Organisation & background
Rakefet is a US-based, independently owned synagogue system that sits outside the Togetherwork/Shulware group controlling several of its historic competitors. The product originated as a DOS-based synagogue accounting database built by its original developer, Transparent Software, before evolving through Windows and, more recently, into RakefetOnline-CRM in the cloud; Managing Director Melissa Wolfmann has led the company since 1999. A 2021 Forward investigation described it as the next-largest system in the market after ShulCloud.
Functionality
RakefetOnline combines a synagogue member and donor database with full AR/AP accounting in one system. It tracks family relationships, Yahrzeits and giving history, with an integrated Jewish calendar giving automatic date conversion plus weekly Torah portion and Haftorah listings, and custom data fields on member/family records. It supports batch billing for dues and appeals and generates accountant-grade reports. A secure member and donor portal allows online payment by credit card or ACH; an on-premises Windows edition is also offered.
Localised features
Supports international date formats and report settings for synagogues outside the US, per the vendor’s own site.
Implementation model
Vendor-assisted onboarding with live demos and remote login training; on-premises and cloud (hybrid-access) deployment options are both offered.
Hosting
RakefetOnline is cloud-hosted with continuous backup; Rakefet for Windows is an on-premises alternative for synagogues that prefer local hosting.
Last full research
August 2026