Ezras Israel Congregation of Rockville might be small, but its leadership withstands the power of time.
The Orthodox synagogue, once run out of a rabbi’s Rockville basement, celebrated Rabbi Eliezer Kreiser and his wife Perel Kreiser’s quarter century of leadership.
About 80 community members gathered at Al Ha’esh, an Israeli grill in Rockville, on Sunday to congratulate the Kreisers on this milestone. The attendees heard words of gratitude from Rachmil Jacobovits, Ezras Israel’s volunteer executive director, and guest speaker Rabbi Yitzchok Merkin, the headmaster of Yeshiva of Greater Washington.
At the “uplifting evening” event, Mark Lautman, the president of Ezras Israel, presented Rabbi and Perel Kreisman with an award for their 25 years of rabbinical leadership and service, Jacobovits said.
“We [had] an opportunity to celebrate them, something that’s organized by the congregation to express our gratitude and celebrate our relationship,” Jacobovits said.
Rabbi Kreiser and Perel Kreiser came to Ezras Israel 25 years ago after the shul experienced decades of turmoil, between location changes, leadership turnover and dwindling membership due to Rockville’s cost of living.
Coming from Lakewood, New Jersey, the couple first visited Ezras Israel in June of 1999 with their new baby in tow. Jacobovits said he and the rabbinical search committee were pleased with Rabbi Kreiser’s personability and knack for bridging the gap between Modern Orthodox Judaism and the “classic yeshiva scholars” as a graduate of Beth Medrash Govoha, a New Jersey yeshiva.
“He just made an impression that he was the right guy for us,” Jacobovits said of Rabbi Kreiser.
So the search committee went with him. Jacobovits maintained the sentiment that Rabbi Kreiser is the “right guy” for Ezras Israel a quarter century later; the rabbi has provided regular classes in Talmud, Chumash and Mishnah for the community, including those who aren’t affiliated with the congregation.
“He is very approachable; people find him easy to talk to,” Jacobovits said. “He’s counseled many people looking to convert to Judaism, and some have become our members. It had nothing to do with membership for us, but just because the need was there, [Rabbi Kreiser] stepped in.”
Rabbi and Perel Kreiser are best known for their hospitality, Jacobovits said, often inviting newcomers to their home for meals: “They’re very welcoming.”
“If a visitor comes to the neighborhood, they’re nine out of 10 times going to be invited to lunch or Shabbat dinner if they don’t have any other place to go,” Jacobovits said. “They support people in whatever ways people need.”
Though the congregation’s membership has not grown considerably during Rabbi Kreiser’s tenure, his community impact is felt by the 45 families and singles who belong to Ezras Israel, Jacobovits said.
“We operate a full-function[ing] synagogue,” he said.
Ezras Israel operates every Shabbat, every holiday and a twice-daily minyan with Ring House, a retirement community in Rockville, in mornings and evenings, a far cry from the modest congregation that was founded in 1907. Some residents have told the Kreisers that they moved into Ring House because Ezras Israel offered Jewish Orthodox services right next door.
The synagogue has also formed relationships with Aish Center of Greater Washington, Chabad Israeli Center of Rockville and other local Jewish organizations under Rabbi Kreiser’s guidance.
“We’ve become an established resource for the community because of [Rabbi and Perel Kreiser],” Jacobovits said.
Parents to 10 children and with more than a dozen grandchildren, the Kreisers are considered model citizens. Perel Kreiser is a well-respected educator at the Torah School of Greater Washington who has received “many accolades” for her teaching, Jacobovits said.
“She’s a wonderful person,” he added.
After the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel, Rabbi Kreiser spearheaded efforts to set up an emergency fund to help Israeli soldiers and their families and provide direct aid to children. The Ezras Israel community raised $13,000 for Israel within the last year.
“They’re role models for Torah values, for kindness, for doing chesed, for teaching,” Jacobovits said of the couple. “So a lot of people who would otherwise not have been as observant became more observant. Others have learned a lot from being taught by them; they’re inspirational in the way they raise their family, in the way they’re teachers.
“I don’t know of anyone who’s felt that they haven’t been well-served by [Rabbi and Perel Kreiser].”
