Day to Praise

The Hallel

Hallel consists of six Psalms (113–118), which are recited as a unit, on joyous occasions. These occasions include the following: The three pilgrim festivals Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot (the "bigger" Jewish holy days, mentioned in the Torah) and Hanukkah and Rosh Chodesh (beginnings of the new month). Two years after the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, the Chief Rabbinate in Israel decided that Yom Ha'atzmaut should be given the status of a minor Jewish holiday on which Hallel (Psalms 113–118) be recited. The recitation of the blessing over Hallel was introduced in 1973 by Israeli Chief Rabbi Shlomo Goren.

Conception

In October 2014, Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, the Chancellor & Founder of the Center for Jewish-Christian Understanding and Cooperation (CJCUC), became the first Orthodox rabbi to invite Christian visitors to Israel to participate in a "praise rally" with Jewish interfaith leaders at the Center's headquarters during the holiday of Sukkot during which Hallel was recited. This celebratory event would serve as the basis for the eventual conception of the global 'Day to Praise' initiative.

In 2015

The 'Day to Praise' Global initiative was launched in March 2015. In an email sent out to Israel supporters world-wide Rabbi Riskin writes:

As part of the praise worship celebrations, Day to Praise produced songs, inspired by the Hallel Psalms. A portion of the proceeds from these songs go to supporting Heart to Heart, a unique virtual blood donation program to bless Israel and save lives in Israel.

The initiative caused an uproar within the Haredi Jewish circles. In a statement, the once chief Sephardi Rabbi of Israel, and the chief Rabbi of Jerusalem, Rabbi Shlomo Amar, expressed his "stomach churning" in light of the joint Hallel prayer of Jews and Christians in a synagogue in Jerusalem being led by Rabbi Shlomo Riskin. In a rebuttal, Rabbi Riskin defended his actions stating that "We are talking about a thanksgiving prayer to G-d that would include Christians who worship His actions towards the Jewish people and the Land of Israel... What could possibly be more appropriate?". Later that year, in September, on the eve of Rosh HaShana (The beginning of the Jewish New Year), Riskin's claim was given further backing by Rabbi Pesach Wolicki. In an article written for The Times of Israel, Wolicki wrote: "While discomfort is understandable, we dare not assume that what is uncomfortable and new is therefore forbidden."

The 1st annual Day to Praise took place on 23 April 2015 with the central event taking place at "HaZvi Israel" synagogue in Jerusalem. The central Day to Praise event was reportedly joined by tens of thousands of worshipers throughout the world, in their own respective groups.

Later that year, in 2015, during the festival of Sukkot, CJCUC, together with its founder, Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, the chief rabbi of Efrat, hosted an interfaith event in Efrat in which 200 Christians and Jews came together to sing the praises of God in unity. Riskin said that "the prayer event will help usher in the Messianic Age."

In 2016

The second annual Day to Praise took place on 12 May 2016 and the central event was held in Gush Etzion, the scene of many past terror attacks. The event consisted of 120 representatives of the Jewish and Christian faiths. The representatives were groups from Israel, The United States, Germany and Brazil and international interfaith organizations such as "Bridges for Peace" and "Christian Friends of Israel".

During the event, each of the participants read Psalm 117 in their native language, and then read it together in Hebrew. According to co-founder, David Nekrutman, this in-gathering was the fulfilment of the biblical prophecy of Zephaniah; "For then will I turn to the peoples a pure language that they may all call upon the name of the LORD to serve Him with one consent." (Zephaniah 3:9)

Gallery