O R T H O D O X   U N I O N

OU.ORG
Orthodox Union Programming Initiative Grant Recipients

Beth Israel Synagogue, Omaha, Nebraska
Jonathan Gross, Rabbi
Bonnie Bloch, President
www.orthodoxomaha.org
 
"Parents Are Teachers: to give parents the resources needed to most effectively jump start their children's Jewish education."

Beth Israel Synagogue, in Omaha, Nebraska, currently faces a great challenge and opportunity. The shul boasts a membership of close to 200 families (17 of which have 27 children under the age of six), yet only three of those families have had a yeshiva high school education. Early Jewish educational opportunities are sorely lacking in the community for this age group. The "Parents Are Teachers" program aims at giving parents the resources needed to most effectively jump start their young children's Jewish education.

"Parents Are Teachers" cornerstone resource gives parents a home-based curriculum that includes a three-year cycle of lessons and projects for children that starts when they reach two years of age. The clear step-by-step directions for 25 holiday programs feature Shabbat, the High Holidays, Sukkot, Simchat Torah, Pesach, Shavuot, and more. The program promotes an ongoing family education program that builds from year to year, including books to read to children and resource materials for adults. The shul will hold monthly family Shabbat and Holiday programs geared to these young families. The community will also benefit from scholars-in-residence and speakers from the OU's Positive Jewish Parenting national program initiative.

The synagogue will distribute project materials to all Beth Israel families with children under the age of six, young families joining the congregation, as well as members having their first child. The program's materials and activities will hopefully provide the resources and inspiration needed to provide an excellent curriculum right where it all starts – at home.

Congregation Rodfei Sholom, San Antonio, Texas
Arnold Scheinberg, Rabbi
Peter Price, President

Two programs were funded

"Israel Public Action Committee: to clarify facts about Israel and the Middle East, identify anti-Israel bias in the media and advocate for Israel."

In response to reporting on the Arab-Israeli conflict, Rabbi Arnold Scheinberg and Congregation Rodfei Sholom of San Antonio, TX, formed the Israel Public Action Committee (IPAction), a volunteer task force that works year-round to clarify facts about Israel and the Middle East, identify and counter anti-Israel partiality in the media, expose anti-Israel propaganda and encourage action and advocacy on Israel's behalf.

To achieve these objectives, the IPAction scrupulously monitors the local media daily and sends accurate information about Israel and the Middle East to a comprehensive list of individuals, including students. It also organizes workshops to enlighten the community, invites speakers to the synagogue and (in coordination with the Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation) is working on creating a Speaker's Bureau.

The committee presents workshops and presentations on anti-Semitism to the synagogue community, sends letters to the editor, contributes op-ed pieces on behalf of Israel on a continuous basis, sends action alerts to synagogue members to encourage advocacy in Congress, and letters to families of victims of terror.

"Adult Education Program Promotes Deeper Knowledge of Prayer: to introduce ‘Soul Words,' a fascinating ten-week program that analyzes the deeper significance of Hebrew words and phrases in the siddur."

With a membership of 300 families, Congregation Rodfei Sholom maintains a modest core of Orthodox members. The shul views this grant as an opportunity to present educational programming that will speak to every level of observance. To that end, the adult education committee has devised "Soul Words," a ten-week program that analyzes and discusses the deeper significance of the Hebrew words and phrases in the siddur.

The project aims to enrich the spiritual experience of synagogue services, as the congregation gains a greater understanding of the relevance of key words and phrases as they pray. As "Soul Words" strengthens members' knowledge of Hebrew, it will hopefully encourage observant and less observant members to study together. The shul anticipates the increase in familiarity will lead to increased enthusiasm and attendance.

Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, Bronx, New York
Avraham Weiss, Rabbi
Daniel Perla, President
www.hir.org

"The Legacy Project: Intergenerational Dialogue: connecting the generations."

The Legacy Project, of the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, NY, opens up a vital communication line between our community's senior citizens and our youth. Through regular, congenial, and productive dialogue, with Holocaust survivors and other senior citizens life experiences that are shared, our elders will have an opportunity to transmit their hard-won wisdom to the bearers of the Jewish future, and teens will hear and experience Jewish history directly.

This linking of two generations' hearts and minds brings oral history back to the daily lives of our young – reminiscent of the time Torah and history lessons were passed down primarily from the mouths of parents to their children, teachers to talmidim, zeides to aneklach. The program aims to ensure that every essential morsel of Holocaust memory and other critical periods of Jewish history continue to live in the minds of the generations to come while promoting intergenerational dialogue and understanding.

Kesher Israel Congregation, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Chaim E. Schertz, Rabbi
Norman Gras, President
www.kesherisrael.org

Read article about this program

"The Harrisburg Time Share: to recruit prospective new Orthodox families to its community through innovative outreach."

Kesher Israel of Harrisburg, PA, a century old Orthodox synagogue, has created an innovative project to recruit prospective new Orthodox families to its community. Harrisburg has an eruv, mikvah, kosher bakery, Shomer Shabbat JCC, and Orthodox Jewish day school. This project will launch five appealing "recreational incentive packages" for families interested in investing an enjoyable and informative Shabbat with the Kesher Israel community; hopefully returning for a lifetime of memorable Shabbatot.

This unique offer gives individuals and families the chance to experience the Harrisburg community's warmth and hospitality, view a special visual presentation on life in a big-small-town setting, and visit greater Harrisburg's attractions. The packages include excursions to several local science and historical museums, Imax Theater, ski trips, Zoo America, and of course Hershey Park's Hands-on Discovery Room, Factory Works and Chocolate World.

The synagogue plans to conduct a creative advertising campaign in Jewish publications, kosher restaurants, and retail establishments in neighboring cities, as well as establishing a website with links to inform Orthodox families in Pennsylvania's outlying areas of opportunities to sample the high quality of Jewish life in Harrisburg.

Lincoln Square Synagogue, New York, NY
Shaul Robinson, Rabbi
Paul Freilich, President
www.lss.org

"JLLM: Jewish Lay Leadership MBA: to provide expert training in Jewish communal life and synagogue lay leadership, modeled after a traditional MBA degree."

Lincoln Square Synagogue has devised the Jewish Lay Leadership MBA, a program that provides expert training in Jewish Communal Life and Synagogue Lay Leadership, modeled on a traditional Masters of Business Administration. The year long course includes a series of workshops, lectures and exercises intended to cultivate critical lay leadership skills, resulting in a graduating class of motivated and energized new lay leaders for America's synagogue and Orthodox institutions.

This comprehensive program of study addresses topics crucial to effective leadership. The participants will be selected based on a series of criteria relating to commitment, potential, and the desire to contribute to the enhancement of the Orthodox Jewish community. The faculty will be invited based on demonstrated skill, training, and knowledge. Because the program allows experienced and qualified members (e.g., with MBAs or marketing expertise) to contribute their expertise, it will allow the synagogue to carry out a comprehensive audit of the skills and capabilities available as resources.

As each wave of participants graduate from the program, and other synagogues utilize the program's curriculum as an invaluable resource for synagogue and community development, the longer-term should show an increased pool of potential lay leaders. These benefits will be felt by both the shul community as well as the larger Jewish community.

Pacific Jewish Center, Venice (Los Angeles area), California
Benjamin Geiger, Rabbi
Judd Magilnick, President
www.pjcenter.com

"The Venice Torah Arts Festival: to turn the synagogue into a stimulating summer venue for the legions of tourists from around the world who visit this beachfront community."

Approximately two million pedestrians pass by the front doors of the Pacific Jewish Center in Venice, CA annually. Built in the 1920's, the beautiful structure attracts thousands of tourists, yet aside from Shacharit, Shabbat, and Yom Tov, the building remains closed (90% of the time). Since Venice has long been known for its arts and tourism, the congregation of the Pacific Jewish Center conceived of the Venice Torah Arts Festival project, which will open up a stimulating summer venue for tourists from around the world. Most importantly, the festival will draw interested Jews into the shul.

The entire synagogue, back gardens, and parking lot will be transformed into a colorful summer arts exhibition. The festival director, along with trained volunteers, will provide extensive shul tours and greet visitors seeking opportunities to promote Torah Judaism, as well as inform them of contacts they may need or want in the Jewish community.

The shul will distribute mailings and flyers to the entire Los Angeles Jewish community and place announcements in out of town papers serving the frum communities. Media notices will go out to encourage the inclusion of the project in the listings of area summer arts festivals.

Located in the scenic Venice/Santa Monica vicinity of Southern California, "The Shul on the Beach" had for years serviced a thriving Jewish coastal community. Pacific Jewish Center is confident that The Venice Torah Arts Festival project will be the vehicle to inspire a vibrant revival of Jewish interest.