OU Presents Young Israel of New Rochelle with Grant for Outstanding Outreach Initiative

04 May 2007

OU PRESENTS YOUNG ISRAEL OF NEW ROCHELLE WITH GRANT FOR OUTSTANDING OUTREACH INITIATIVE

In a ceremony at the synagogue, the Orthodox Union presented the Young Israel of New Rochelle with an $8,000 check as the first installment of its $20,000 award for its outstanding grant submission in the OU competition for the best outreach initiative.

The Young Israel of New Rochelle is one of the three congregations to receive the award. Congregation Beth Israel Abraham & Voliner in Overland Park, KS, will receive $20,000 for their proposal, “There’s No Place Like Home”; and Baron Hirsch Congregation, Memphis, will receive $7,500 for “Bring Shabbat Home.”

The Young Israel of New Rochelle plan, “Inreach and Outreach,” is based on use of five teams for their outreach approach: A Learning Team, Shabbat Service Team, Event Planning Team, Marketing Team, and Financial Team, each of which will have its own outreach activities.

The competition was open to OU member congregations across the United States and Canada.

The awards are but one aspect of a larger OU synagogue outreach (kiruv) initiative, “Reaching Out, Changing Lives,” which began at the OU Biennial National Convention in Jerusalem at Thanksgiving.

“We are very excited that Young Israel of New Rochelle is a recipient of the $20,000 award. Their initiative, ‘Inreach and Outreach,’ will bring many Jewish souls closer to their heritage and strengthen the community for years to come,” declared Frank Buchweitz, OU National Director of Community Services and Special Projects.

For more information on synagogue outreach in your community, contact Frank Buchweitz at 212-613-8188, or frank@ou.org.