Achim's Mission:

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Achim was founded by Paysach Diskind in 1989 in response to the overwhelming wave of Jewish immigrants from the former Soviet Union that continued through 2000. This newly arrived population was foreign to American culture as it was to the larger Jewish community. 

Achim is dedicated to building a community that would open windows of opportunity for this population to advance their children’s Jewish education as well as their own positive Jewish experiences. Achim’s goal is to educate and inspire this population to appreciate the value and need for community and to take initiative and responsibility in building their own community as well as joining the larger Jewish community.  

In partnership with JFS and HIAS, Achim met with almost every household that settled in the greater Baltimore area from 1989 - 1999. Through our many programs and services Achim has succeeded in building the community we dreamt about over 30 years ago. 

Through our various programs and interactions with members of the Russian speaking population we have found success in building a community with an infrastructure of support within this population. 

We currently offer multiple classes on a regular basis on topics that include the weekly Parsha, insights regarding Shabbat, parenting and marriage issues as well as a Sunday program for school age children. 

Achim is there for the entire Russian speaking Jewish population in arranging life-cycle events which include baby naming, bris, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, Chupah, funeral, shiva and whatever else life puts in front of us. 

Achim is also the publisher of the popular mini-magazine Table Talk, that is released weekly. 

Feel free to contact me at paysach@achim.org or 443.286.9338

Paysach Diskind