Shul Tefillah Initiative

In light of the many issues facing Klal Yisroel we have an unprecedented opportunity. The question is, what is the best way to truly help every member of the shul actually improve the way he davens and grow together fostering achdus? The first awakening and enthusiasm about tefillah alone will not suffice to achieve an enduring positive change. That is why any one shiur alone cannot do the job properly. In addition to the fire of inspiration, we need to constantly supply the fuel of knowledge and understanding. Therefore, the constant of the 89 day program for 5 minutes each day, is crucial in providing both inspiration and information about tefillah. By being inspired about tefilah, and learning about the meaning of the words in davening, we provide the substance upon which our steady, forward progress and ultimate success depends.

Praying With Fire (PWF)- Why this ArtScrollbest sellingsefer? The 5-minute-lesson-a-day (over 89 days), will, BE"H, provide inspiration for thousands enabling them to connect to HakadoshBoruch Hu and daven better. How do we know? Over the past 10 years, PWF has already successfully inspired and helped thousands in the V'AniTefillah Foundation's (VAT) shul initiative in more than 150 shuls in multiple cities (i.e. Baltimore, Chicago, Toronto, Bergen County, Dallas, St. Louis, Seattle, Philadelphia, just to name a few). 98% of participating shul members surveyed said that after learning 'PWF' they felt it helped them daven better and that they enjoyed learning 'PWF'. What is it about this sefer that helped so many? In addition to providing much needed inspiration, PWF also provides vital hashkaficinformation and answers with clarity vitally important difficult questions such as: "What happened to all my unanswered tefillos?" [Answer: See Chapter 7 for 7 approaches to this dillema]. "What exactly am I required to have kavannah for and what is kavannah?" [Answer: See Chapters 3 and 4]. "Davening with kavannah is nearly impossible for me and my friends. What I really need are practical strategies enabling me to actually have kavannah" [Answer: See Chapter 6 for 13 practical strategies ]. "Why is talking during davening considered so harmful?" [Answer: See Chapter 8]. "Each shul has the "shechinah" What is it, and how do I connect with and feel it in shul?" [Answer: See Chapter 5]. "I would stop talking if tefillah inspired me and I knew exactly where in davening I am not allowed and allowed to talk". [Answer: See Chapter 8]. "I am not connected to tefillah because I don't feel that the tefillos of an ordinary Jew, such as mine, really matter and are truly powerful to make a difference in my life?" Is this true? [Answer: See Chapters 1 and 2.]. PWF provides all this for the below-cost price of $4.00 per sefer, or less than 4.5 cents each over the 89 days
FREE KavannahKuntros- Available for FREE to participants via e-mail. KavannahKuntros includes the translation and the הבנה of the words of Shacharis (i.e.הָאֵ-ל, The God [Who is all powerful and Who shows His Presence through acts of mercy] הַגָּדוֹל, great [Who shows His Presence through acts of kindness]. (See samples attached for ShemonehEsrei and Shema). BE”H, over time, the meaning and the הבנה of the words one says in ShemonehEsrei, Krias Shema, PesukeiD'Zimrah and BircasHaShachar will become very familiar. As one davens, he will find that he really will feel that he is coming closer to Hashem and that his tefillos are becoming more and more meaningful and powerful.
FREE Praying With Passion (PWP)- Available for FREE to participants via e-mail. PWP includes 175 separate 5-minute lessons on Shacharis which provides inspiration and knowledge about tefillah. Each week during the 89 days of the tefillah initiative, 2 lessons are sent to participants enabling them to gain crucial inofrmation about Shacharis and providing enough time during the week to review and internalize the 2 important lessons. (See the attached for the Index of the 175 lessons and samples). For all the lessons, please see prayingwithfire.org.
FREE שתיקה בתפילה Poster (Optional) - Provides the shul with a colorful poster which includes the halachos, מראה מקומות and clarity where talking is permitted and\or not allowed during Shacharis, all in a colorful poster.
FREE דיני ש"ץ Poster (Optional) - Provides the shul with a colorful poster which includes the halachos, מראהמקומות and clarity for the שליח צבור davening Shacharis.
FREE Weekly Inspirational Shiur (Optional) - Available for FREE to participants via the VAT Website, or by email or other means that the rabbonim would find acceptable--what's app, etc..

Conclusion: The Tefillah Initiative is about helping, inspiring and educating each individual mispallel, regardless of age or level of knowledge about tefillah. Using multiple materials to help inspire and educate each mispallel, in a reasonable daily time limit, with easy access, all for less than 4.5 cents per day, the unprecedented Tefillah Initiative simply cannot be beat for it's past success, current wealth of inspiration and information and, BE"H, its future results.

Over 140 shuls have participated in the V’Ani Tefillah Foundation’s Nationwide Shul Tefillah Initiative … Here is some of the enthusiastic feedback we have received

Rabbi Shaya Mintz

Director of Programming, St.Louis Kollel(response to community-wide Shabbos launching the effort)

IT WAS AMAZING!!! Everyone loved the lectures. People are now signing up. It was a great success. This is the easiest program to launch I have been involved with, and it involved the whole community. Thanks for all your help!

Rabbi Soroka

Director of Learning,
St. Louis Kollel

I have gotten a lot of good feedback, almost all those who did it with a partner completed the sefer and feel they grew from it… A community member said how incredible the experience has been in learning the book with his wife, and how it has made a great impact on their tefillah… He is just the latest to express this sentiment.

Rabbi Summers

Rav of Anshe Emes (Los Angeles, CA)

There is NO QUESTION that all those who participated in the program, including myself, felt a noticeable improvement in their tefillah. Many noted this to me and expressed that they would continue to learn “Praying With Fire” to ensure continued kavannah. You now have many new “witnesses” who would attest to the power and effectiveness of your program.

Rabbi Chaim Marcus

Rav of Cong. Israel of Springfield, NJ

Thanks so much for facilitating this amazing initiative in our shul. We are already out of the initial copies of the book that we ordered, and we hope to order more soon. I know a number of people in the shul who have gone to the local seforim store to pick up a copy because they didn’t want to miss a day.

Max Naggar

Coordinator,
Cong. Israel of Springfield, NJ

The learning is going great, the participants are very happy with the program...

Rabbi Yoel Zeffren

Asst. Rosh Kollel,
Philadelphia Community Kollel

All the books distributed already! What a great zechus for our dear friend Dr. -----, z”l.
Much continued hatzlacha!

Rabbi Avrohom David

Rosh of Seattle Kollel

Thanks for a wonderful and very inspiring Shabbos. We have received excellent feedback. We hope to have a large group signed up for the Tefillah Initiative.

Rabbi Meir Minster

Rav of Cong. Zichron Eliezer (Cincinnati)

The people who sponsored the (Praying With Fire, vol. 1) learning were so excited about it, they now want to do Praying With Fire, vol. 2 -- and they even want to learn Praying With Fire vol.1 again...possibly next winter.

Eli Joseph

Coordinator,
Cong. Shaaray Tefila (North Miami Beach, FL)

The initiative went well. People said it was a great way to get the family to learn together.

Rabbi S. Yankelewitz

Rav of Phoenix Community Kollel

Thank you for a great program! We are planning a special kiddush as the siyum for the completion of the book.

We are sure the Nationwide Shul Tefillah Initiative will truly bring chizuk in tefillah and achdus to your shul and\or community. Now is the time to launch this successful program in your shul and\or community!