’Kabbalah in the Community’

An outstanding aspect of Kabbalah tradition is the importance placed on contribution to the community, and our organization operates in this spirit. The encounter with the Kabbalah creates a positive atmosphere of desire for social involvement, volunteer activity and community contribution, especially when the teachings themselves are conveyed in a joyful, experiential manner, as in our activities.
In recent weeks our organization conducted special 'Kabbalah in the Community' activities. As a result of their success we have received additional requests for many more such activities.
As part of the 'Kabbalah in the Community' activities we have introduced special groups from the local community to the teachings and experience of the world of Kabbalah. The response has been tremendous - a strong positive impression was left on the participants.
Thus, for example, near the time of Lag Ba’omer, we invited young women at risk from the 'Yagel Libi' organization in Tzfat to an evening of lectures on the Kabbalah. The girls noted their enjoyment and the strong impression the program left on them. The young women at risk saw this evening as a special opportunity for an enriching, uplifting experience.
At a special workshop we held last month for senior citizens of Tzfat, members of the Kappel Senior Day Center enjoyed a Kabbalah experience together with students from the Amal School in the city. The program included a lecture, a workshop on the secret of the letters of the Aleph-Bet, a musical performance and a spiritual experiential activity for the children and senior citizens together on making good decisions on the personal and community level. The program was held in collaboration with the Amen program of the Joint. The positive response led to requests to hold Kabbalah programs in the senior citizen clubs in Tzfat and the vicinity, as well as the Amal High School and other educational institutions.
The participation of the youngsters and the senior citizens in a common activity and experience, focusing on wisdom and good deeds in the spirit of Tzfat Kabbalah, undoubtedly benefited both groups.
The teenagers contributed their energy and did volunteer community work on behalf of the senior citizens and at the same time, a dynamic evolved in which the young people learned from the life experiences and wisdom of the older people. The workshop taught the youngsters to appreciate the senior citizens as a special group that warrants particular respect.
A special activity was held in the Holiday of Shavuot.Our organization played an active role in the tikkun leil Shavuot that was held at the Saraya complex in Tzfat. The tikkun was organized by the Noam Synagogue that operates there, and it included 300 participants from Tzfat as well as guests from the World Bnei Akiva movement and Taglit-Birthright, who enjoyed lectures on the Kabbalah delivered by Eyal Riess and Dr. Shelly Goldberg.
We have recently received invitations from the Center for the Blind in Tzfat to hold several Kabbalah programs during the coming summer months for the blind people who participate in the Center’s activities. We are now working of preparing special programs for this group of people and will be pleased to report on them when they take place.