Lahav Information

Lahav is a non-profit organization started in 2004 dedicated to teaching Israeli couples what Torah and Judaism can offer their marriage and family life. Simultaneously, we are trying to prevent the damage being done by an archaic system which has been turning off tens of thousands of young Jewish couples in Israel from Judaism each year. Each year approximately 25,000 secular couples (50,000 people) get married in Israel. BY LAW, EVERY ONE OF THEM MUST ATTEND A RABBANUT CLASS ON TAHARAS MISHPACHA. If not, they WILL NOT RECEIVE A MARRIAGE LICENSE. They literally must knock on our doors! Unfortunately, before LAHAV, due to this law these young secular Jews have been turned off from their heritage en masse! The Rabbanut classes - given impersonally to large groups, at inconvenient times and in uncomfortable settings, only add insult to the injury. The couples are talked down to, they feel judged and disrespected. This negative experience only proves to them that their many misconceptions of religion and feelings of distrust about religious Jews are accurate. For many, this is the first and probably last time they will have anything to do with religion or religious people. Once traumatized and turned off, possibly for life, how will we get them back?! How many have already been lost in the past 60+ years? Making things even worse, this Chillul Hashem is happening at a critical juncture in their lives when couples on the verge of marriage are OPEN to their heritage and thinking about family, community and religion. Sadly, these Rabbanut classes create an even greater rift between religious and secular Jews in Israel and an almost irreparable alienation from Judaism. Overall, the opportunity to reach out and provide 50,000 secular Jews with a positive and impactful Jewish learning encounter is lost every year - not a dream opportunity but an existing reality happening every day.