OU’S ‘COMMUNITY WEEKENDS’ PROGRAM WILL VISIT SEVEN SOUTH FLORIDA SYNAGOGUES, FEBRUARY 3-6, AS HIGH-LEVEL DELEGATION BRINGS ORGANIZATION’S MESSAGE FROM MIAMI TO PALM BEACH
Led by Executive Vice President Rabbi Steven Weil, the Orthodox Union will send its highest-level delegation to South Florida to serve as scholars-in-residence and speakers for “Community Weekend” February 3-6, Parshat Terumah. Organized in conjunction with Florida NCSY, the visit is to strengthen the already strong ties between the local Orthodox community and the OU.
“The goal of ‘Community Weekends’ is to focus on thriving areas of Orthodox life and to go there to address a variety of topics and to meet community leaders,” declared Rabbi Weil. “Depending on where they go and the interests of the community, the delegation will discuss topics such as Torah study, kashrut (kosher), Israel, government relations and so on. We will explain the variety of programs the OU offers to its synagogues and ask what programs they would like us to develop. We have chosen communities where our relations are already close and seek to strengthen the bonds that already exist between us.”
In addition to Rabbi Weil, who will be scholar-in-residence at Boca Raton Synagogue, the delegation will consist of:
• Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, OU Executive Vice President, Emeritus: to be scholar-in-residence at Beth Israel Synagogue of Miami Beach;
• Stephen J. Savitsky, OU Chairman of the Board and immediate OU Past President: to be scholar-in-residence at Young Israel of Deerfield;
• Rabbi Steven Burg, International Director of NCSY | Jewish Youth Leadership: to be scholar-in-residence at Young Israel of Bal Harbour, accompanied by Rabbi Todd Cohn, Executive Director of Southern NCSY;
• Nathan Diament, Director of the OU’s Institute for Public Affairs | Jewish Political Affairs: to be scholar-in-residence at Young Israel of Hollywood;
• Rabbi Avi Berman, Executive Director of OU Israel: to be scholar-in-residence at Young Israel of Kendall;
• Rabbi Dovid Jenkins, Rabbinic Coordinator for OU Kosher: to be scholar-in-residence at Anshei Chesed Congregation in Boynton Beach;
The delegation will be accompanied by OU Synagogue Services | Congregation Support Network team Laya Pelzner, Associate Director; Penny Pazornick, Project Coordinator; and Yehuda Friedman, Project Coordinator.
“We are privileged to be having our second OU Community weekend in Florida,” declared Laya Pelzner. “We always send high-level delegations as part of our Community Weekends, but usually they are in smaller numbers. This is the first Community Weekend that will include seven scholars-in-residence.”
Kicking off the weekend’s events, Rabbi Weil and Rabbi Weinreb will address “Greatest Challenges and Opportunities Facing the Orthodox Community in the 21th Century” on Thursday, February 3 at 8 p.m. at the Young Israel of Deerfield Beach, 202 Century Boulevard.
Rabbi Weil will discuss a variety of topics from early morning until the third meal on Shabbat. These include “The Clothing of Kohanim (priests);” “What is the Haftorah?” “Men are from Mars, Women from Venus: The Orthodox Version;” and “Why Tefilah Doesn’t Mean Prayer: Redefining Our Relationship with God.”
Wrapping up the weekend, the OU Community Services Department will present “Super Marriages on Super Sunday” with Rabbi Weil as Breakfast and Keynote Speaker. The event will be at the Young Israel of Hollywood, 3291Stirling Road, Fort Lauderdale, at 9:45a.m. Presentations will also be given by “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change: Conflict Resolution,” with Aliza Schulman, L.C.S.W. at 10:45a.m.; and “The Successful Disagreement,” with Dr. Raphael Wald, Ph.D. from 11:40-12:30p.m.
Rabbi Weil will be returning to South Florida in March as a scholar-in-residence at Palm Beach Synagogue, as a continuation of the Community Weekend.
Besides South Florida, OU Community Weekends have taken place in Atlanta; Chicago; Greater Washington; Memphis; Kansas City (Overland Park), KS; and Westchester County in New York.
For further information, contact synagogue@ou.org or call 212.613.8149.
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