From the north to the south: 350 free-to-the-public Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) prayer services are scheduled to take place all across Israel over the holiday.
The traditional services organized by Tzohar, in partnership with Yachad Ohr Torah Stone, are expecting a crowd of 68,000 at locations all across the country, including no less than 18 different events in Tel Aviv alone.
The participants, religious and secular, will be provided with prayer books specifically designed for those less familiar with the service – including when to stand, when to sit, when the cantor will be saying things out loud and when the congregation prays along. The service will include explanations, discussion and the shofar blowing at the conclusion of the holiday.
“Yom Kippur is a wonderful opportunity to take a break and disconnect from all the noise around us. Like every year, the community is invited to take part in one of the hundreds of tefilla services around the country,” said Rabbi David Stav, founder of Tzohar Rabbinical Organization.
Rabbi Kenneth Brander, president and Rosh HaYeshiva of Ohr Torah Stone Institutions, said: “Yom Kippur is a special and holy day among the people of Israel, but there are Israelis who feel less comfortable in observing it in the synagogue for various reasons.”
“On the other hand, research indicates that most Israelis seek to connect with their heritage and dedicate a place for tradition in their daily lives. Therefore, we offer the public the opportunity to pray in beautiful and comfortable locations with a songs, experience and meaning. Judaism is considered the treasure of the nation of Israel; so, too, Yom Kippur and the rest of the holidays belong to everyone.”