A new Torah nucleus group of young religious Zionist couples has moved to the northern Jerusalem neighborhood of Neveh Yaakov, where a creeping Arabization process threatens the community's Jewish character. There are currently 11 families in the group and many more are expected to join.
Torah nucleus groups are to be found all over the country in development towns and areas that can benefit from the enrichment programs that the members offer the communities in which they choose to live, whether by adding new strength to existing educational staff, providing after school activities, reinvigorating synagogue services and more.
Evyatar Greenfeld, the group's coordinator, told Arutz Sheva: "We have come here to fill a great need, both of Neveh Yaakov and of the neighborhood of Pisgat Ze'ev North. There is a population in Neveh Yaakov that needs our kind of activity and they wanted us to come. Meanwhile we have already created some points of cooperation with the community's management."
"There are many small synagogues in Neveh Yaakov that can barely scrape together a minyan [prayer quorum]. Unlike other nucleus groups, we are not concentrated in one synagogue but rather scattered among several synagogues that have services that typify various countries of origin."
Greenfeld said he hopes to stem the Arabization problem. "Unfortunately there are mixed marriages that have occurred here, and every Jewish family that moves here is saving lives. It also prevents more Arab families from renting apartments in the neighborhood. The neighborhood's leadership is aware of the difficult problem and that is why they are glad that we are here. This is really the fulfillment of an ideal and I call upon additional families to join us."