OU Grant Recepient, Young Israel of New Rochelle, to Offer Pre-Yom Kippur Class, September 18

11 Sep 2007

AS PART OF OUTREACH EFFORT SUPPORTED BY OU GRANT, YOUNG ISRAEL OF NEW ROCHELLE TO OFFER PRE-YOM KIPPUR CLASS, ‘MYSTICAL INSIGHTS FROM OUR SAGES,’ SEPTEMBER 18

With outreach in mind, the Young Israel of New Rochelle, which earlier this year was the recipient of a $20,000 grant from the Orthodox Union for its kiruv (outreach) initiative to the wider Jewish community, will present a pre-Yom Kippur class, “Mystical Insights from Our Sages.” The program will be held at the synagogue, 1228 North Avenue, on Tuesday, September 18 at 8:00 p.m.

Led by Rabbi Reuven Fink the class will make clear, according to the synagogue, “how the wisdom and mystical insights of our sages apply to this holiest of days.”

YINR’s program, “Inreach and Outreach,” was one of three winners in the OU’s national program to reward synagogues with outstanding kiruv programs and to help make these programs possible. The YINR initiative consists of five teams to reach out to the community: a learning team, Shabbat service team, event planning team, marketing team and financial team.

“The pre-Yom Kippur class is the beginning program of the YINR learning team’s outreach effort,” declared Frank Buchweitz, OU National Director of Community Services and Special Projects. “Although the class is open to regular attendees of the synagogue, clearly Rabbi Fink and the synagogue leadership are directing this program at the wider community.”

The flyer announcing the project declares, “We encourage YINR members to invite a Jewish friend or relative from outside of the congregation.” Frank Buchweitz agrees with the approach. “With this class, YINR has shown the importance of reaching out to the broader Jewish community,” he said.

For further information about YINR’s program and the pre-Yom Kippur class, contact Evan Jerome at avrahamjerome@yahoo.com.