Thousands Celebrate Purim with Yachad With Israel slowly emerging from the latest Covid-19 lockdown, Ohr Torah Stone’s ‘Yachad’ Program for Jewish Identity once again partnered with the Tzohar Rabbinical Organization to coordinate Purim megilla readings in hundreds of communities across Israel. Now in its eleventh year, the outdoor program called “Megilla BaKehilla” (literally, “megilla reading within the community”) offered “Covid-safe” Purim celebrations …
Virus outbreak disrupts joyous Purim fest but some improvise “Judaism celebrates the value of life before the ritual aspect,” said Rabbi Kenneth Brander, president of Ohr Torah Stone. By David Crary | March 10, 2020 NEW YORK (AP) — Purim is traditionally one of the most joyous Jewish holidays, but some celebrations in Israel and …
“Go, gather together all the Jews…” (Megillat Esther, 7:16) – Celebrating Purim Together Though gourmet Hamantaschen make their appearance in the trendiest Israeli bakeries and everyone dresses up for the holiday, Purim for many Israelis has little meaning beyond face-painting or getting intoxicated. How can we connect Israelis with no interest in the synagogue to the …
“In all of my 46 years, this was the first time I ever heard a Purim megillah reading,” says Kiryat Tivon resident Elad Alon, one of 67,482 Israelis who participated in “Megillah BaKehilla,” an initiative of Ohr Torah Stone’s Yachad Program. Through this year’s partnership with the Tzohar Rabbinical Organization, the project – which literally means “Megillah in the community” – was able to …
(Scroll down for photos) As part of this year’s “Megilla BaKehilla” initiative, OTS’s Yachad Program ran 148 community-oriented Megillah readings throughout Israel with the participation of 22,000 Israelis. Each reading was punctuated by questions and answers, singing and dancing, animated presentations and dramatic pantomime, all in an effort to make the ancient story of Esther come alive and become more accessible and understandable …
Rabbi: Women’s Megilah Readings OK According to Jewish Law Rabbi Shlomo Riskin notes that Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef himself permitted women to read the Book of Esther for other women. By TOVA DVORIN Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, the Rabbi of the city of Efrat, released a statement Sunday noting that the phenomenon of all-women’s megilah reading (theBook of Esther) on Purim …
