OU, MyZuzah team up to put mezuzahs on doorposts in US communities
"This partnership is a wonderful example of how the mitzvah of mezuzah connects, protects and unites Jews of all ages and backgrounds."
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFA mezuzah(photo credit: PIXABAY)
A new program will see Jewish teenagers in the US increase the use of mezuzahs on doorposts throughout their communities.The program is the result of a partnership between the Mayberg Foundation's MyZuzah, which promotes the importance of using mezuzahs on the front doors of Jewish homes, and the Orthodox Union's Project Community 2020 (PC20), which seeks to help teenagers and young adults help their communities during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.Many potential volunteers will be dawn from Jewish teen organizations such as Yachad and NCSY.The initiative will use MyZuzah's "fair-trade" mezuzahs, which are mezuzahs purchased from sofers at a set cost, which guarantees each one is written correctly and on the appropriate parchment.This joint project will research, design and carry out a plan to place 100 new mezuzahs in their communities. These plans will utilize marketing plans, promotional strategies, presentations, and community engagement to find those in need of mezuzahs. MyZuzah will also provide training, promotional materials and relevant expenses.Programs have already started in communities in South Florida and Washington, and are expected to spread to communities throughout the US."This partnership is a wonderful example of how the mitzvah of mezuzah connects, protects and unites Jews of all ages and backgrounds," Mayberg Foundation trustee and MyZuzah founder Manette Mayberg said in a statement. "There is no better time than now to empower our teens to do something impactful for the Jewish community that also will benefit their own skill development and Jewish identity. The beauty of teens collaborating with MyZuzah is that it provides an opportunity for them to absorb the richness of this Jewish identity marker as much as the Jewish homes to which they bring fulfillment of this mitzvah.""We are really excited to work with NCSY and Yachad teens around the country this summer to tap both their energy and contacts in their communities,” MyZuzah program director Alex Shapero said.“Not only will the teens be able to further our goal of putting up kosher, fair-trade mezuzahs on the front door of Jewish homes worldwide, but they will also will have the opportunity to develop lifelong professional skills, as well as strengthen their sense of connection to the Jewish community.”“When creating PC20, our central goal was to mobilize our teens to help the community in creative and innovative ways that would engage our young people. MyZuzah does just that,” Orthodox Union executive vice president Rabbi Moshe Hauer explained.
“There is no sign more central to Jewish identity in the home than a mezuzah. It is universally affixed to the doorposts of Jews of all walks of life, so our teens will have the opportunity to use their skills and talents to help those in need of a mezuzah and to showcase the sanctity of ritual.”
