Meditation, poetry, introspection on offer to more secular

[rug]

By JEREMY SHARON
10/07/2011 03:47

Instead of biking, a host of activities and prayer services more related to the traditional nature of Yom Kippur have sprung up.

“A day of bike riding shall it be unto you.”

Walk around the streets of many towns and cities on Yom Kippur, and you would be forgiven for thinking that this is the principle commandment the Torah stipulates for Yom Kippur, such is the prevalence of the bike-riding phenomenon among more secular Israelis.

But in addition to this cyclical trend, a host of activities and prayer services more related to the traditional nature of Yom Kippur have sprung up, specifically targeting those who might otherwise be riding bikes or generally doing something unrelated to the religious aspects of the day.

BINA, an organization established in 1996 to create a connection between secular Israeli society and its Jewish roots, has been holding Yom Kippur programs for the past five years, attracting between 300 to 400 people. The schedule includes services for the Kol Nidrei, Musaf and Neilah prayers along with a host of study sessions, meditation workshops, music and poetry groups and discussion opportunities.

http://www.jpost.com/JewishWorld/JewishFeatures/Article.aspx?id=240892

[Betsy Ross]

1. Nice. n/t