August 11, 2003

Rave Reviews for OU’s Tisha B’Av Broadcast Praise Rabbi Weinreb’s Commentary for Deepening Meaning of Tisha B’Av

The Orthodox Union's four-hour Tisha b'Av webcast of OU Executive Vice President Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb's commentary on the Kinot, the elegies recited on that day, received a deeply emotional response from the large online audience as it deepened the sense of kedusha, or holiness, of the day.

The webcast on the OU's site, www.ou.org, was particularly directed at those who could not be present in synagogues that day because of work or family responsibilities, and who therefore were given the alternative of watching and participating on-line.

"As I listen to the last few minutes of Rabbi Weinreb's presentation, after being with it since 9:15 this morning, I simply must commend the OU for a magnificent act of service to the community," e-mailed David Jacobowitz, who works in Malvern, PA, in a response typical of the comments the OU received immediately following the webcast. "You have utilized modern technology in a way that is mezakeh harabim (of benefit to the entire community) and you have helped infuse this holy day with true neshama (soul), even for those of us who must spend much of our day in the office," he wrote.

"I have tremendous hakarat hatov (appreciation) for the OU and Rabbi Weinreb for today's Kinot on your website. It was very inspiring, especially for a mother who cannot attend shul," agreed Michou Lasowsky of Passaic, NJ.

According to initial reports, the webcast was viewed on more than 2,250 computers. "Since some of the sites were actual synagogues, and since in many private homes there were multiple viewers, it can be assumed that viewership was well into the five figures," explained David Olivestone, OU Director of Communications. "This is a huge increase from the approximately 400 computers which logged on to the webcast last Tisha b'Av," he said.

The 25-hour fast of Tisha b'Av, which commemorates the destruction of the two Temples in Jerusalem and other Jewish tragedies which occurred on that day, was instituted centuries ago by the Rabbis. Since it is not a yom tov, that is, a day when work is prohibited, or electronic devices cannot be turned on, the OU was able to utilize the technology of a live webcast to bring the feeling and content of the day to such a wide audience. Rabbi Weinreb's commentary was delivered at Congregation Shomrei Emunah in Baltimore, which he served for 13 years before coming to the OU in 2002.

"Rabbi Weinreb's presentation, which profoundly deepened the significance of Tisha b'Av for those who heard him, conveyed a sense of kedusha and meaning going well beyond that of a weekday," declared Rabbi Moshe M. Krupka, OU Executive Director for Programming. "Not only was he able to make the impact of the loss of the holy Temples more immediate, but he also gave us the charge to better ourselves and to prepare for the ultimate redemption," he added.

While drawing on the halachic, historical and traditional literature of many of the different communities that make up the Jewish people, Rabbi Weinreb also spoke from his own personal experience. He movingly recalled five individuals close to him who died in the past year, including an 18 year-old young man from Baltimore, who passed away on Tisha b'Av in 2002, and in whose memory the event was sponsored.

The online audience was deeply moved and grateful for Rabbi Weinreb's teachings. "I just finished watching Rabbi Weinreb saying Kinot on the web. I want to tell you that it was the most meaningful Kinot that I ever experienced. Rabbi Weinreb's explanation before each Kinah was superb," declared Eleanor Frankel.

A viewer in Israel wrote, "Living in Israel and being seven hours ahead of Baltimore, I was able to take advantage of Rabbi Weinreb's superb shiur (class). It enhanced my Tisha b'Av experience greatly."

"What a tremendous service to the Jewish community! Rabbi Weinreb was masterful and inspiring. I stayed on-line the entire time and have never felt so enriched by a Tisha b'Av before," said one anonymous writer. "The live Kinot webcast was very inspiring and has made my fasting a more meaningful experience," agreed another.

Avril Gatoff, writing from Manchester, England said, "Please pass my thanks to Rabbi Weinreb for an interesting, moving, meaningful few hours. Thanks to you and all concerned for making this available on the Internet."

Rabbi Zvi Konikov, writing from the Chabad Jewish Community Center of the Space Coast in Satellite Beach, FL, told of the young man in the process of becoming a Ba'al Tshuva, that is, fully observant, who watched the broadcast at the Center. "Not only was this young man inspired and moved, but I must admit that your words of encouragement and inspiration filled with the theme of Ahavat Yisrael (love of Israel) - that no matter where we are in the world we are all one family - brought me to tears."

The online presentation was sponsored in part by The Jewish Press, which has become a partner with the Orthodox Union in bringing such shiurim (classes) to the Internet before each significant holiday and special day in the Jewish calendar. A wide range of prominent rabbis has already been enlisted to deliver such talks over the Internet before the approaching High Holidays.

The Orthodox Union, now in its second century of service to the Jewish community of North America and beyond, is a world leader in community and synagogue services, adult education, youth work through NCSY, political action through the IPA, and advocacy for persons with disabilities through Yachad and Our Way. Its kosher supervision label, the , is the world’s most recognized kosher symbol and can be found on over 275,000 products manufactured in 68 countries around the globe.

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