Women’s Initiative Launches Yemei Ratzon Program. The Orthodox Union (OU), the nation’s oldest and largest umbrella organization for the North American Orthodox Jewish community, is launching a virtual Yemei Ratzon program offering ideas and inspiration in preparation for the upcoming High Holidays. The program offers two tracks—a video series focusing on teshuvah (repentance) and an audio series delving into the unique prayers during this time period.
The teshuvah video series offers a series of lectures: Rabbanit Shani Taragin spoke about “Teshuvah in the Wake of the Pandemic” on Rosh Chodesh Elul, August 20; Professor Smadar Rosensweig will speak about “Reaching Out to Hashem with Tefillah and Teshuvah” on Selichot night, September 12; Mrs. Michal Horowitz will speak about “Keriyat HaTorah of Rosh Hashanah: What Hagar Teaches Us About Repentance and Return” on Selichot night, September 12; Rabbanit Rookie Billet will speak about “Spiritual Readiness for the Yamim Noraim” on Tzom Gedaliah, September 21 and Rebbetzin Dr. Adina Shmidman will speak about “Teshuvah: Psychology of Change” during the Aseret Yemei Teshuva on September 23.
The audio series is a daily 10-minute audio shiur presented by 32 women around the world and runs from Rosh Chodesh Elul through Erev Yom Kippur. Topics will include the additions to Shemoneh Esrei, Avinu Malkeinu, Torah readings, Haftorah readings, Shofar, Tashlich, Kol Nidrei, Selichot, Neilah, and others. Speakers hail from all over the United States and Israel.
“While the High Holidays are always a time for introspection and religious inspiration, this year they will carry particular meaning as our community has been hit by the pandemic,” said Orthodox Union President Moishe Bane. “We are enormously proud of our Women’s Initiative department for creating a program that will provide top-notch learning focused on helping to infuse inspiration for the upcoming holidays.”
“Following the success of the OU Women’s Initiative virtual Beit Midrash program this summer, they have created a fantastic virtual program focused on getting everyone in the mindset of the upcoming High Holidays by offering shiurim by inspiring world-class teachers,” said Orthodox Union Executive Vice President Rabbi Moshe Hauer.
“This year has been a challenging one due to the pandemic and we wanted to create a program that would both provide inspiration as well as help women in our community create a personal connection to the tefillot we recite during this time period as we head toward the High Holidays,” said founding director of the OU Women’s Initiative Rebbetzin Dr. Adina Shmidman. “We are bringing together world-renowned female scholars and teachers to share messages and meaning behind these important days and the tefillot we say during this period.”
To register for either track, please visit OU.org/women/YR.
Record 2,600 Retirees Participate In Spirit Program During The Covid-19 Pandemic. Over 2,600 men and women from 15 states and two Canadian provinces are participating in the Orthodox Union (OU)’s SPIRIT program during the COVID-19 pandemic. The “Stimulating Program Initiative for Retirees that Inspires Thought” (SPIRIT) has played a vital role for those over 60 who have been staying home during the pandemic due to the increased risk they face.
The program was created a few years ago as the OU recognized that as the Baby Boomer generation retires from their professional responsibilities, they are looking for spiritual, educational, and intellectual stimulation. Since those over 60 are at a higher risk for developing more serious complications from the COVID-19 virus, the demand for additional programming increased rapidly as did interest from the community in recent months. Since March 2020, there have been more that 35 virtual programs geared toward physical movement, mental health, Jewish learning, learning how to use social media, cybersecurity, the history of kashrus in the United States, and more.
Seeing the tremendous impact and benefits of the SPIRIT program, 38 synagogues throughout the United States and Canada partnered with the Orthodox Union to grow the program during the pandemic. They include: Anshei Chesed Congregation (Boynton Beach, FL), Beth David Synagogue (West Hartford, CT), Bialystoker Synagogue (New York, NY), B’nai Israel-Ohev Zedek (Philadelphia, PA), Congregation Agudath Sholom (Stamford, CT), Congregation Ahavas Sholom (Columbus, OH), Congregation Aitz Chaim (West Palm Beach, FL), Congregation Anshe Sfard (New Orleans, LA), Congregation Beth Hamedrosh (Wynnewood, PA), Congregation Beth Ora (Montreal, Quebec), Congregation Beth Sholom (Providence, RI), Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun (New York, NY), Congregation Ohav Zedek (Wilkes-Barre, PA), Congregation Tiferet Israel (Austin, TX), Congregation Torah Ohr (Boca Raton, FL), Congregation Zvi Jacob (Utica, NY), Darchei Noam (Minneapolis, MN), East Denver Orthodox Synagogue (Denver, CO), Fleetwood Synagogue (Fleetwood, NY), Kehillat New Hempstead (New Hempstead, NY), Kehillat Shaarei Torah of Toronto (Toronto, Ontario), Keneseth Beth Israel (Richmond, VA), Ner Tamid Greenspring Valley Synagogue (Baltimore, MD), Suburban Torah (Livingston, NJ), United Orthodox Synagogues (Houston, TX), Young Israel of Bal Harbour (Surfside, FL), Young Israel of Brookline (MA), Young Israel of Deerfield Beach (FL), Young East of Brunswick (NJ), Young Israel of Elkins Park (PA), Young Israel of Hillcrest (NY), Young Israel of Hollywood/Ft. Lauderdale (FL), Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills (NY), Young Israel of New Hyde Park (NY), Young Israel of Queens Valley (NY), Young Israel of Southfield (MI), Young Israel of Stamford (CT) and the Young Israel of West Hartford (CT).
“COVID-19 has been very difficult for our entire community, especially retirees who are more confined to their homes than others. At the same time, they want to engage in intellectually stimulating programming, and the OU sought to fill that gap by bringing the programming to them virtually so that they could participate from the comfort and safety of their own home,” said Orthodox Union President Moishe Bane.
“Throughout this pandemic, we have sought meaningful ways to support and engage all of those in our community. We are pleased that so many retirees from all over the United States and Canada are participating in these programs and that the demand increases each week,” said Orthodox Union Executive Vice President Rabbi Moshe Hauer.
“All of the SPIRIT programs are recorded, distributed, and archived so that people can tune in afterwards during a convenient time for them to participate,” said Rebbetzin Judi Steinig, director of community programs and SPIRIT coordinator.
