More than 55,000 people expected at 300 locations across country for traditional prayer sessions run by volunteers

An illustrative photo of Israelis praying at the Armon HaNatiziv Promenade in Jerusalem, on September 20, 2014, prior to Yom Kippur. (Noam Revkin Fenton/Flash90)
An illustrative photo of Israelis praying at the Armon HaNatiziv Promenade in Jerusalem, on September 20, 2014, prior to Yom Kippur. (Noam Revkin Fenton/Flash90)

 

The Tzohar rabbinical organization will host more than 55,000 people at 300 locations throughout Israel for Yom Kippur services.

The services, which attract unaffiliated Jewish Israelis, are run by hundreds of volunteers who bring traditional holiday prayer services to locations outside of traditional synagogues.

The group hosted prayer services in 200 locations for Rosh Hashanah. It also hosts public megillah readings for Purim.

Rabbi David Stav, cofounder and chairman of the Tzohar rabbinical organization. (Yossi Zeliger/Flash90)
Rabbi David Stav, cofounder and chairman of the Tzohar rabbinical organization. (Yossi Zeliger/Flash90)

Participants will be provided with an explanatory pamphlet written by Tzohar about the customs, prayers and meaning of the High Holidays.

“Tzohar is deeply proud to have become a central part of the prayer experience for tens of thousands of Israelis for the High holidays,” said Rabbi David Stav, co-founder of Tzohar. “The success of our 200 Rosh Hashanah programs and 300 Yom Kippur locations come from the fact that they provide an approach to the prayer in a manner that is designed to be accessible and relatable for Jews of all backgrounds and levels of familiarity with tradition.”

The organization of religious Zionist rabbis started the Yom Kippur “Praying Together” program, which organizes the explanatory Yom Kippur services, 17 years ago.

As reported by The Times of Israel