June 18, 2004

49 E-mails Between Passover and Shavuot:
Count On It: OU’s Successful Program Helped Remind Jews Around the World to Count the Omer

More than 3,000 Jews from around the world took advantage this spring of a first-time program from the Orthodox Union, which sent them a daily e-mail reminder to count the Omer (Sefirah), during the period between Passover and Shavuot.

Of the recipients of the e-mail, more than 1,400 came from the United States, 200 from Israel, 100 from Canada, and the remainder from South Africa, the United Kingdom and elsewhere. Following the completion of the program, Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, OU Executive Vice President, declared, “We are proud to have the zechut (merit) of helping so many people with this mitzvah (commandment) of Sefirat HaOmer (counting the weeks between the Exodus from Egypt and the giving of the Torah at Sinai).”

Sefirah is the Hebrew word for “counting.” The counting of the Sefirah, which is mandated by the Torah (Leviticus, Chapter 23:15) starts from the second day of Passover until the holiday of Shavuot, which occurs 50 days after the beginning of Passover. Because the Sefirah spans a period of seven weeks it is not uncommon for people to forget to count the Omer.

“I wanted to say thanks for the Sefirat Ha’Omer e-mail reminder. I have just finished counting the Omer for the first time,” wrote one recipient. “Previously I have tried, but I always forgot at night and eventually just stopped. This year I did it!! I’m not so great about keeping all the mitzvot; thanks for helping me keep this one.”

According to David Olivestone, OU Director of Marketing and Communications, “This reminder was created to help those who cannot always make it to the evening minyan in the synagogue, when the Omer is counted, as well as for people who must work late and for those who just sometimes forget. Every day the OU sent an email which said, “This evening after nightfall, count the (specific) day of the Omer.”

Mr. Olivestone noted that the e-mail also included the bracha (blessing) said before the counting, the amount of days and weeks for that particular day, and the halachot (Jewish laws) pertaining to counting the Omer.

Feedback made clear the success of the program. “Thank you. I appreciated the daily Omer reminders. I am already on your weekly Shabbat Shalom mailings containing all the valuable features,” was one comment. “You are doing a great job. I am 92-years-old and have been active in the OU since the 1950s.”

“The Sefirah reminder was really great,” wrote another. “I was also very impressed that after I sent an e-mail asking for the day of the week to be included, it was done very quickly. You’re provided a great service in general, and I just wanted to let you know that it is appreciated.”

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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Comments? Requests? Questions?

Orthodox Union Department of Communications and Marketing David Olivestone Director Stephen Steiner Director of Public Relations Main Office: 11 Broadway, New York, NY 10004 Phone: 212.613.8318 Fax: 212-613-0763 E-mail: steiners@ou.org  |  media@ou.org

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