The Holidays are for Everyone During Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, tens of thousands of Israelis from Eilat in the south to Katzrin in the north heard shofar and enjoyed meaningful, experiential services that enabled parents to connect their children to their Jewish roots and engaged people of all ages with central Jewish values and …
Bringing the Holidays to the People From Rosh Hashana through Sukkot, as Jews of all backgrounds seek meaning and opportunities to connect, the Jewish cultural coordinators of OTS’s Yachad Program for Jewish Identity run a range of inviting events which attract tens of thousands of people of all ages. “A secular couple came to hear …
As we embark on the spiritual journey toward Yom Kippur, our staff and global emissaries share a daily dose of Torah along with a glimpse into their own personal journeys… Click to read today’s! Click here to download our specially-condensed, halakhic machzorim (prayer books) for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, which responds to the health …
Yachad: Connecting Jews to the High Holidays, their Heritage and Each Other The High Holidays are a time when Jews of all backgrounds seek meaning and opportunities to connect – even Israelis who identify as secular or who may feel alienated from synagogues and Jewish institutions they view as “religious.” During this uniquely reflective time …
Mexico City Jewish community embraces ceremony amidst coronavirus restrictions Amid coronavirus pandemic restrictions, Jewish community of Mexico City embraces unique ceremony during holiday season. Arutz 7 | September 29, 2020 As the Jewish world across the Diaspora commemorates a truly unprecedented high holiday season, many communities are searching for ways to ensure the period is …
Israelis Prepare to Celebrate the Year’s Holiest Days Under Lockdown As the pandemic in the country worsens, officials warn that new restrictions might not be enough to cut infection rates significantly. Many people question the logic and motives behind the rules. By Isabel Kershner | Sept. 18, 2020 JERUSALEM — As Israelis prepare to celebrate …
High Holidays Especially Important to Diaspora Jewry This Year For many Diaspora Jews Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur play a defining role in their Jewish identity. This year, Covid-19 restrictions endanger this connecting thread. Testimonies from shlichim across the globe. By Rabbi Eliahu Birnbaum, Director of OTS’ Beren-Amiel and Straus-Amiel Emissary Programs | 13 September, …
Can You Hear Me? Multiple Meanings of the Sound of the Shofar Rabbanit Sally Mayer, Rosh Midrasha, Maria & Joel Finkle Overseas Program at Midreshet Lindenbaum The sound of the shofar is always shocking at first, piercing the synagogue during the month of Elul, reminding us that Rosh Hashanah is near. It seems like ages …
From Soul Searching to Holy Joy: the Festivals of Tishrei in the Shadow of COVID-19 Rabbanit Devorah Evron, Director of the Susi Bradfield Women’s Institute for Halakhic Leadership One of the magical moments in the month of Tishrei is immediately following Yom Kippur, when we begin building the sukkah. The Holy Day is behind us, …
Despite this Challenging Year, Still Seeking a Personal Rendezvous with God Rabbi Dr. Kenneth Brander, President and Rosh HaYeshiva There is a tradition to recite Psalm 47 as an introduction to the sounding of the shofar on Rosh Hashanah, based on a statement in Masechet Sofrim (19:2) — כף תקעו העמים כל אומר השנה ובראש …
Who by Earthquake and Who by Plague? Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Riskin Founder, Chancellor Emeritus and Rosh HaYeshiva We enter this Rosh HaShanah 5781 with heavy hearts in Israel, in the midst of a second wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic Plague which has, as of the first week in September, claimed the lives of more than …
U’Netaneh Tokef: Opening our Hearts and Creating Hope Pnina Omer Director, Yad La’isha: The Monica Dennis Goldberg Legal Aid Center for Agunot For many months now we have been living with a sense of powerlessness in the face of a global pandemic. The spread of COVID-19 throughout the world has badly shaken humanity’s sense of …
