ots@ohrtorahstone.org.il

One evening each month, the community center in the Kiryat Menachem section of Jerusalem undergoes a complete transformation. With state-of-the-art espresso machines borrowed from local restaurants, elegant tables and a menu of coffee, tea and fine baked goods, a large room in the center becomes a trendy café. “But what sets us apart from other cafés,” notes Roni Lasser, the center’s Jewish Cultural Facilitator, “is that each time, our decorations change according to the Jewish calendar. And this café – Café Rosh Hodesh – is only open on the first day of every Hebrew month.”

Inaugurated before Purim by Lasser, who represents OTS’ Yachad Program in Kiryat Menachem, Café Rosh Hodesh brings 60 to 80 people to the community center each month for dialogues about seasonal Jewish and Israeli themes. “In Adar, for example, the theme was ’Masks,’ and we discussed the ways in which we hide or disguise ourselves in our daily lives,” Lasser says. “For Nissan, the month in which Passover falls, we focused on freedom in our society. And in Iyyar, before Yom Hazikaron and Yom Haatzmaut, we explored the transition from mourning to celebration.”

As the participants – religious and secular, young and old, new immigrants and veteran Israelis alike – enjoy coffee and cake, Lasser sparks dialogue by asking a question relating to the theme. Participants then divide up into workshops to further explore the issue through drama, writing, art or Torah study. Later they come together once more to hear a guest lecturer speak on a related topic.

Innovative programs that make Jewish heritage relevant to contemporary living are being carried out in community centers across Israel by Yachad Jewish Cultural Facilitators, who encourage unaffiliated Israelis to discover and reclaim their Jewish identity on their own terms. “Yachad-run activities appeal to a broad population of Israelis who have had little contact with their Jewish heritage, yet who are seeking a connection with Judaism,” explains director Rabbi Chanan Atlas. “Community centers, which draw people from all walks of life, are the ideal setting for this kind of programming. Within this framework, we have the opportunity to engage people and draw them into a shared experience of exploration and discovery – building the foundations for Jewish unity and tolerance across Israeli society.”

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