Beit Am: An Israeli Home Away from Home
Beit Am is a newly established organization created by the Israeli community in the Triangle. It provides support, programming, and opportunities for connection—bringing Israelis together with one another, with the broader American Jewish community, and with Israeli culture and language. We spoke with Naama Shaked, a Beit Am volunteer, to learn more about why the organization began and what their goals are for the coming years.
Q: What is the Israeli community like in the Triangle?
A: I’d say it’s a very connected community. It’s not huge—we estimate there are around 200 to 250 Israeli families in the area. It’s also relatively new, which is actually really nice. People genuinely want to come together and get to know one another. We’re not concentrated in just Raleigh or Durham—we’re spread throughout the Triangle, which gives us a great opportunity to build bridges and create connections across the region.
Q: How has the Israeli community and its needs changed since October 7?
Beit Am volunteers at Yom Ha’Atzmaut Dance Party (2025)
Since October 7, the Israeli community here has needed a great deal of support. Almost all of us knew someone in Israel who was injured, killed, or serving in the army. There was an overwhelming need to connect—with each other and with the broader Jewish community. As the war went on, being together felt like a source of safety and comfort.
We were looking for a sense of security—for people who understood what we were going through. Someone to cry with, to lean on, and even to share moments of joy with. We also wanted a space where we could talk openly about Israel without fear, where we didn’t have to hide being Jewish or Israeli.
At the same time, we felt an urgent need to stand up against the rising antisemitism and the wave of hate directed at Israel. Many of us were shocked by how quickly the world turned against us. Coming together gave us strength—not only to support each other emotionally, but also to speak up and push back against misinformation and hate.
Q: How did the idea for Beit Am come about?
A: It actually started with a group of Israeli moms here in the Triangle who were planning activities for their kids and looking for ways for parents to connect. Their goal was to create a kind of home away from home—not a physical space, but something that would bring people together through shared culture, language, and community.
At some point, one of them got connected with the World Zionist Organization, and they introduced the idea of Beit Am. The concept already exists in other parts of the U.S. and around the world, usually as part of a school, a Federation, or a synagogue. But this group thought—why not adapt it to what our community really needs here?
They had already started working on it before October 7, but after that, the need became so much more real. They started by reaching out to other Israelis, sharing the idea, and asking who wanted to be involved. That’s how the va’ad—kind of like an unofficial board—came together. Everyone on the va’ad volunteers their time, and from there, we created smaller va’adot (committees) to focus on the things we saw were really needed.
Each va’ada has someone from the main va’ad helping lead it. For example, I’m part of the committee that focuses on connecting the Israeli and American Jewish communities. We plan events, partner with local Jewish organizations, and look for ways to bridge the two groups.
There’s a committee for holidays and cultural events, one for media and communications that handles the website and publicity, a financial committee that manages our budget, and a youth committee that creates activities specifically for teens.
We also have a really important committee for new Israeli families who are moving to the area—most of them are coming straight from Israel. We help them with information before the move, and once they arrive, we try to make sure they feel supported and not alone. We even connect them with families who have kids the same age, so they can start building friendships right away.
Q: What are some examples of successful programs?
Children gather at Quest for the Afikomen Hike (2025)
A: We kicked things off with a really special launch event around Rosh Hashanah, where we celebrated both the holiday and the beginning of Beit Ha’am’s journey. It was the first time so many of us came together with a shared purpose, and it set the tone for everything that followed.
Another highlight was the Wings of Hope women’s gathering at Jewish for Good. It brought Israeli and American Jewish women together in a really warm, meaningful way. We shared stories, built friendships, and created a space for honest connection between the two communities. It was incredibly powerful.
We also held a Yom Ha’Atzmaut party for adults in partnership with the Greater Raleigh Federation, which was a fun and festive way to bring both communities together. And of course, we had a big Yom Ha’Atzmaut picnic earlier this year with over 500 people—it was a beautiful day full of music, food, and family activities.
Q: What’s a challenge that faces the Israeli community?
A: One big challenge is the holidays. In Israel, the whole country celebrates together—everything just stops for the chagim. Here, it’s different. You really have to make an effort to bring that feeling into your home and make sure your kids understand and experience the holidays. It doesn’t just happen around you, so it takes more intention.
Another thing is understanding how Jewish life works here. In Israel, Judaism is part of everyday life, so moving here means adjusting to different structures—like the way synagogues work or how community is organized. It’s a learning curve for a lot of us.
After October 7, we felt a much deeper need—not just a want, but a real need—to connect. To be with other Israelis, but also to build stronger connections with the broader Jewish community here.
Art created by Israeli and American Jewish women at Wings of Hope event (2025)
Q: What are Beit Am’s future goals?
A: We’re actually thinking about maybe becoming an official nonprofit at some point—it’s definitely something we’ve been talking about. Right now, everything we do is volunteer-based, and while we’re getting some donations, it’s not enough to do everything we want. There’s so much more we’d love to offer the community, but we’re limited by resources.
One of our biggest goals is to build a stronger connection between the Israeli and American Jewish communities. We really want to create that feeling of home—maybe not in the physical sense, but in the sense of culture, language, and just being with people who understand you. A place where Israelis feel like they belong, and where the broader Jewish community feels welcome too.
Q: What resources would be most helpful to Beit Am right now?
A: Honestly, we’re open to anything right now. We’d love to bring in people from the community who have experience or knowledge in different areas—whether it’s parenting, mental health, career development, or even something fun like cooking or art—to come give talks or workshops for the Israeli community. As I mentioned I am part of the committee that focuses on building connections between the Israeli and Jewish American communities, and one of our goals is to invite more Jewish Americans to volunteer and get involved too. We really believe in creating something shared—not just for Israelis, but for the whole community.
Q: Where should people go for more information about Beit Am?
They can check out our website—it’s all in Hebrew for now, but we’re hoping to get an English version up at some point. Sagit Krieger is the manager of Beit Am, and people can always reach out to her or anyone on the va’ad.
And honestly, if anyone wants to volunteer, help out, collaborate on something, or even support us with a donation, they can reach out to any of us. We’d love to have more people involved, especially from the broader Jewish community. You can also talk to anyone on the different va’adot (committees)—we’re all happy to chat and find ways to work together.