Our Programs

About Us

Home

About

Achdut B'ahava

Post October 7/Simchas Torah, the great cry throughout the Land is United, we will be victorious. Ask anyone how to achieve it, they shrug their shoulders and say I have no clue. The Foundation has more than a clue. This is the plan.

The Situation

Israel stands at a historic crossroads. October 7 left us deeply wounded, but also united. Yet that unity is now under threat. Will we stand by and watch it unravel, or will we lift ourselves up, unite, and emerge a stronger people?

The Solution

Since October 7th, a dedicated team has been developing an innovative educational program aimed at strengthening the unity we’ve experienced and providing actionable steps to preserve and deepen it.

This Initiative is Based on 4 Key Principles:

01 02 03 04

You are my brother. You are my sister. Unity does not require Focus on the good Take personal

I will always have your back. uniformity. in the “other”. responsibility for the divide.

The Workshop

The program features a series of three evening workshops where members of the Secular, Modern Orthodox, and Haredi communities come together in a warm, welcoming space with wine and refreshments. It’s designed for open-minded individuals seeking to move beyond divisiveness and discover how we can truly connect—despite our differences. These facilitator-led sessions go beyond debates or feel-good kumzitzim. Through interactive learning, participants uncover the axioms and actions of Achdut. BY THE END, THE “OTHER” HAS BECOME MY BROTHER.

Sustaining The Impact

To maximize momentum, each group will create its own WhatsApp community to stay connected, share experiences, and support one another. Additionally, the facilitator will use the WhatsApp group to provide ongoing content—such as podcasts and videos—that reinforces and deepens the key principles.

How the Workshops Changed Perspectives: Testimonials from Attendees

The Workshop Series was launched in June 2025. Close to 20 people, representing the entire spectrum of Jewish perspectives—from atheist to chareidi—participated. The meeting was held in the beautiful lobby of a new building on the Amdocs campus in northern Raanana. Wine and nosh were served. The series began and concluded with one basic theme: “By focusing on the good in the other, he becomes my brother.”

At the beginning of each phase, participants were asked to define and articulate the good they saw in group members who represented different perspectives. With the goodwill engendered by this exercise, the group then began to discuss controversial issues. There was candor, yet at the same time, participants sought to maintain mutual respect and adhere to carefully drawn rules about how to communicate with someone with whom they strongly disagreed. The point was to listen, to shema—to work hard at understanding the other’s perspective. Maybe he is right; maybe I am wrong.

Evidence of the goodwill generated by the dialogue was that, at the conclusion of three sessions, one of the participants invited everyone to join him in a two-hour excursion on his yacht off the Yafo coast.

Not only is the group excited about participating in a social activity, but they all want to come back for a fourth round to continue the dialogue. This is the Jewish people at their best: people who ordinarily only see each other on opposite sides of police barriers are now sipping champagne together, respectfully discussing their differences and bringing unity. It is working.

THE MALL AS THE NEW WALL

Thousands of Israelis come daily to large shopping malls throughout the country. Raanana, a city of 80,000 people 20 kilometers north of Tel Aviv, is no exception. We are there, as observant Jews actively engaging our non observant brothers in candid conversations regarding the divide between the two communities. One might think that the average shopper would avoid engaging. Yet, the reality is the opposite. VIrtually everyone approached becomes involved in a lively and deeply meaningful conversation about the concerns they have regarding the religious population, be it serving in the army, isolating themselves from the general population, failing to participate in the workforce, as well as many other concerns. The CONNECTIONS staff listens intently and responds with reason and intelligence. The result is an instant CONNECTION. Those engaged feel they have been heard, their concerns have been validated and find the religious spokesman to be reasonable, honest and thought through. A relationship has been initiated. Much work remains to be developed, but an opening that rarely occurs in Israel has been spawned. The Teach them phase now becomes critical.

A PERSONAL RABBI

The learning is strictly one on one. No classes, not even small study groups. This way the teacher is able to present the material in a way that speaks directly to the concerns and needs of the student he is teaching. The student is encouraged to confront the ideas, to assess whether or not he thinks they are accurate and to the extent they are, how he is going to change his life to live in accordance with what he has determined to be true.

AVRAHAM AND SARAH’S TENT Version 2025

Thousands of years ago in the Land of Israel, Avraham would seek out wayfarers and he and his wife, Sara, would provide food and drink for them. In this tradition, The CONNECTIONS staff have inspired religious individuals to befriend their non religious neighbors with Festival appropriate foods on the eve of the main Festivals. So far example, prior to Rosh HaShana, gifts of apples and honey, on Chanukah, sufganiyot (jelly donuts) and on Purim, gifts of hamantaschen and wine. Neighbors, who otherwise rarely interact, are now enjoying one another and getting to know their neighbors from the other side. These planned acts of kindness, break the ice and allow the heretofore glass walls to come down some. Yet, much work remains to be done. Now that we have reached them, we must teach them.

About Us

Meet Our Founder

This initiative is being led by Mr. Sender Axelbaum, a veteran community organizer and accomplished educator. He is a talmid of Rabbi Noah Weinberg and currently draws his inspiration from Rabbi Dovid Lapin.