Arts & Entertainment

Plainview Congregation's Gift To Nigerian Jews

Manetto Hill Jewish Center provides High Holiday prayer books to an enclave in desperate need.

In the charitable spirit of the High Holidays, members of the went above and beyond to help out Jews half way around the world.

The synagogue helped organize the shipment of 700 used High Holiday prayer books to Nigeria. With this act of tzedakah, Hebrew for "charity," a contingent of who are desperately in need of prayer books can celebrate Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur appropriately, said , the spiritual leader of the Manetto Hill Jewish Center.

“The Harlow Machzorim (High Holiday Prayer Books) have served our congregation for over 30 years," Senter said. "This year we were blessed with the opportunity to introduce Machzor Hadash, selected for its contemporary translation and phonetic transliteration."

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The opportunity to donate our retired prayer books is amazing from a Tikun Olam (social action) perspective," the rabbi said. "We are specially grateful for the efforts of who coordinated the gifting of these prayer books. May God bless her with this means and the opportunity to continue such good work.”

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Inspired by a film which will be shown at the synagogue on Sunday Sept. 9, the members learned about Jews there who have been learning about their Israeli roots and congregations sprouting up throughout the country.

Discussions with the filmmaker revealed the dire need for prayer books. This inspired the members of the Plainview synagogue to provide those needed prayer books.

With help from filmmaker , funding for the shipment and coordination in Nigeria was arranged with U.S. businessmen and Nigerian Jewish leaders. Members of the Manetto Hill Jewish Center packed up and personally delivered the prayer books to Maryland for shipment to Nigeria.

The film will be shown in its entirety at the Manetto Hill Jewish Center on Sunday Sept. 9, at 7 p.m.

The showing is open to the community, which includes a discussion with the filmmaker. For more information call 516-935-5454.

To see a preview of the film, "Re-Emerging: The Jews of Nigeria" click here: http://re-emergingfilm.com/GetInvolved.html


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