The Yavneh Story
In the last days of the Roman siege of Jerusalem in 70 C.E., Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai had himself smuggled out of the city in a coffin, and carried into the camp of the Roman general Vespasian. Rabbi Yochanan rose and greeted the general as Emperor, and in return for that prediction, Vespasian gave the rabbi permission to establish a rabbinic academy in Yavneh, a town near the Mediterranean coast. Rabbi Yochanan, along with other religious leaders of the time, were able to assure the continuation of Jewish spiritual life with the audacious transformation of its earlier forms into the practice of what has come to be called Rabbinic Judaism.
In profound teachings going back several decades, Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi zt"l (“the memory of the righteous is a blessing”), founder of the Jewish Renewal movement, challenges us to recognize that we, too, are living in a "Yavneh moment." The future transmission of Judaism's spiritual treasures depends on a transformational renewal of individual and communal Jewish practice, learning, and worship. The call to undertake this sacred work has been heard by thousands of people from all Jewish denominations, and by many lovers of Judaism who have not yet formally joined our faith community.
Our congregation has taken Yavneh as its name to honor the spirit that moved Rabbi Yochanan and his community to ensure that Judaism would be vital and alive to future generations.
In profound teachings going back several decades, Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi zt"l (“the memory of the righteous is a blessing”), founder of the Jewish Renewal movement, challenges us to recognize that we, too, are living in a "Yavneh moment." The future transmission of Judaism's spiritual treasures depends on a transformational renewal of individual and communal Jewish practice, learning, and worship. The call to undertake this sacred work has been heard by thousands of people from all Jewish denominations, and by many lovers of Judaism who have not yet formally joined our faith community.
Our congregation has taken Yavneh as its name to honor the spirit that moved Rabbi Yochanan and his community to ensure that Judaism would be vital and alive to future generations.