Community

Emerging spiritual communities

Over the past decade, non-religious Israelis have shown increasing interest in reclaiming their Jewish heritage, connecting with community and adding a spiritual dimension to their lives. An exciting expression of this quest has been the emergence of spiritual communities among secular Israelis.

This grassroots trend, independent of the various streams of Judaism, has seen families and individuals joining together for Kabbalat Shabbat services, holiday celebrations, and study sessions. HaMidrasha is helping to nurture these emerging spiritual communities by supporting their programs, training their leaders, holding major gatherings and building a network of connections for sharing ideas and resources.

Beit Midrash

The Havaya Center for Lifecycle Ceremonies

When deciding how to mark life’s most important moments, many nonreligious Israelis face a choice between having either an orthodox religious ceremony or nothing. A growing number of nonreligious Jewish Israelis are no longer satisfied with these choices. They seek meaningful, relevant and authentically Jewish ways to celebrate birth, bar/bat mitzvah and weddings. They want to mark death and mourn loved ones in a way that reflects their values and is both comfortable and comforting.

The Havaya Center is creating the alternative that so many Israelis seek: lifecycle and holiday ceremonies that are rooted in Jewish tradition and sources that also reflect contemporary culture and values.

Mercaz Nigunim

TheMercazNigunimCenterfor Jewish Melody collects, preserves, adapts and disseminates melodies for Jewish prayer and celebration that reflect the creative history, diversity and innovation of the Jewish people.

The Center hosts conferences every three to four months for community leaders and musicians, as well as music education events for the general public.

Mercaz Nigunim is envisioned as a central repository of liturgical Jewish music with a database to facilitate access and sharing.

Mercaz Nigunim operates in partnership with Mercaz L’Piyut and Mercaz Hantzacha in Tivon.