Haifa: Religious life
Haifa has a wide variety of religious communities ranging from Hassidic
(Vishnitz, Habad), Haredi, Religious Zionists, Masorati,and all other
shades. In most neighborhoods the population is mixed but there are a
number of areas in Haifa where there are religious communities with a
concentration of English speaking olim. These communities are interspersed
within the non-religious population and are well integrated, as individuals
and as communities, within the general population. For those seeking the
services needed to conduct a full religious life at their own level and are also
interested in all the amenities which a big city can offer, Ahuza and Neve
Shaanan are excellent choices.
The Ahuza area runs from the Central Carmel to Denya the up-scale villa
neighborhood near Haifa University. Neve Shaanan is the large area
facing the Haifa Bay near the Technion. Also Kiryat Shmuel, a largely
religious suburb in the Haifa Bay area, is a viable alternative. Generally
speaking, English speaking olim are spread out all over metropolitan Haifa
and can be found in every neighborhood, but for those seeking religious
community life the above three areas provide the best alternatives.
Ahuza has over twenty orthodox synagogues, as well as active conservative and
reform congregations. There is an excellent local municipal religious
elementary school for boys and girls. There are four first-rate religious high
schools in Haifa, two for boys and two for girls, and even more in the greater
Haifa area. There is an active, bustling Bnai Akiva snif in the neighborhood,
with children from fourth grade through senior high school, and it provides
them with a strong and binding social, educational and ideological framework .
The Ahuza synagogues sponsor joint holiday celebrations and events and
publish a bimonthly community journal. There is a rich variety of shiurim on
offer, including several Daf Yomi groups.
The English-speaking religious community in Ahuza is very involved in local
activities and holds leadership positions in many synagogues and other
institutions. They are warm and welcoming to newcomers.
Neve Shaanan has a large, vibrant religious community which boasts a
community center with round the clock activities. The large local Bnai Akiva
snif meets there. Neve Shaanan has a large religious elementary school for
girls and boys, and many synagogues. The municipal religious girls high
school is located in Neve Shaanan, and the community also boasts a haredi
mini-market. The religious population of Neve Shaanan is
concentrated around ages.
Kiryat Shmuel is a largely religious neighborhood where secular people are a
definite minority. Some streets are closed on Shabbat.
Education:
Haifa has a wide range of educational institutions, from nursery to university,
including programs for special needs children, and many choices are available
both in the secular and the religious streams. There are too many secular
options to list here but a variety of religious educational institutions in Ahuza
and Neve Shaanan are available as follows:
Ganim: there are excellent religious creches (maonot) and kindergarten
(ganim) available in both neighborhoods and some of the secular gamin have
rich traditional programs.
Elementary Schools: the Carmel School (Netiv Eliezer) in Ahuza, and the
Rambam School in Neve Shaanan, are state religious elementary schools for
boys and girls with a religious Zionist orientation. Some of the elementary
school age children in Haifa attend the Barkai school (run by a national
religious school organization) with separate classes for boys and girls which is
located in Kiryat Eliezer - about 15 minutes away from Ahuza and Neve
Shaanan. Another alternative is Beyachad.
High Schools: for girls ֲ– Ironi Vav is the municipal religious girl's high school
located in Neve Shaanan. There is also a Tzvia High School (run by a national
religious school organization) for girls, located in the Hadar. For boys, Yavne
is the state religious Yeshiva High School and it is relatively close to both
neighborhoods, and theBranco-Weiss Torah High School is close by on the
Carmel.In addition, there are a number of outstanding secular high schools (
Reali, Hugim and Leo Beck) nearby as well as municipal high schools.
Other communities:
Catholic church
Melkite church
Christian communities
Islam
Ahmedist cult
Bahai religion
Buddhism
Druidism
Haifa Synagogues
Synagogues in the North
Moatsa Datit Haifa Religious Council, Herzl 60, Haifa
Sunday-Thursday 8:00-15:00,
also on Tuesday 16:00-18:00
Haifa Chief Rabbi Shaar Yeshuv Cohen 048605606
Haifa Chief Rabbi Shlomo Chelouche 048605603
Rabbi Abraham Weizman, president of the Religious
Council 048605600
Mr. David Metzger, Office of the President 048605610
Mr Eli Rottenberg, Treasurer 048605614
Ms. Fruchter Marlka Accounting
048605608 Rabbi Kawai Secretariat 048641187
Shiourim
Encyclopedia Yehudit
Conversion to judaism
Rabbis
Chief rabbis of Haifa
Rav Sha'ar Yeshuv -Hacohen
Rav Shlomo Shlomo Chelouche
Rav Hershkowicz, Ahuza
Achuza congregation MAKA
videos
Rav Zini, Yeshiva Orvishua, Neve Sheanan
videos:
-activities of the Yeshiva during the 2nd Lebanon war
-9 b av at the Yeshiva
Or Chadash Congregation, progressive Judaism,
Romema
Maor Yehuda congregation, Achuza
Moriah Congregation
Mikveh
Moalim
Preparation for Bar-Mitsvah
Funerals Hevra Kadisha
ֲ« We, Abraham's children, must open our hearts and minds to the call of peace and
love, must bless and be blessed in the name of G-d: SHALOM-PEACEֲ».
Haifa's chief rabbi , Sha'ar-Yeshuv Hacohen



Preparations for Passover:
The Moatsa Datit Haifa asks you to bring only clean ustensils that have not been used for at
least 24 hours
You can bring them next to the following synagogues:
In 2011 On April 13 and 14, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 18:00-22:00, Yeshiva Haim LeDavid,
HaEge 7, Ein HaYam
On April 14, Thursday, 9:00-18:00, the Great Synagogue, Herzog street, Hadar
On April 14, Thursday,15:00-19:00, Square, Ramat Vishnitz, Hadar
On April 14, Thursday10:00-19:30, Synagogue Knesset Israel, Rashi 7, Upper Hadar
On April 14, Thursday16:00-20:00, Tunisian synagogue, Frommer street, Kiryat Eliezer.
On April 15, Friday10:00-14:00, Synagogue Knesset Israel, Rashi 7, Upper Hadar
On April 15, Friday7:00-13:00, Tunisian synagogue, Frommer street, Kiryat Eliezer.
On April 17, Sunday, 09:00-17:00, Elijahu Synagogue, Sinai 16, Since the mikvah is still
closed for renovations, if you need-soak ustensils please go-the mikveh at Bezalel 2 in Hadar
Hametz must be sold (please consult the rabbi of your district or the Haifa Rabbinate
(Kibbutz Galuyoth 62)
Av 9 : sunset , end of the fast
Sukkot Hag Sameach!
As every year you can build your sukkah on the pavement, provided you
leave some space for pedestrians
Pourim some special events
click to enlarge the invitations
HappyHannukah
Rosh HaShana
Nous vous souhaitons une douce et heureuse annee
Yom Kippur
Gmar Hatima Tova
Lectures
Life of communities
Invitations, Shabbat and holidays
Tu B'Shvat
Practical informations
Judaism in Haifa
Judaism
Neve Sheanan:
Synagogues
-the main original synagogue,
-three modern orthodox synagogues in the religious
community center
-two more synagogues in the school buildings + one Sephardic
minyan in a separate small building.
- another synagogue accross the street
Women’s classes
-midrasha for women and a kollel for men at Technion
-community center:activities as well as lectures open to all.
On Tuesday mornings three different classes’ only for women
given by three different teachers.
- women’s group on Shabbat that has lectures on Parshat
Hashavua in Hebrew in the center. There is also a small
English speaking group of women who learn together on
Shabbat afternoon.
Haifa Great Synagogue
Herzl, Hadar
Ohel Bracha
Shimkin, Ahuza
Neve Sheanan Religious Cultural Center
HaTichon
Eichal Eliezer
Einstein, Ahuza
Ohel Aaron
Technion
Dome, Central Carmel synagogue
Derech HaYam
Neve Sheanan Ramot Remez
Borochov
Some beautiful synagogues
Meir
Old Romemma
New Israel
Oren, Romemma Ramat Ben Gurion
Or Hadash
HaPrachim, Romema, Ramat Ben Gurion
Ahuza main synagogue
Sinai
Ohel Shem
Heine Carmelyia
Yeshiva
Arlosorov, Hadar
Rabbi Akiva
Rabbi Akiva, Hadar
Hadar
The Haifa Great Synagogue is undergoing renovation. The project aims to
restore this magnificent urban synagogue built at the time of the british Mandate
and return it to a place of centrality in the spiritual and cultural life of Haifa and
the North.
The Haifa fundation is also renovating the Yeshiva Hassidei Gur courtyard
Vishnitz district
Moriah Congregation, Horev street
Heichal Elyahu, HaTamar
בְּראשׁ הַשָּׁנָה יִכָּתֵבוּן . וּבְיום צום כִּפּוּר יֵחָתֵמוּ
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Holidays in Haifa
Elijah's cave
Elijah's cave
4 species market On October 9, 15:00-20:00, on October 10 and 11, 10:00-20:00, On October 12,
8:00-12:30, The four species market, Beit HaKranot, Herzl street, Haifa
The "Mayor's Soukkah ", situated at the Gan HaEm, Merkaz Carmel, is open to all people who
want to follow the mitzva during the festival. Various activities and shows suitable for the religious
public will be offered every evening. The Mayor of Haifa, the Haifa Rabbis, members of the
Municipality and of the Religious Council will receive the public in the Sukkah
On October 12, Erev Succot On October 13, Sukkot
On October 13, 20:00, Simchat Beit Hashoeva by the singer Shlomo Cohen accompanied by an
orchestra, Yeshiva Tiferet Israel, Haifa
On October 19, Hoshana Raba
On October 20, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah
On October 20, 20:30, Hakafot Shniot, Simhat Thora traditional dances, with Gidi Shreiber and
singer Udi Ullman, Central Synagogue esplanade, Kiryat Shmuel
Gutenberg's Bible
Masorti Congregations in the North
Haifa- Moriah
Kiriat Bialik- Hakrayot
Nahariya- Yad Meir
Ramat Yishai- Succat Shalom
Upper Nazareth- Beit El
Karmiel- Hakerem
Safed- Shalva
Shorashim
Kibbutz Hannaton
Kfar Vradim- Minyan Mishpachti
Masorti
Zichron Yaakov- Ve'Ahavta
Kibbutz Metzuba (Holidays Only)
Kibbutz Malkiya (Holidays Only)
Kibbutz Eylon (Holidays Only)
On September 24, 23:00, First Slichot, with Hazanim
Tsodik Grinwald and Zvi Weiss, accompanied by the choir
Zemer י - ה, under the direction of Dr. Uri Aharon, in the
presence of Chief Rabbis of Haifa, Rabbi Prof Daniel
Herschkovitz , Rabbi Abraham Weizmann and Shay
Blumenthal, Councillor, Great Synagogue of Haifa, Herzog
5, Hadar, Haifa
On September 24, 23:00, First Slichot, with Hazanim Tsodik Grinwald and Zvi Weiss,
accompanied by the choir Zemer י - ה, under the direction of Dr. Uri Aharon, in the
presence of Chief Rabbis of Haifa, Rabbi Prof Daniel Herschkovitz , Rabbi Abraham
Weizmann and Shay Blumenthal, Councillor, Great Synagogue of Haifa
On October 9, 15:00-20:00, on October 10 and 11,
10:00-20:00, On October 12, 8:00-12:30, The four
species market, Beit HaKranot, Herzl street, Haifa
On October 20, 20:00, Hakafot Shniot, Simchat Torah
traditional dances and piyutim with a Hassidic orchestra led
by Gadi Schreiber, with singer Hazan Udi Ullmann, in
presence of Rabbi Yaakov Hacarmi, Rabbi Professor Danny
Herschkovitz, the Mayor Haifa Yona Yahav, the
neighborhoods Rabbis and Shay Blumenthal, Councillor,
Main Synagogue Plazza, Kyriat Shmuel
On October 20, 20:30, Haifa Zionist Religious organizations:
Shaalei Thora-Hadar, Benei Akiva, Yated, Or VeShua,
Emuna Mevasser-Shalom, Neve Sheanan Religious Cultural
Center , MAKA-Religious Community Centre Achuza invite
you : Hakafot Shniot, Simchat Torah Dances, in the
presence of Rabbi Professor Danny Herschkovitz, the Mayor
of Haifa Yona Yahav, the Chief Rabbis of Haifa Shlomo
Chelouche and Shaar Yeshuv Hacohen, Rabbis Eliahu
Abraham Rahamim Zini and Religious Weitzmann,
neighborhood Rabbis , and Shay Blumenthal