http://www.ouisrael.org/blog/ en miriamw@ou.org Copyright 2012 2012-02-02T22:13:11+00:00 http://www.ouisrael.org/blog/detail/womens-mission-to-israel/ http://www.ouisrael.org/blog/detail/womens-mission-to-israel/#When:22:13:11Z OU Israel is proud to present a fabulous Women’s Mission to Israel: L’ayla. OU Israel 2012-02-02T22:13:11+00:00 http://www.ouisrael.org/blog/detail/cave-of-the-patriarchs-release/ http://www.ouisrael.org/blog/detail/cave-of-the-patriarchs-release/#When:15:06:46Z To commemorate the reading of the Torah portion of Chayei Sarah this coming Sabbath, November 19, which describes Abraham’s purchase of the Maarat HaMachpelah (Cave of Patriarchs), a booklet of greetings from both Israeli and Diaspora leaders will be published by the Ministry of Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs of Israel. The government of Israel has designated this ancient, revered cave as a national heritage site. The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, which includes the Orthodox Union as a member, has been asked by the Ministry to call on each member organization to submit an entry for the booklet. The following is the Orthodox Union submission: For millenia, we, the Jewish people, have traced our connection to the Holy Land of Israel to our biblical roots. As faithful Jews who attend synagogue regularly, and who read and absorb each week’s Torah portion, we have recently read of the Almighty’s promise of this land to Abraham, the first Jew. OU Israel Program 2011-11-15T15:06:46+00:00 http://www.ouisrael.org/blog/detail/from-the-heart-in-the-heart/ http://www.ouisrael.org/blog/detail/from-the-heart-in-the-heart/#When:07:11:37Z The Seymour J. Abrams Orthodox Union Jerusalem World Center, located on Rehov Keren HaYesod in the center of Jerusalem, is a heart pulsing with life and hope for the Jewish people—all Jews, of all ages, of all backgrounds. With the vision and leadership of its Executive Director Rabbi Avi Berman, the OU Israel Center has evolved into a center of Jewish communal activity and programming par excellence. Since coming to work for the OU Department of Public Relations in April 2010, it has been my wish to intern at the OU Israel Center - to learn about its activities, report on its programs and interact with the hundreds of teens sent by NCSY and Yachad for summer experiences. During the process, I hoped to deep my professional skills by drafting feature articles for OU Headquarters in New York. OU Israel Program 2011-10-02T07:11:37+00:00 http://www.ouisrael.org/blog/detail/if-i-forget-thee-oh-jerusalem-youth/ http://www.ouisrael.org/blog/detail/if-i-forget-thee-oh-jerusalem-youth/#When:06:33:30Z In the U.S., we use phrases like “kids off the derech” or “teenagers at risk”, but Israel’s Dati Leumi (religious Zionists) have termed it “youth on the edge”. The following letter was submitted to Olam Katan, a popular Shabbat newsletter in Israel. The author offers a personal opinion that gives us an insight into the hearts of Israel’s disaffected youth and what OU Israel Programs are doing to address the situation Within an exclusive Dati Leumi forum, I recently read opinions regarding the “Rikud Degalim” (flag waving parade to the Old City on Yom Yerushalayim). Amongst the crowd, even though the parade had been organized separately according gender, it was noted that a small contingency of Dati Leumi boys and girls were hanging out together, and that individuals within this crowd, some of whom were couples, were observed to be holding hands or embracing. OU Israel Program 2011-08-03T06:33:30+00:00 http://www.ouisrael.org/blog/detail/the-inaugural-womens-ou-israel-layla-mission-to-israel-a-great-success/ http://www.ouisrael.org/blog/detail/the-inaugural-womens-ou-israel-layla-mission-to-israel-a-great-success/#When:11:02:01Z OU Israel, in conjunction with L’ayla, hosted the first annual Women’s mission to Israel during the week of Feb. 13-22, 2011. A group of women from across the United States joined the trip and the verdict was unanimous- it was an unforgettable experience for all the participants, including those women in Israel who joined the tour for individual days. OU Israel Program 2011-03-01T11:02:01+00:00 http://www.ouisrael.org/blog/detail/rabbanit-yemima-mizrachi/ http://www.ouisrael.org/blog/detail/rabbanit-yemima-mizrachi/#When:10:37:37Z Last week, Rabbanit Yemima Mizrachi gave a powerful and captivating shiur to over 170 women in an event run by L’Ayla, a learning program for women at the OU Israel Center. Rabbanit Yemima spoke about the power of happiness and how to achieve true simcha during the month of Adar. She is one of the most influential speakers in Israel, attracting hundreds of women to her Shiurim, where she presents very deep messages with a sense of humor. To listen to this inspiring shiur, Please follow the link below: http://www.ou.org/torah/article/the_art_of_being_happy OU Israel Program 2011-02-20T10:37:37+00:00 http://www.ouisrael.org/blog/detail/nspiring-shabbat-retreat-in-a-beautiful-and-relaxing-setting-at-the-nir-etz/ http://www.ouisrael.org/blog/detail/nspiring-shabbat-retreat-in-a-beautiful-and-relaxing-setting-at-the-nir-etz/#When:13:24:57Z OU Israel Invites you to explore The Challenge & Excitement of Marrying off Our Anglo-Israeli Children at An Inspiring Shabbat Retreat in a Beautiful and Relaxing Setting - at the Nir Etzion Hotel in the Carmel Forest Shabbat Parashat Vayakhel February 25-26, 2011 Featuring Scholars-in-Residence Rav Aharon Bina Rosh Yeshiva Netiv Aryeh Rabbanit Malka Bina Founder & Director of Matan & Rabbi Moshe Berliner, M.S.W. Director, “Machon Netivot Family Counseling Center” Also in attendance: Rabbi Avi Berman Executive Director of OU Israel Center Rate: NIS 1,350 per couple Intriguing Program & Delicious Glatt Kosher Cuisine Reservations: Shlomit at 02-5609109 stauber@ouisrael.org OU Israel 2011-01-27T13:24:57+00:00 http://www.ouisrael.org/blog/detail/stillness-of-the-night/ http://www.ouisrael.org/blog/detail/stillness-of-the-night/#When:07:42:53Z I love my city. It calls to me; beckons to me. And because I love it so much and am so curious about its history, I decided to enroll in an intense one year course sponsored by Beth Jacob Seminary in conjunction with the Jerusalem Municipality, to become a Jerusalem tour guide. And that is how I found myself, on an icy cold January evening, standing on a windswept mountain with twenty five other women, most at least twenty years younger than myself, our necks tilted upwards, gazing at the stars. Our guide pointed out the different stars (kochvei shevet, “sitting stars,” because they remain in the same place in relationship to each other) and planets (kochvei lechet, “traveling stars” because they move across the sky) and then let us view Jupiter with a telescope. Yes, I managed to find three its four moons. OU Israel 2011-01-20T07:42:53+00:00 http://www.ouisrael.org/blog/detail/torah-kippas-and-kickboxing/ http://www.ouisrael.org/blog/detail/torah-kippas-and-kickboxing/#When:12:29:55Z The Trumpeldor neighborhood of Naharia is home to the poorest of the city’s poor, despite its tree-lined, well lit streets. With teenagers in those streets, and little to occupy their time, the neighborhood environment breeds lethargy, boredom and violence. OU Israel Program 2009-11-25T12:29:55+00:00 http://www.ouisrael.org/blog/detail/take-a-good-look/ http://www.ouisrael.org/blog/detail/take-a-good-look/#When:12:10:35Z Picture this: a government minister delivers a complex shiur klali to a packed Beit Midrash. Believe it or not, it happened in the Lev Yehudi Beit Midrash in Ramat HaSharon. OU Israel Program, Lev Yehudi 2009-09-23T12:10:35+00:00