FOLLOWING MEETING WITH THE PRESIDENT, ISRAEL’S LEADER RECEIVES A TIMELY GIFT: A COPY OF THE OU PRESS’ NEWLY PUBLISHED TISHA B’AV SERVICE
When Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations Wednesday, a day after his meeting with President Obama in the White House, he received a special and very timely gift to take home with him to Israel – a copy of the just published Lookstein Edition of the Koren Mesorat HaRav Kinot, the prayers and elegies recited on Tisha B’Av (the Ninth of Av), to commemorate the destruction of the two Temples in Jerusalem and other Jewish tragedies that occurred over the centuries.
The book was recently published by OU Press and Koren Publishers of Jerusalem. It contains a commentary based on the teachings of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, known to all as the Rav, and is edited by Rabbi Simon Posner, Executive Editor of OU Press.
The presentation was particularly timely because the Jewish world is now observing “The Three Weeks” – a period of mourning leading up to Tisha B’Av, which this year falls on July 20.
Looking further ahead on the Jewish calendar, the Prime Minister also received a copy of the OU Press’ Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur prayer books, known as the machzor.
“We are gratified that the Conference of Presidents chose the OU Press’ Tisha B’Av service as its presentation to the Prime Minister,” declared Rabbi Menachem Genack, CEO of OU Kosher, General Editor of OU Press, and a student of the Rav. “Every Prime Minister of Israel carries on his shoulders and in his heart the memory of the Temples and of the tragedies of the Jewish people. This beautiful volume is a reminder of Jerusalem’s sacred role in our life.”
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