April 22, 2002

Over 50,000 Attend Massive Prayer Gathering For Israel

In a massive outpouring of emotional support for the crisis facing Jews in Israel and around the world, more than 50,000 men, women and children filled an enormous thoroughfare in lower Manhattan on Sunday, April 21. Reciting Mincha, the afternoon prayer, and selected psalms, the crowd prayed as one for the safety and welfare of their fellow Jews.

Organized in only eight days by a wide spectrum of Orthodox groups, including the Orthodox Union, Agudath Israel and the National Council of Young Israel, the program attracted Jews from throughout the tri-state area and beyond. Rabbis and synagogue leaders joined the call for a public religious response to the spate of suicide bombers in Israel, as well as the marked increase in anti-Semitic attacks on Jewish citizens and institutions around the globe, and urged their congregations to attend. Live telephone hook-ups to similar assemblies in more than 30 other cities around North America made this probably the largest unified prayer session ever held.  
“This is how Jews have traditionally responded through the ages in times of crisis,” said Harvey Blitz, president of the OU. “This program complemented the rally in Washington last week, which we also supported and promoted in every way we could.”

The prayers were led by Rabbi Syshe Heschel, a member of the Orthodox Union’s kashrut supervisory staff and a descendant of a distinguished hasidic family. With a podium at the center point, the men’s section to the north and the women’s section to the south stretched as far as the eye could see. “Davening with such a huge crowd of Jews from all backgrounds was immensely inspiring, “ commented Mrs. Fayge Fischman, from Teaneck, NJ. “It gave me the confidence that our prayers must be effective.”

Photos of the event may be seen on the OU website, or on the event website at www.tefillagathering.org.

The Orthodox Union, now in its second century of service to the Jewish community of America and beyond, is a world leader in youth work, advocacy for persons with disabilities, synagogue services, adult education and political action.  Its kosher supervision label, the OU, is the world’s most recognized kosher symbol and can be found on over 250,000 products in 68 countries around the globe.

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