NEW YORK – Torah scholar Rabbanit Shani Taragin will keynote the Orthodox Union’s (OU) Women’s Initiative Weekend of Inspiration in Teaneck, addressing the Torah and Haftorah reading of Rosh Hashana, Rabbi Akiva’s Halachic positions related to the holiday and exploring the centrality of Chana in our Rosh Hashana thoughts.
Taragin will speak on Shabbos, Sept. 21st at 3 p.m. at Congregation Beth Aaron on the topic of “Fathers, Mothers, and Children: The Tearful Readings of Rosh HaShana” where she will explore the Torah and Haftora readings of Rosh HaShana involving complex and heartfelt relationships between parents and children. She will speak at 5 p.m. at Congregation Rinat Yisrael on the topic of “Rabbi Akiva Celebrates Rosh HaShana” where she will explore how Rabbi Akiva teaches us what “malchut” Hashem is all about and thereby examining his halachic positions related to Rosh HaShana. She then moves onto a pre-Selichot shiur at Congregation Bnai Yeshurun at 9:30 p.m. that night, where she will discuss “Tefilat Chana: From Personal Prayer to National Anthem.” The session will explore the centrality of Chana in our Rosh HaShana thoughts and tefilot and an understanding of the Haftara reading focused on Chana and the transformation of her relationship with Hashem. All Shiurim are open to men and women.
The pre-Selichot shiur will be available online for women across the globe to watch. It will go live at 9:30 p.m. ET at https://www.ou.org/women/selichot/.
Taragin will speak with 11th and 12th graders at Yeshiva University’s High School for Girls on Thursday, Sept. 19 and Ma’ayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls and The Frisch School on Friday, Sept. 20 to help put everyone in the mindset for the upcoming Yamim Noraim.
She will also present at the OU’s third annual Torah New York on Sunday, Sept. 22 which is expected to draw more than 2,500 people to Citi Field in Queens, N.Y. for a day of Torah study and to address topics and questions facing the Jewish world today from the perspective of Jewish law and thought.
Taragin teaches, lectures, leads tours, and coordinates programs in numerous seminaries and adult education programs in Israel, including Matan, Midreshet Lindenbaum, MTVA, Sha’alvim for Women, Migdal Oz, Amit Fellows, the Women’s Beit Medrash in Efrat and Ramat Bet-Shemesh. She serves on the advisory committee for the Mizrachi Olami Shalhevet program for shlichim and lectures worldwide on topics of Tanach, Jewish Education and Jewish Law. Together with her husband, Rabbi Reuven Taragin, she serves as educational director for Mizrachi Olami and as Rosh Beit Medrash for the Beit Medrash Program in Machaneh Moshava Pennsylvania during the summer. She is the educational director of Matan Bellows Eshkolot – Tanach Teachers’ Education Program, Mizrachi Lapidot Teachers in Torah Shebeal-Peh, and of the Morot l’Halacha program in Matan Raanana. Shani lives with her family in Alon Shvut, Gush Etzion-Israel.
“Shani is one of the most dynamic scholars today, known for inspiring women of all ages. As we head into the Yamim Noraim, her words of Torah will help bring the spirit of the season into our hearts and minds,” said Founding Director of the OU Women’s Initiative Rebbetzin Dr. Adina Shmidman.
“The OU Women’s Initiative has had tremendous success in creating programming and learning opportunities for women in our community,” said Orthodox Union President Moishe Bane. “The series of Shiurim which Shani Taragin will be delivering over Shabbos as well as the next day at Torah New York will help the community get into the frame of mind for the Yamim Noraim.”
Founded in 1898, the Orthodox Union, (OU), serves as the voice of American Orthodox Jewry, with over 400 congregations in its synagogue network. As the umbrella organization for American Orthodox Jewry, the OU is at the forefront of advocacy work on both state and federal levels, outreach to Jewish teens and young professionals through NCSY, Birthright Israel/Israel Free Spirit, Yachad and OU Press, among many other divisions and programs. For more information, visit https://www.ou.org/.