“And I will return the captivity of My people Israel, and they shall rebuild desolate cities and inhabit [them], and they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they shall make gardens and eat their produce.”
(Amos 9:14)
Community
Shvut Rachel was established in 1991 and is home to over 100 families today.
Fraternity, consideration, mutual assistance and acts of kindness are values that are emphasized in Shvut Rachel, in addition to nurturing the family unit. In Shvut Rachel, you will find older families, young families and even young couples at the beginning of their shared lives, all developing a special dynamic between them while integrating into the community setting. Shvut Rachel is a warm, supportive community with impressive mutual assistance and social connections.
The community is diverse - composed of teachers, computer professionals, farmers, independent professionals, freelancers and married yeshiva students.
Torah and Cultural Life
There are many different Torah classes offered in the yishuv for men, women and children - classes in emunah, halacha, Tanach and Daf Yomi, father-son learning, Tehillim, an afternoon Talmud Torah program for children, and more, led by the rabbi of the yishuv, Rav Ben Zion Amar.
Cultural events - There are plays, shows, workshops, lectures, classes for adults and children. Most take place in the yishuv hall. For older children, there are separate Bnei Akiva groups for boys and girls.
For adolescents - there are diverse, rich activities at the Youth Center.
Additional Services
The yishuv has a public library, post office, regional second-hand clothing store, and of course - a women’s mikveh and a synagogue. There are various small, private businesses that operate in the yishuv and expand the local services available.
A supermarket and HMO clinics of Clalit and Leumit are located in the adjacent yishuv, Shiloh.
Next to Shvut Rachel, there is an industrial zone that has various stores, factories and more.
Transportation
Public transportation is convenient and frequent from Jerusalem and Ariel.
In addition, free buses are available from Shvut Rachel and Jerusalem on Fridays and before holidays, and on Saturday nights and after holidays.
Daycare Center
There is an excellent daycare center where babies and toddlers from the yishuv and even from the neighboring yishuvim receive dedicated care. The staff are from Shvut Rachel and the surrounding yishuvim, and they provide the children with love and warmth, in addition to developing their skills.
Kindergartens
There are two multi-age kindergartens in the yishuv with excellent educational staffs.
The children connect to the joy of Torah learning, dreams of the Beit Hamikdash, enjoyment of nature, and working on their character traits. The staff develops their creativity, their abilities and skills. Torah stories are acted out, reading is learned and the children prepare for first grade.
Schools
Girls study at Ohel Shiloh in the neighboring yishuv of Shiloh. The school is for students between 1st and 6th grade.
Most of the boys study in Shiloh at Ohel Shiloh for boys, and some study at the nearby Talmud Torah in Eli or at the Talmud Torah in Michmas.
Older girls study at the junior high division of the Bnei Akiva High School in Shiloh.
Midreshet Binat
Midreshet Binat operates in Shvut Rachel.
The midrasha is for girls who have completed high school and National Service, and are interested in deepening and solidifying their spiritual identities.
Construction
Plans are currently underway for the next stage of the Shachar HaTzeira neighborhood, which is meant for young families and couples. The first stage of the neighborhood is already populated - 17 single-family homes on half a dunam of land, with plans to expand the neighborhood to 38 homes. Construction is performed according to high building standards with significant, well-planned common areas.
Torah Classes and Learning:
There are classes for men and for women throughout the week.
On Shabbat, the children meet for Tehillim as well as for children’s services.
The yishuv has a women’s mikveh and a mikveh for dishes.