V’ani Tefillah Foundation Aseres Yemei Teshuvah Tefillah initiative

19/09/2006

Rabbi Heshy Kleinman, author of “Praying with Fire”, visited the UK earlier this year, speaking in North West London at Start Your Day the Torah Way and in Manchester at a special tefillah event with Rabbi Mattisyahu Salomon, shlita, as well as a number of schools in both locations.  Last year, his foundation, “V’Ani Tefillah” issued thousands of booklets to enable people to enhance their davenning during the aseres yemei teshuva. 

This year, the Aseres Yemei Teshuva program is nearly double the size and scope of last year’s successful programme. It is hoped that more than one hundred thousand booklets will be distributed in North America, England, Belgium, Switzerland, Australia, South Africa and in English speaking venues in Eretz Yisroel.  This year’s programme takes sections from the kavannah chapter of “Praying with Fire”, enabling people to focus, during these auspicious days, on practical strategies and insights that will increase the power of their tefillos.

A spokesman for V’Ani Tefillah in London told Hamodia that they have been inundated with requests from shuls, schools and other mosdos around Europe for copies of the booklet.  Fifteen thousand booklets have been printed in England and the programme is running in numerous schools in London and Manchester, as well as seminaries and yeshivos in Gateshead and Manchester.

In an effort to make as many people as possible aware of the initiative before Rosh Hashanah,  V’Ani Tefillah sent out information packs to rabbonim, and were distributing their material at the various large gatherings which have been held as Yom Tov draws near, such as the IT meetings in London and Manchester.  The organisers hope very much that once people have seen how their davenning has improved they will be inspired to try out the whole programme. 

“So many people have grown in tefillah from the entire 89-day learning program over the course of the year,” remarked the spokesman, “that this year, when we offered a new aseres yemei teshuvah booklet on kavannah, the response was tremendous. Especially now, at this moment in history, profound tefillah is a matter of crucial importance. Although the most recent, dramatic epoch in our history appears to have come to a momentary halt in Eretz Yisroel, a new level of awareness has been aroused. People want to know, they want to learn, ‘How can I come closer to Hashem?’”

V’Ani Tefillah has the backing of local dayonim and rabbonim as well as prominent rabbonim around the world.  V’Ani Tefillah is closely linked with Start Your Day the Torah Way, and together they are intending to run an annual leil hisorerus, for men, in English.  This unique event will take place in London, Manchester and  Gateshead, as well as other locations in Europe. It will feature exclusive audio-visual presentation from Rabbi Mattisyahu Salomon, shlita, mashgiach of Lakewood yeshiva, as well as a small number of short and direct droshos from local rabbonim in the style of “Torah Way”. This audio-visual has been prepared in direct response to requests from schools for an introduction to hisorerus in tefillah The beauty of this classic kiruv kerovim iniative is that it appeals to everyone – to men and ladies, to children and to all sectors of the religious spectrum.

Start Your Day the Torah Way is running the V’Ani Tefillah initiative in all its locations, with short programmes either before or after the shiur, for ten days, starting this week.  It can be accessed as usual on Kol HaLashon or by the other regular means.

To bring the V’Ani Tefillah Foundation’s the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah initiative or full 89-day tefillah learning program and to your shul or school, yeshiva seminary or to your home, please contact the V’Ani Tefillah Foundation at   0207 993 5044, or e-mail vanitefillah@yeshivanet.com