS EVENT IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE COMMUNITY 
THANKS TO A GENEROUS GRANT FROM THE SANDRA 
AND ALFRED SHERMAN WOMEN’S HEALTH FUND.

RSVP to Sarah 
Strasberger at 248.592.2267 
or sstrasberger@jfsdetroi
t.org by June 7.