The Chazon Dov shul in the Seeach Sod building in Romema conducts special, accessible holiday prayers together with the children who attend Seeach Sod's Savyon respite program – which operates not only during the Yamim Noraim but all year long – as well as Seeach Sod's other students and graduates who attend the minyan. The neighborhood residents, too, do not forgo the opportunity to join the annual minyan which is accompanied by the Neranena choir and world-renowned baalei tefillah and is known to bring participants much awaited-for yeshuos.
The minyan is held throughout all the yamim tovim of Tishrei. The unique initiative aims to foster a sense of unity, acceptance and equal opportunities for everyone. Seeach Sod believe that everyone deserves the best and most accessible minyan for the yamim tovim prayers. Every person deserves to feel comfortable, to invest effort in his holiday prayers, and to break open the gates of heaven.
Located in the heart of the neighborhood, the shul serves not only as a place for prayer, but also as a center for spiritual guidance for the boys and graduates who daven there daily before heading out to work or kollel. They meet there with the Seeach Sod's staff members to receive tools and support in preparation for the upcoming day.
The beauty of the communal prayer did nothing to quench the excitement in the audience's hearts and the inclusive community of Seeach Sod's graduates and program members davening in the minyan.
The minyan took place also on Yom Kippur and Succos, and then again with unparalleled joy on Simchas Torah.
"It's a community for all intents and purposes," said Rabbi Shimon Levy, CEO of Seeach Sod. "A community that meets mostly during the Yamim Noraim, but not only then. They meet on occasional Shabbasos and even in simchos and around the neighborhood. Our students and graduates who daven in the minyan are familiar with the participants, and the participants know them too. The tefillah is made uniquely accessible to them and they understand and daven with comfort and in joy. I am pleased and excited each time anew to see the powerful sense of connection and belonging that the minyan engenders in its participants."