Project Inspire on the Road in Denver

Project Inspire had another impactful “Project Inspire On The Road” – this time in Denver, Colorado. The Jewish Experience of Denver reached out to Project Inspire and invited them to come and create a weekend experience to inspire their frum community to step up and get involved in reaching out to the approximately 50,000 unaffiliated Jews living in the Greater Denver area. After months of planning, Project Inspire activists Mr. Nechemia and Mrs. Meryl Feldman, Mr. Michael Eisenberg, Mr. Josh Brody, Mrs. Tzippy Reifer, Mr. Yiddie and Mrs. Esther Klein, and Mr. Chaskel Bennett, along with Rabbi Chaim Sampson, Rabbi Simcha and Aviva Barnett and Rabbi Mordechai Becher, travelled to the Rockies for Shabbos Shoftim.

Denver didn’t know what to expect from this Shabbos but after hearing from such phenomenal lay leaders, the weekend far surpassed their expectations. Project Inspire was hosted all over the Denver community, partnering with  the Jewish Experience, Aish Denver, EDOS, DAT Minyan, Kehilas Bais Yisroel, Congregation Zera Abraham, and the Denver Kollel. “It was amazing to see how easy it really is to bypass whatever  fears or hesitations one might have in talking to another Jew about how they can learn more about their religion,” remarked one community member.

“Project Inspire, working with the incredible kiruv professionals from Aish Denver and Denver Jewish Experience, recognize the critical nature of bringing back our brethren,” said Mr. Chaskel Bennett, one of the Project Inspire lay leaders. “I was humbled and honored to spend time with such wonderful and dedicated yidin who understand that the very future of the Jewish middle America lies in our ability to bring our brethren back to their heritage. Important and historic work is happening in Denver. I saw it with my own eyes.”

Over Shabbos, Project Inspire rabbis and lay leaders spoke on the importance of bringing Torah to their less affiliated brethren. After Shabbos, all three communities joined for a Melava Malka at the Jewish Experience where Rabbi Sampson and Rabbi Becher spoke on Elul and how kiruv rechokim plays a key role during the month of teshuva. The community was treated to a delicious BBQ and Project Inspire’s entertaining film series. People also had the opportunity to sign up for numerous outreach initiatives, such as one on one learning, the Shabbos Project, and inspirational trips to Israel.

“My wife and I were very impressed with the warmth, openness and sincerity of the Denver community. We hope we inspired them in their own yiddishkeit and caused them to want to share it with their fellow Jews,” said Rabbi Simcha Barnett, Director of Education at Project Inspire. The partnering organizations in Denver are now strategizing with Project Inspire on ways to harness the inspiration from Shabbos and propel their community into further action.

Stay tuned for more information on the next Project Inspire on the Road. Want to get involved? Email us at [email protected] or call us at 646-291-6191.

{Matzav.com}