My Nonprofit Reviews

I was first introduced to RAJE by one of my closest friends. He was able to convince myself and 4 of our friends to go to the classes run by Rabbi Reuven Chaskin (Talmud Program). Sure it was under the conditions that we would all go to israel together as a group pretty much for free. In the beginning it was less about classes and more about going together on a free trip to Israel. This was an interesting time in my life. I was well on my way to becoming religeous, but was lacking a community and learning. It didnt take me long to have my first few religeous and life altering epiphanies. Midway through a purim shiur I truly realized that there were no coincidences in this life. More and more the inviting and non-judging atmoshphere at Raje opened me up and tore down many obstacles to my religeous growth. Even before wee went on our trip to Israel and Kiev I felt myself sucked in more and more. People like Luba Kaufman and Rabbi Krelin and Rabbi Zaltsman made the place feel like home, while allowing questions and the soul to soar. Avigail and Rabbi Groovin Reuven added their unique personalities to the mix. Rabbi Aryeh Katsin was engaing and caring. The whole place seemed to sing and light a tremendous fire of yearning and comfort with and within all of jewdiasm, which seemed to warm all participants. For me personally the trip to Kiev and then to Israel was very rewarding. It just so happened that about 6 months before I went to Raje I spoke to my father for the first time in my life. I was 25 and it was something that i was waiting a lifetime to do. My father lived in the Ukraine. When we went on the trip I was afforded personal time with him. He was also allowed to join us on all the activities. My half sister and father tagged along with the group on all the activities. I was even able to see my grandmother for the first time in about 20 years. The night before leaving Kiev emotions were running wild given how we were treated by the locals. That on noght in Kiev made my friends, other participants and myself really feel how lucky we were that our parents and grandparents took a tremendous risk in immigrating to the states. 2 days in Kiev made us all appreciate the stagerring sacrifice made by our families in bring us to a true land of opportunity. We were also able to acknowledge the true unending worth of the work and tzaddaka of our American counterparts which made our immigration possible. When our feet hit Israeli soil, it was as if we had landed at home. Raje Rabbis and Madrichim displayed the same quiet and steady resolve to make sure that everyone had a wonderful time while connecting to our jewish roots. All felt comfortable and the flames of jewish pasion and pride began to burn higher and stronger. What really struck was how quickly Raje was able to reignite a flame that it took Hundreds of years of exile to all but obliterate. Another truly mystifying experience was how they were able to connect a group of 40 people who could not be any more different, in under a weeks time. When we got back home it was difficult to adjust to bieng back. The fact that follow up programs from Raje were available made it easy to stay friends with the majority of the people from the group. I truly believe that in an age of dispersement, sepparation, materialism and assimilation Raje has an antidote. Many of the participants ended up staying to learn in Israel. Many came on subsequent trips. Many still becam staples at shabbos dinners prepared every week by this organization. The reason that I only give them 4 stars when they desrve 10 is because more can be done. Raje needs investment and financial assitance to create more classes for the various levels of participants. While having a great knack for lighting the fire of Jewishness the need more classes that will take someone who is sold on jewdism to a whole other level. This is truly the reason that i write this review, it is in the hopes that more and more people will get to know and fall in love with Raje and its people. That those people will bring more people and investment in Torah. Raje is a shinning light in the darkness of Exile which is able to have the lost flock to it. I cant even imagine how bright this fire will burn when investment will allow them to spread and teach more Torah to an ever expanding community. They have been able to stop assimilation and bring jews back from all walks of life. I also want to take this time to thank Rabbi Takarsky and the amazing staff that he has been able to put together. They are a truly fantastic and necessary organization.

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