Don't be afraid: Come to shul

Don't be afraid: Come to shul

YNET
In run up to High Holy Days, Israeli Jewish organizations making efforts to bring in those not used to synagogue services or religious practices Anthony Tricot

For Jewish communities in Israel and abroad, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (the High Holy Days) represent a yearly opportunity to convince those that do not normally feel comfortable in a synagogue that religion has a place in their lives.

The target is Israel's three-day Jews - those who appear in shul only on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, except for the occasional family wedding or bar mitzvah.

They also want to attract those who do not come to synagogue at all, who feel uncomfortable there or do not know how to follow a service.

In the four weeks of Ellul that mark the run-up to the New Year, Jewish communities and organizations across the country are trying to get people to get these Jews to come share in the festivals and see religion in a new light:

Services for all types

Rabbi Gilad Kariv of the Israel Religious Action Center says the main message this year of Progressive Judaism is that there is nothing to be afraid of.

"We are trying to establish the notion that there is more than one way of marking the High Holy Days in a meaningful way. Families can sit together in our synagogues; the rabbi guides you through the service from the pulpit, and the prayers integrate the ancient with the new," he said.

Special needs

The Progressive movement has also been upgrading synagogue facilities recently to ensure those with special needs are accommodated.

This has meant allowing those in wheelchairs to receive aliyot (read from the Torah) and those with hearing problems to be able to hear the service. Special services are also held for those with young families.

New family experience

Inbar Cohen, spokesman for the Masorti movement in Israel says the Masorti are "issuing an open invitation to come and see our
services and enjoy our tefilot (prayers). Families can sit together in shul - this is a family experience that would be new to many Israelis."

Diane Friedgut of the Women's League for Conservative Judaism says, "We are trying to project the image that we are a true community: Men and women can pray together. We get a good number of singles and divorcees. We make the service for all age groups."

The Center of Spirituality for Women is organizing events in the run-up to the New Year featuring a combination of meditation, singing, reading texts as well as artwork. Rabbi Shira Israel says the focus for her organization is on "getting into the spiritual side of Rosh Hashanah so we can come to God with a new heart."

Mitzvot observance

The Chabad-Lubavitch movement's program focuses more on the mitzvot (commandments) associated with the High Holy Days, such as hearing the shofar (ram's horn), which reminds us of how Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son Isaac for God, and calls us to take stock of how we live our lives.

The Lubavitch try to make minyans (quorums of 10 men needed for Orthodox prayer services) in places that do not otherwise have them - such as army bases, prisons, hospitals and parents' homes.

Rabbi Moni Ender, a spokesman for Chabad, says "it is important to enable those who are unable or do not know how to fulfill the mitzvot of Rosh Hashana. There are some 250 Chabad houses in Israel, and all invite people without money or a place to go to come enjoy New Year dinner and lunch with us."

Lubavitcher and former-kibbutznik Yaacov Zvi Ben-Ari, of Ufaratsta , delivers packages with honey and apple, as well as Jewish calendars for the new year, to all the residents of 180 kibbutzim accross Israel, meeting with around 700 families in the process.

"Coming from a kibbutz myself I saw this as a good way of encouraging observance and knowledge of the mitzvot of Rosh Hashana," Ben-Ari says.

(09.16.05, 20:44)


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1.
Come to shul -- and talk and sleep!

Shlomo ben Chaim
, USA
(09.16.05)

1. Come to shul -- and talk and sleep!


There's a good reason why I don't come to shul very much -- the services last forever, and out of boredom, everyone talks instead of praying. Stand up, sit down, stand up, sit down... On and on and on... I have Attention Deficit AND bad feet. Orthodoc services are sheer torture for me! Look, I know the order of prayer was set down a long time ago, but give us a break!
Shlomo ben Chaim ,
USA
(09.16.05)

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2.
No Membership shuls

Asher
, NYC
(09.17.05)

2. No Membership shuls


There is a great website which lists many shuld in the US and Canada, where any Jew can participate without even being a member. SOme of the places charge a minimal ammount while most are totally free. www.nomembershiprequired.com
Asher ,
NYC
(09.17.05)

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3.
Chaim

Rachel
, Jerusalem
(09.18.05)

3. Chaim


Then, Shlomo ben Chaim maybe you should give up coming to shul on Rosh Hashanah and Yom kippur and just come on Purim instead!! I mean it! seriously, that is my advice. PS can you follow the order of prayer, might I suggest comming for the more juicy bits of the service on Rosh Hashannah such as the nice bit which talks about how those marked for death will die this year plus on Yom kippur you have got a section about all the sexuals sins you shouldnt commit. Look out for those bits which should liven it up a bit
Rachel ,
Jerusalem
(09.18.05)