This Sunday, June 19, marks a significant moment for the Jewish community of Cleveland as the entire community comes together to help build one of the most welcoming houses in the Midwest – the Beis Midrash Yismach Yisroel of Cleveland. Locals and travelers alike have come to know the Aleksander Kehillah of Cleveland as a home of chessed, and of heart. A home burning bright with the fire of Ahavas Yisroel. An open house of Torah, Avodah, and Gemilas Chasodim in the full traditional sense of the word. A chasidishe yungerman from Israel relates: “I came to Cleveland because my wife was sick. Some chasidishe guy approached me and says: “Oy! What’s going on with you? Why aren’t you coming to me?” He was inviting me for food and lodging. “I asked him; “Well, who are you?” He was a member of the Aleksander Kehilah. He took me in, fed me, and gave me a place to rest my travel-weary mind.”  “So if you ask me, I’m a proud “chossid” of Aleksander. Are you?” Click to help the Aleksander Shtibel grow: www.charidy.com/aleksander Lights burning bright. Hearts open wide. People from across the globe find respite and comfort within the walls of Aleksander. There’s always light, warmth, comfort, and food for the body, and the soul.  An individual with special needs and developmental issues finds brightness there every day. “I have a very difficult life in Cleveland, and this community has picked me up” he says. A unique claim to fame is the work of the Rebbe and Rebbetzin Shlit”a who welcome kol dichfin, v’kol ditzrich; the poor, the destitute, and the hungry. ALL find their spot in the glow of Aleksander.  The community has joined in the mission of raising $2.5 Million dollars towards their monumental building campaign, much of which has already been pledged and contributed to by generous donors and members of the kehilla. The shul will be built upon the foundations it has come to be known for: Torah, Avodah, Chessed, and VARIMKEIT. It will include a beautiful Heichal Hatorah, open for round-the-clock learning, with a majestic Otzar Hasefarim, including Rishonim, Acharonim, Mussar, Hashkafa and Chassidus.  It will also have convenient minyanim at all hours, welcoming kiddushim, uplifting Shalosh Seudos and Seudos Yom Tov with zemiros, hisorerus, and simcha. There will be an open door, open heart policy: Room, board, and accommodations for visiting patients and their families, along with fully stocked kitchens l’hachyos nefesh kol chai.  Yismach Yisroel of Cleveland; A pillar of Chesed, Torah, & Ahavas Yisroel. In prewar Europe there were over 350(!!) Aleksander Shtieblech. The Cleveland community is now rebuilding just one of them! Klal Yisroel wishes the community much hatzlacha in their campaign, and in the completion of this iconic makom torah v’chessed. Go teams Cleveland! Consider being a part of this effort by donating generously at: charidy.com/aleksander

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