Beit Tefilah Israeli

Beit Tefilah Israeli (Hebrew: בית תפילה ישראלי, "Israeli House of Prayer") is a nonprofit organization and community brand based in Tel Aviv, Israel, dedicated to Jewish renewal. Founded in June 2004 by Esteban Gottfried and Rani Yeger, together with Yoav Rosenberg, Ezri Tarazi and Elisheva Greenbaum (of blessed memory), it began as an experimental Kabbalat Shabbat service on 25 June 2004. The organization's mission is to build urban community life that merges contemporary Israeli culture with Jewish tradition, creating models of Jewish practice suited to the Israeli context. It operates as an amuta (nonprofit association) and is a member of the Israeli Jewish Renewal network. The brand's core offerings include musical Kabbalat Shabbat services, holiday events, life-cycle ceremonies (bar/bat mitzvah), study sessions, and social action programs. Its target audience spans the broad spectrum of Israelis who identify as secular or traditional but seek meaningful community and spiritual life. Beit Tefilah Israeli is known for its innovative liturgy, including a Havdalah ceremony between Memorial Day and Independence Day (published as a siddur in 2007) and a Friday evening prayer book published in summer 2011, which has been adopted by other communities. The organization also runs large-scale public events, such as summer Kabbalat Shabbat at Tel Aviv Port, attracting over 700 participants weekly, and holiday events in public spaces like Dizengoff Center and Rothschild Boulevard. Financially, Beit Tefilah Israeli is supported by the Shusterman Foundation, the Jewish Federation of San Francisco, the Stulman Foundation, the New Israel Fund, the Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality, and membership fees. Its activities have expanded from Tel Aviv to communities across Israel, and it provides content services to Jewish and community organizations nationwide. The brand has become a central player in the field of Jewish renewal in Israel over the past two decades.

Beit Tefilah Israeli was founded in June 2004 in Tel Aviv by Esteban Gottfried and Rani Yeger, together with Yoav Rosenberg, Ezri Tarazi and Elisheva Greenbaum (of blessed memory). It began as an experimental Kabbalat Shabbat service on 25 June 2004, driven by a small group of activists seeking a way to conduct spiritual and community life in Tel Aviv that matched the spirit of the time and place, with a commitment to tradition on one hand and a desire to renew it on the other. The organization grew into a large, creative, vibrant and inclusive community, becoming a model for Jewish renewal in Israel and a community organization offering content services to Jewish and community organizations nationwide. It has gained a central position in the field of Jewish renewal in Israel over the past two decades. In its first decade, most activities took place in the building of the Alma College on Bezalel Yaffe Street in Tel Aviv, including Kabbalat Shabbat, children's Kabbalat Shabbat, batei midrash, holiday events, life-cycle ceremonies and social action. After a decade, the focus moved to the Gordon Ulpan building on Lassalle Street. The organization also organizes Kabbalat Shabbat and Havdalah in various venues across the city. Since 2007, it has held summer Kabbalat Shabbat at the Tel Aviv Port, with over 700 participants each week. Starting in 2010, it has conducted musical Kabbalat Shabbat for IDF officer courses as part of the "Shabbat in Tel Aviv" program of Bina. Beit Tefilah Israeli has created innovative Jewish-Israeli liturgy, including a Havdalah ceremony between Memorial Day and Independence Day, published as a siddur in 2007, which has been adopted by other communities, mainly from the Jewish Renewal network and the Reform movement in Israel and the United States. A Friday evening prayer book published in summer 2011 was adopted by six additional communities (Shchunat Hanoar in Haifa, Kibbutz HaMa'apil, Kodesh V'chol in Holon, Maayan in Gan Yavne, and Beit Oren). The organization experimentally created a "new Jewish-Israeli liturgical language" combining traditional prayer with poetry, modern literature and personal prayers. Guest speakers at Kabbalat Shabbat address topics such as the social reality in Israel, privatization of social services, and the refugee issue from Asia and Africa. The organization is financially supported by the Shusterman Foundation, the Jewish Federation of San Francisco, the Stulman Foundation, the New Israel Fund, the Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality and membership fees. It is a member of the Israeli Jewish Renewal network. Its activities include holiday events in public spaces, such as a Passover seder for African refugees in Tel Aviv, reading the Book of Esther at Dizengoff Center, the Blessing of the Sun at the Azrieli Tower helicopter pad, and reading Lamentations on Rothschild Boulevard. The unique approach combining old and new, Jewish and Israeli, and the momentary with the depth of time, has made it a home for many Israelis seeking to shape meaningful community life.

• 2011

  Published a Friday evening prayer book, adopted by six additional communities.

• 2010

  Started musical Kabbalat Shabbat for IDF officer courses as part of Bina's "Shabbat in Tel Aviv" program.

• 2007

  Published a siddur for Havdalah between Memorial Day and Independence Day, adopted by other communities.

• 2007

  Began holding summer Kabbalat Shabbat at Tel Aviv Port, attracting over 700 participants weekly.

• 2004

  Founded in June 2004 in Tel Aviv by Esteban Gottfried and Rani Yeger, with an experimental Kabbalat Shabbat on 25 June 2004.

A pluralistic, non-denominational Jewish renewal community and content provider, rooted in Israeli and Tel Avivian culture, bridging secular and traditional Israelis.

• 2007

  Havdalah between Memorial Day and Independence Day siddur

• 2011

  Friday evening prayer book

1. 1Homepage - Beit Tefilah Israelibtfila.org
2. 2אודות - Beit Tefilah Israelibtfila.org
3. 3Beit Tefilah Israeli - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4בית תפילה ישראלי - Wikipedia (Hebrew)he.wikipedia.org