A Place To Belong

For WOW Chavurah cofounder Randa Marder, the formula for building Jewish community depends much more on vision and commitment than on brick-and-mortar locations and unlimited resources.

“Every Jewish community deserves a place where people feel welcomed, connected, and inspired to belong,” she says. “WOW Chavurah didn’t begin with a building or a large budget. It began with a vision and a few committed people with a willingness to open their hearts and homes.”

That vision led to the founding of WOW Chavurah in 2023, a vibrant, diverse community serving Winter Garden, Ocoee, and Windermere. The inclusive, welcoming group brings together people whose Jewish experiences, ages, and backgrounds may look different, but whose desire for connection is very much the same.

“Our members include people who are affiliated with synagogues and many who are not,” says cofounder Adam Cohn. “We are an alternative, not a synagogue substitute.”

A Change for the Better

For Alejandra Kahn Lucchesi, WOW Chavurah provided that sense of belonging her family had struggled to find after moving from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to Winter Garden nine years ago. She and husband Rodrigo, a tax advisor, were raising their children, Max (17) and Flora (13), without a nearby synagogue or active Jewish community.

“I wondered how we would build and maintain a meaningful Jewish life for our family,” says Alejandra, an interior designer and partner at an event planning company. “Everything changed when WOW Chavurah was created. I still remember how emotional I felt at that very first gathering, looking around the room and realizing there were so many people just like me who were looking for connection and community.”

Her family now participates in WOW Chavurah’s Shabbat gatherings, High Holiday celebrations, and volunteer opportunities, and the group’s members recently helped Alejandra find the support needed for Flora’s bat mitzvah.

“WOW Chavurah has given us a true sense of belonging and brought wonderful people into our lives,” she says.

A Lifeline to Hold Onto

For Meredith Hirschberg, the discovery of WOW Chavurah represented a homecoming of sorts. She had spent most of her life immersed in Jewish community – teaching religious school, serving on synagogue boards, working professionally within a synagogue, and songleading for more than 50 years. Meredith retired in 2024 and moved from Wellington, Florida, to Ocoee to be closer to her daughter and son-in-law. However, the move brought an unexpected sense of isolation.

“Going from seeing friends daily to not recognizing anyone in my community was, at times, lonely,” she says.

Several months later, Meredith discovered WOW Chavurah and attended her first Shabbat service. Soon after, she was once again songleading and contributing to the kind of community life that is so important to her.

“To have the opportunity to instill ruach in others’ hearts is their gift to me,” she says. “WOW Chavurah has turned out to be a lifeline, different from the familiarity of my previous path, but a new adventure where I hope I can help them meet their goals and keep my own Judaism growing.”

Welcome In

Joseph and Ann Geffen have been part of WOW Chavurah since its inception. The Winter Garden couple moved to Orlando from Jacksonville in 2017 and have two children, Alexander (10) and Aria (8). Joseph, an internal medicine physician, and Ann, the executive director of a nonprofit organization, appreciate WOW Chavurah’s warm embrace of all comers.

“Its spirit of inclusion reflects the belief that Judaism is truly for everyone – people of all ages, backgrounds, life stages, and schedules,” says Joseph. “Whether someone is just beginning their Jewish journey or has been practicing for years, there is a genuine sense of belonging.”

Like Joseph, Gary Appelsies sees WOW Chavurah’s diversity as one of its defining strengths. He and his wife, Betsy, moved from Marin County, California, to Winter Garden in 2014. At a typical WOW Chavurah gathering, someone who grew up Reform or Conservative may be seated next to someone who is newly exploring their Jewish identity. Likewise, a 20-something could be communing with someone in their 80s.

“Somehow, it works,” says Gary. “What holds it together isn’t uniformity, it’s a genuine open community. We don’t have a big budget or a famous rabbi, just the intention to welcome everyone and the openness to see where community takes you.”

That openness extends beyond religious services. Members gather for Shabbat, educational programs, social activities, life cycle events, and holiday celebrations, and volunteers play an essential role in making programs successful. The generosity of The Pargh Foundation has helped WOW Chavurah expand its programming while keeping events and opportunities affordable for the community – and in some cases, free.

Randa hopes WOW Chavurah’s experience might inspire others to build similar communities elsewhere.

“Together we can help to strengthen Jewish life,” she says, “one community at a time.”

Celebrate the High Holidays with WOW Chavurah

WOW Chavurah will mark its third High Holiday season this September with several welcoming, accessible observances open to the community.

Services begin Friday, September 11, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. with a short, family-friendly Erev Rosh Hashanah observance at the Pargh Event Center at the Rosen JCC, followed by a holiday dinner catered by Arthur’s. Tickets range from $18 to $45.

The remaining services are free and will take place at SpringHill Suites by Marriott in Winter Garden:

• Saturday, September 12, 10:00 a.m. - Rosh Hashanah Shacharit
• Sunday, September 20, 7:00 p.m. - Kol Nidre
• Monday, September 21, 10:00 a.m. - Shacharit and Yizkor
• Monday, September 21, 7:00 p.m. - Ne’ilah and Break-the-Fast

Reservations are required as space is limited. For more details, visit WOWChavurah.com.