Welcome

Welcome. You have reached the window of a unique synagogue. Kesher Israel is located in downtown Washington, DC, fourteen blocks from the White House, and within two miles of the Capitol. The only synagogue in the downtown area.

Kesher is a modern Orthodox synagogue. Members and visitors to our congregation range from persons who are steeped in Jewish law and observance to those who are at the early stages of learning about Judaism.

We have hosted visitors of renown on historic occasions. Moshe Dayan and Ezer Weizman were in attendance on Kol Nidre--Erev Yom Kippur preceding their participation in the 1978 Blair House negotiations on the terms of the Egyptian-Israeli Peace Treaty, only weeks after the summit meetings at Camp David. Many prominent contemporary Jewish religious and secular leaders from throughout the world come to Kesher Israel when visiting Washington.

We have members from two of the branches of government, the Congress and the Executive, as well as diplomats and literary personalities. Above all, Kesher Israel is a religious home across generational lines, for students in the nearby colleges, for young adult professionals who have come to begin their careers in the Nation's Capital, and for those with deep roots in the community. We have achieved a measure of fame as a place where young men and young women meet, marry, and go forth to create new Jewish homes, not always, but enough to be noted.

We have an atmosphere of learning and intellectual investigation. Our Adult Education Institute, and other programs of study and intellectual challenge have won recognition. We invite all members of the community to be a part of those experiences.

We pride ourselves on our warmth and hospitality, and the effort to welcome each person who joins with us. The work of the congregation is achieved almost entirely by volunteers, so that each member's involvement is important. We hope you will find a hint of our spirit and commitment within these web pages and that you will enjoy the time that you spend browsing the world of Kesher Israel.

Rabbi Dr. Barry Freundel