Overview

Ramat Beit Shemesh is a large neighborhood of Beit Shemesh. It’s population of around 4,300 is made up of mostly observant Jews. About 40 percent are English speakers. Located just 18 km west of Jerusalem, Ramat Beit Shemesh has become home to many families who work and study in Jerusalem. There is convenient bus service to many of the surrounding cities (Beitar Illit, Jerusalem, Kiryat Gat) and train service to Tel Aviv, Lod etc.

The Chabad community is large enough to have it’s own preschool and elementary school, shul and mikva.

Shul

Rabbi Chaiim Farro is a shliach from England. He leads an English speaking Chabad community in Ramat Beit Shemesh Alef called Chabad on Dolev. He holds services, teaches classes, organizes a youth minyan for the yomim noraim, and has an on site mikva.

Schools

There are Chabad preschools and a Chabad boys and girls elementary school. There are some families who chose to send their kids (usually by public bus) to elementary school in Beitar Illit. Around a 35 minute ride.  For high school and yeshiva the nearest choices are Beitar Illit and Jerusalem. But there is a direct train to Lod and convenient bus service to Kiryat Gat so there are some families who rely on the high schools and yeshivas in those cities as well.

Mikvahs

There are four Chabad mikvahs in the Ramat Beit Shemesh/ Beit Shemesh area. They are on Dolev St., Rashbi St., Reuven St. and Rabbi Elazar St.