Back to Key Homepage
|
KEY began in Brooklyn as a grassroots group of women dedicated to promoting
ahavas yisrael (love of one's fellow Jew). The slogan for KEY is, "The key to
unity is in your hand, the key to the geula (redemption) is in our unity."
KEY periodically coordinates worldwide tehillim (prayer) efforts for women. Ninety-eight communities, from Hong Kong to Jerusalem to Phoenix, joined the first worldwide tehillim effort for women in March, 1996, and still more joined in Av (July) of that year. A third worldwide effort was coordinated in October, 1996 on the yahrzeit (anniversary of the death of) Rachel, the matriarch. Still more communities joined, and a large gathering in Jerusalem on that date drew over 3500 women. The effort has the endorsement of many Gedolim (leading Rabbinic personalities) and Roshei Yeshiva. The second purpose is to encourage each person to take on additional acts of chessed (kindness), since achdus (unity) can be best achieved though kindness, tolerance and understanding. These acts of chessed can include: visiting the sick, helping poor brides to marry, hosting guests, helping a child with special needs, reaching out to the elderly, paying a shiva call to a mourner, helping the unemployed to find a job, or assisting the poor.
KEY's final goal is to encourage women to dedicate three minutes a day to
learning about the mitzva of "loving your neighbor." This effort entails committing to
learning or discussing with a partner (friend, relative or husband) for at least three
minutes a day about this mitzvah, exploring together how one might increase
ahavas yisrael. Specifically recommended are the following sefarim (books), available
in English: For more information, contact KEY by phone: 718-435-6712. Information about KEY can be found at KEY's website on the Internet: http://www.shemayisrael.co.il/orgs/key/index.htm |