Kiddush Torah

“Yedidya” is a pluralistic Orthodox Jewish community, and its members are singles, young couples and established families. The members of the community come from a diverse religious background and all are invited to take an active part in the life of the community (as Torah readers, public messengers, announcers of messages at the end of the prayer, program coordinators, committee members, etc.). At the center of our activities are Shabbat and holiday prayers, but we also hold morning prayers every day.

The partition that separates the two sides of the prayer hall goes through the middle and creates equal spaces for women and men. During the prayer, the women’s voices blend in harmony with the men’s. All community activities are held in Hebrew.

Since a significant percentage of the community members are immigrants who came to Israel alone, part of our mission is to create a supportive community that will serve as a kind of family for those interested. Besides prayer and study frameworks, we hold social activities that are open to the entire community and the general public. The charity fund of the community is at the disposal of all the needy in the neighborhood, and the charitable giving committee supports members in times of trouble as well as in times of joy.

New immigrants and tourists (Jews and non-Jews) are invited to stay with our friends in an organized manner and our community is often used as a home for families and young people who are in Israel on sabbatical.

Our community is committed to building relationships between different Jewish communities and also between non-Jews and Jews. We are used to hosting Christian groups (of clergy and others) for prayers on Shabbat and invite them to stay in our homes as well.

Practically practiced by her friends

The Yedidya community is committed to promoting women’s participation in public prayer and community leadership. The Halachic and Custom Committee discusses halachic questions addressed to it. The committee’s recommendations are the basis for decisions on these issues, which are accepted by the entire community and/or the community committee. We do not have a rabbi who serves as a halachic authority, but several rabbis are members of the community and their scholarly contribution to the discussion is important to us.

Women read the Torah in a separate reading for women that takes place, among other things, at Bat Mitzvah celebrations. Women read scrolls on holidays, and carry Torah words on Shabbat and holidays.

Our Simchat Torah celebration was the first of its kind in Israel in terms of the full participation of women and became a model for imitation by other modern Orthodox communities. We encourage Torah study by all members of the community. There are lectures, classes, and informal educational programs for all ages intended for community members and the general public.

our building

“An unfolding scroll”, is how members of the Yedidia community describe the new building. Its construction began in September 2000 and was completed in August 2003.

Architect Mandy Rosenfeld integrated the building perfectly with the garden next to it. The built area (two floors) is about seven hundred square meters. The upper floor serves as the main prayer hall, while the lower floor contains a place for women to read the Torah, an activity area for children, a large multi-purpose area and an office. The basement floor is under construction and we hope to complete it in the near future.

One of the special features of the building is the quality of the lighting. Rosenfeld designed a well-lit prayer hall, but indirectly through the windows, which were placed to make the most of the direction of the sun in the early evening and in the morning. The goal, according to the architect, is to create an open and welcoming space but separated from its surroundings for the purpose of prayer.

The prayer hall of course contains special features according to the customs of the community. The bimah and the Ark of the Covenant are in the center, at an equal distance from the women’s and men’s helpers.

A prominent feature of the new building is the long arch leading from the entrance to the prayer hall on the second floor. The sheep allows easy access to the prayer hall for every person, including the disabled. It is used for those coming through the gates of the synagogue as a transition area from the outside environment into the prayer area.

More details about the building:
The words of the architects – Mandy Rosenfeld and Eliza Arens
The priest in the prayer hall – Hana Cromer
The constant candle in the prayer hall – Mira Maylor
The constant candle on the entrance floor – a place of prayer for the daily Menin – Nathaniel Putnam
The story behind the perpetual candle

The principles of the Yedidia community 5677

1) “Know him in all your ways…” (Proverbs 3:6) The Yedidia community advocates a full Jewish life according to Halacha. Halacha refers to the mitzvot between a person and a place, between a person and his friend and between a person and the surrounding society.

2) “The old will be renewed, the new will be sanctified.” (Rabbi Kook) Life of Torah and mitzvot must not be frozen. We must always look for the right combination between tradition and the changing social reality, within the framework of Halacha. The community itself has a large part in the discussion of questions of custom. Community life is based on the common regular prayers. However, the ambition is that the permanent will also be filled with intention. Prayer in public should become a spiritual and aesthetic experience, with the maximum participation of the audience. An important component of prayer is the words of the Torah and lessons, which add an intellectual touch to the experience.

3) “Her ways are pleasant ways and all her paths are peace.” (Proverbs 3:17) The Torah educates us to pursue peace—peace at home, peace in society, peace between the nations. The use of “Darchia” instead of “Dercha” and “Netivothia” instead of “Netiva” teaches us that within the Torah, Halachic and communal framework, it is possible multiple opinions. Even in conditions of disagreement, it is appropriate to maintain the respect of the other person.

4) “…in the image of God created him male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27) All human beings were created in God’s image and therefore all are equal. Equality between human beings is expressed between women and men, between Jews and non-Jews, with people with various disabilities, etc. The synagogue should be open and accessible to all, if Because equality does not necessarily mean “identity.” They respect the differences between people and, at the same time, believe that every person deserves the respect they deserve for being created in their image. Yedidia is recognized as a pioneer in the full participation of women in community life.

5) “Righteousness shall be pursued…” (Deuteronomy 16:20) Torah life is based on cleanliness of hands and the pursuit of justice, both on a personal and social level. In particular, we are tasked with taking care of justice towards those who are perceived as “weak” or lacking Protector. As a community, we strive to express these values in our lives.

6) “Do not withdraw from the public…” (Avot 2:5) Yedidia is not just a synagogue. It is a real community, where the members share in everyone’s joys and hardships and pain. They are invested in developing a strong community, characterized by common identity and mutual help. However, we do not forget that the synagogue is located within the Bekaa neighborhood. Concern for our neighborhood and our city should be at the forefront of our minds, through involvement in the social and cultural life of the neighborhood. In another sense, we are part of the religious-Zionist public in Israel, of Israeli society as a whole, of the Jewish people in the world, and of the “human family.” All these levels require different degrees of involvement and responsibility from us.

7) “Greater is the introduction of an Orhin than the reception of the Shekinah.” (Shabbat 27:1) We are commanded to hold a hospitality for new community members, students and alphonists, new immigrants and non-Jews, who wish to experience the experience of Shabbat or a holiday in a Jewish community. We try to ensure that our guests feel comfortable in prayer and Kiddush. The community is immigrants—new and old alike—the community is to a large extent a kind of “extended family.” This is expressed in extensive social activities, including joint holiday meals.

8) “It is beautiful to learn Torah with the way of the earth” (Avot 2:2) they try to emphasize the importance of the sciences and the arts, alongside Torah studies. In our Torah study, it is permissible and desirable to bring many and varied sources of help, comparative insights and interpretations from different backgrounds. Artistic works are given a place of honor on the walls of the synagogue.

9) “…to be a free people in our country…” (the hope) We see the State of Israel as the expression of a sovereign Jewish nationhood in this world, and we celebrate its independence day with a large crowd and a solemn prayer. We also pray for her safety and the safety of her soldiers. Our life as citizens in the country imposes on us duties of maintaining its peace and security through military or national service—for both men and women—and maintaining its character as a Jewish and democratic state.

10) “And you memorized it for your children…” (Deuteronomy 6:7) The next generation is the guarantee of continuity. The community invests a lot in diverse activities for children, adapted to the different ages. We want our children to feel part of the community. The highlight of this activity is the bar or bat mitzvah celebration, which naturally leads to participation in the youth prayers, and ultimately to membership in the community, or at least to a solid and lasting connection with the community and its values.