Opening the Window to Spirituality Shabbat in Israeli society is often viewed as a day of conflict, not a day of rest. The perception amongst many secular Israelis is that the religious are unwilling to allow any public transport or the opening of any public places of entertainment, thereby forcing many people to stay at …
How was this Pesach Different? For generations of Jewish children, one of the highlights of the Pesach Seder has been standing on a chair and reciting the Four Questions. And yet – in the Jewish state of Israel – the concept of the Ma Nishtana does not ring a bell with many young children from …
“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 …
Read moreYachad Jewish Identity Coordinators: “Go, gather all the Jews…”
Tu B’Shvat: Celebrating Shared Roots In this generation, the holiday of Tu B’Shvat may be more important than ever. Where Jews traditionally ate dried fruits of the Land of Israel to demonstrate our yearning to return, today we also eat ripe fruits, to illustrate the abundance and blessing apparent in our return to Zion. Together, …
Thousands of Israelis across the country are being brought together this Chanukah (and all year round!) through innovative, appealing initiatives run by the Yachad Jewish Identity program’s Jewish Cultural Facilitators all over the country, from the northern border with Lebanon all the way down to Eilat. Each person comes with their own light and quickly discovers …
145,000 Israelis Embrace New Year with Joy, Meaning and Unity OTS’s Yachad Program for Jewish Identity brought the beauty of Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Sukkot and Simchat Torah to more than 145,000 Israelis this year through their annual “Holidays are for Everyone” initiative, designed to ensure that Jewish traditions are accessible and meaningful for all …
Read more145,000 Israelis Embrace Heritage with Joy, Meaning and Unity
Prior to Simchat Torah, Jewish identity coordinators from the OTS Yachad Program brought a Torah scroll to secular Israeli schoolchildren, encouraging them to take ownership of their sources and their heritage. #HandsOnLearning#YachadMeansTogether#TheTorahSpeaksToEveryone#SimchatTorah#OTSLearningLivingLeading
Shofar to Come to Hundreds of Parks Throughout Israel “Shofar in the Park” will bring the spirit of the festival to more than 200 parks, central squares, community centers and public spaces throughout Israel. BY JPOST.COM STAFF September 5, 2018 On both days of Rosh Hashana, Ohr Torah Stone network’s “Yachad” program will run the “Shofar …
There is a shofar for everyone The growing demand for Shofar in the Park, which will take place in 270 centers, proves that – contrary to public opinion – Israelis are far from being afraid of religion. Shimon Cohen, September 3, 2018 (Translated from Hebrew) A “Shofar in the Park” event will be held in …
The long, lazy Friday afternoons of Israeli summer are being imbued with meaning as hundreds of Israelis partake in Yachad Program festivities celebrating the coming of Shabbat. In community centers and parks across the country, Yachad’s 32 Jewish Cultural Facilitators are inviting Israelis of all ages and backgrounds to welcome the approaching Shabbat through music, …
Can you recite all Ten Commandments? How do they impact on your daily life? These are some of the questions that OTS’s Yachad Program for Jewish Identity posed to Israelis of all ages and backgrounds during the week preceding the Festival of Shavuot and on Shavuot night itself. The activities were part of a nationwide initiative …
According to statistics, a mass exodus took place this past Pesach. But unlike the Biblical Exodus which Pesach is meant to recall, this exodus was comprised of half a million Israelis who responded to sweet vacation deals promising “true freedom” on this Festival of Freedom by swapping their matza for French croissants and their four …
