|
Our Mission
Hinei mah tov umah na'im shevet achim gam yachad!
"How good and pleasant it is for siblings to dwell together in unity!" (Psalms 133:1)
Tikvat Yisrael offers a new model for Jewish communal life on Manhattan's Upper West Side, a community known for its vibrancy, dynamism, and diverse array of approaches to Judaism. Our mission is to bring together Jews of different religious backgrounds, using commitment to prayer as a fundamental tie that binds us together.
Tikvat Yisrael's goals are twofold: to demonstrate that there are shared elements of Jewish life which can unite us as a people, and to show that exposure to those aspects of Jewish life on which we differ can, in fact, serve as a source of strength We strive to create a communal space where we can explore one another's religious commitments, so that familiarity, camaraderie, and respect - rather than isolation, fear, and stereotyping - become the building blocks for the community of the future.
Tikvat Yisrael's activities are rooted firmly in the belief that prayer, more than any other element, serves as a fundamental bridge between Jews. At our Friday night events, participants take part in one or more of our multiple minyanim (prayer services) - Liberal, Orthodox, Traditional Egalitarian, and (at one event) a visiting independent minyan. The services are held in separate rooms under one roof, with doors open wide, so that people can see in and melodies can float out. Participants are thus given the opportunity to learn about one another's practices, while also attending the service at which they feel most comfortable. Following services, guests share in a communal Shabbat dinner.
Tikvat Yisrael thus believes that a fundamental source of unity is the knowledge of one simple fact: while we may say different words, use different languages, and sing different songs, everyone present has come to pray. While we recognize and celebrate differences, we also empower individuals to see that there is much more that we share than we might otherwise have thought.
Beyond events, Tikvat Yisrael has embarked on a Community Leadership Initiative. We have reached out to many of the Upper West Side's minyanim and synagogues to encourage collaboration and understand how we can help the community at large to grow. In addition to inviting these minyanim to join our Friday night events as a visiting service option, we are working to identify the challenges and issues which we all face, empowering each group to better serve their own constituencies as well as the broader community.
In the short period of time since our founding in January 2004, Tikvat Yisrael has already run six services/dinner events, three cross-community oneg programs, 3 educational events, and has cosponsored many other community efforts including a fundraiser for the Tsunami disaster of 2004 which received unprecedented community support. Our services/dinner events have hosted more than 950 people, and generated a high level of excitement and enthusiasm. While obstacles exist, it is clear that we are filling a vital need. The key to our future is to reverse the fractious, isolationist, and judgmental trends which have come to characterize the Jewish world, and to recognize that there is much that unites us. We invite you to join us in undertaking this crucial mission. |
