OU President Stephen J. Savitsky to Visit Southfield, Shabbat Weekend of Jan 18-19, on Tour

09 Jan 2008

OU PRESIDENT STEPHEN J. SAVITSKY TO VISIT SOUTHFIELD, SHABBAT WEEKEND OF JANUARY 18-19, AS HE CONTINUES NORTH AMERICAN PRESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY TOUR
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Orthodox Union President Stephen J. Savitsky will visit Young Israel of Southfield, an OU member congregation, the weekend of January 18, to attend Shabbat services and to meet with the community’s leadership and congregation.

The Southfield visit will be the fifth in a planned year-long, 10-city North American Presidential Community Tour the New York-based OU leader, as he brings the organization’s message far and wide, while at the same time receiving feedback from member congregations about their needs and how the OU can respond to them. The tour emphasizes smaller Jewish communities. In the past months, Mr. Savitsky visited Vancouver; St. Louis; Charleston, SC, and Highland Park, NJ-area.

According to Mr. Savitsky, “Each trip will be an opportunity to meet fellow Jews in an OU community and to understand their needs, the particular areas of concern they have, and how we can be of service to them.” In addition, Mr. Savitsky said, the trip will “expand upon the concept of Kol Yisroel Arevim Zeh Bah Zeh – the teaching that all Jews are responsible for one another. “

Mr. Savitsky will host an Oneg Shabbat on Friday night at a private home and on Saturday morning present a Torah discourse during services. Mr. Savitsky is also expected to speak before Shabbat ends at the third meal.

The OU has a strong presence in Southfield area, which is also the home of the NCSY Central East Region; NCSY is the youth program of the Orthodox Union. Regional Director Rabbi Tzali Freedman will accompany Mr. Savitsky while he is in the area.

For more information on Mr. Savitsky’s visit contact Rabbi Bini Maryles, Director of Synagogue Services at 212-613-8226.