Kosher and Jewish Life in Ra'anana

In 1912, the Company for Jewish Settlement in Israel formed the "Ahuza A – New York" group to purchase land in Israel for agricultural settlement. The First World War delayed their plans but on April 2, 1922, two wagons left the corner of Lilienblum and Herzl Streets in Tel Aviv carrying 4 "Ahuza" members, 3 laborers and 2 armed watchmen. After a 5-hour journey, they unloaded their baggage at the place destined to become Ra'anana. Ra'anana has both a large English-speaking population and a Spanish-speaking population, mainly from Argentina. The number of French immigrants is also on the rise. Though the majority of Ra'anana residents are secular, there is a sizeable religious community, mainly consisting of Modern Orthodox Jews, many of whom are immigrants from the US, UK, South Africa and France. There are nearly 100 synagogues in Ra'anana, ranging from small minyanim to large edifices, and including a wide range of traditions, including Progressive (Reform), Sefaradi, Ashkenazi, Yemenite and even Afghani, Libyan synagogues. Many of these synagogues cater to specific immigrant groups. There is also a small Hasidic community of Clevelander Hasidim, led by the Clevelander Rebbe of Ra'anana, Rabbi Yitzchok Rosenbaum. The orthodox chief rabbi of the city is Rabbi Yitzhak Peretz.