26 | JUNE 30 • 2022 

G

rand Rapids’ Congregation Ahavas 
Israel is a welcoming community 
to all who seek a spiritual path 
using traditional Jewish practice in a mod-
ern, egalitarian Conservative Jewish setting. 
Ahavas Israel offers a warm Shabbat expe-
rience, as well as diverse activ-
ities for families and adults, 
including Torah study, Junior 
Congregation, art workshops 
and a community garden. 
Ahavas, made up of about 
90 household units, has a fasci-
nating history and has changed 
over the years from Orthodox to an egalitar-
ian, inclusive, Conservative congregation.
In 1892, 15 families joined together to 
form Temple Beth Israel, the first Orthodox 
congregation in Grand Rapids. It grew 
quickly over the next two decades, but in 
1911, a dispute over the presence of girls 
on the bimah singing in the choir caused a 
small group to form the second Orthodox 
synagogue in Grand Rapids, Ahavas Achim. 
Over the next 27 years, both congregations 
continued to grow and were virtually the 
same size when they merged in 1937, form-
ing Congregation Ahavas Israel.
Following WWII in 1947, Ahavas Israel, 
like many other congregations, formally 

joined the United 
Synagogue for 
Conservative Judaism. While then the ritual 
of the congregation was Orthodox, such 
things as mixed seating, women’s voices 
in the choir and an emerging bat mitz-
vah ritual made for a natural transition to 
Conservative Judaism. 
Ahavas Israel moved to Lafayette Street in 
1953 and into its current building in 1971, 
which features a large and small sanctuary, 
religious school classrooms, a library, meet-
ing room, two kosher kitchens and a social 
hall. It also houses the Jewish Federation of 
Grand Rapids.
Ahavas’ Religious Life Committee creates 
a wide variety of religious programming that 
involves the congregation in active partici-
pation. Programming includes a “Schmooze 
‘‘n Schmear” breakfast on Shabbat morning, 
services with a monthly speaker series and a 
Torah study group after Kiddush.
The activities committee plans movie 
nights, trips out of town and other social 
get-togethers for adults, families and youth.
Ahavas makes up one half of the United 
Jewish School (UJS), a combined religious 
Sunday school also serving the Reform 
congregation of Grand Rapids, Temple 
Emanuel. In general, Ahavas Israel has a 

close relationship with Temple Emanuel.
“It’s been a wonderful school and a 
model for partnerships between Reform 
and Conservative congregations and what 
we can do to improve our educational pro-
gramming by working in partnership,
” said 
Rabbi David Krishef, Ahavas’ head rabbi 
who has been with the congregation for 
28 years. “We’ve been able to engage in the 
partnerships with Temple Emanuel while 
still maintaining our identity as a relatively 
traditional but egalitarian Conservative con-
gregation.
” 
Ahavas’ Corner of the Field Garden 
provides three deliveries a week of various 
vegetables to the Temple Emanuel food 
pantry and/or other 
organizations that pro-
vide food distribution. 
They have distributed 
approximately 2,000 
pounds a year for the 
past three years. In 
addition, a group from 
Ahavas Israel volunteers 
monthly preparing 
meals for those in need.
Ahavas, Temple Emanuel and the UJS 
entered a three-way partnership last sum-
mer and hired a full-time cantor, Cantor 
David Fair. Fair spends most of his time 
with Temple Emanuel and the school but 
helps out on many Shabbat and holiday 
mornings on a part-time basis at Ahavas. 
Ahavas’ Cantor Emeritus, Stuart 
Rapaport, has been a lay cantor for 45 years.
Krishef takes pride in Ahavas being a 
Conservative congregation that serves a 
large part of West Michigan and beyond.
“We’ve had members from Lansing, 
Holland, Grand Haven, Muskegon, 
Ludington and more,
” Krishef said. “We 
cover a wide area, and we also really try to 
create a big tent congregation. We have a 
very good program for Jews by choice, that’s 
an important part of our congregation.
” 

A Staple of West 
Michigan Conservative 
Judaism

Rabbi David 
Krishef

OUR COMMUNITY

SYNAGOGUE SPOTLIGHT

Congregation Ahavas Israel 
has evolved from an Orthodox 
to an inclusive, egalitarian 
Conservative congregation.

DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER

The 
sanctuary

Watch “Ask 
the Rabbi” 
with Rabbi 
David 
Krishef.

