Israeli organization holds candle-lighting ceremonies across Israel In addition to the candle-lightings, Ohr Torah Stone’s Yachad Jewish Identity Program organized song groups, games and other activities for families to take part in throughout the country. By Jerusalem Post Staff | December 18, 2020 Amid the coronavirus pandemic, Israelis from the North to the South participated …
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Silver Linings: Building New Strategies in the Face of COVID OTS’s Yachad Program for Jewish Identity offers Israeli Jews who identify as secular an opportunity to explore and reclaim their Jewish heritage through communal programming based in the local community centers. But what happens when the community centers are closed because of COVID? As the …
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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 …
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Jewish organization prepares for High Holy Days amid coronavirus pandemic In Israel, where coronavirus infections has spiked as of late, organizations are moving towards prayer services that will be limited in size as well as scope in order to stymie the infection rate. By Jerusalem Post Staff | September 9, 2020 Jewish organizations around the …
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Spreading “Baseless Love” Throughout Israel Tisha B’Av, which commemorates the destruction of the Temple due to sinat hinam (baseless hatred), is a perfect time for the Yachad Program for Jewish Identity to promote baseless love, Jewish unity and reflection on the frictions and animosities facing the Jewish people today The three weeks between the 17th …
Building Identity and Creating Community For many secular Israelis who wouldn’t think of entering a synagogue or participating in “religious” activities, the Yachad Program provides meaning – as well as an outlet that empowers them to explore their Jewish heritage and even pass it on to their children. “Israelis who are religious have a much …
Bringing People Close “At a time when restrictions still prevent our Yachad facilitators from bringing community members to programs, we are bringing all programs to them.” Lag B’Omer, Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Day) and Shavuot, like all Jewish holidays, are typically celebrated in large groups – singing around a bonfire, dancing in the streets of Jerusalem, …
From Baseless Hatred to Baseless Love The Yachad Program for Jewish Identity operated meaningful Tisha B’Av programming throughout Israel designed to bring contemporary relevance to a seemingly archaic Jewish observance As Israel prepares for its second round of elections, it seems that hatred, stereotypes, and rifts among different segments of the population have never been …
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 …
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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, …
