Unorthodox Rabbi to Stage "Jewish Jazz" Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur Services

NEW YORK, July 5, 2012 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- Rabbi Steven Blane isn't one for convention. When he's not skateboarding to Starbucks or officiating at civil or gay weddings in New York's Central Park, he can often be found in his Upper West Side office, using the internet to lead services for his global congregation or train future rabbis worldwide.

Now Blane is combining his great loves - music and technology - by holding two "Jewish Jazz" events at famous New York City jazz club Smalls to mark the High Holidays (Rosh Hashana on Monday September 17 and Yom Kippur on Wednesday September 26). The services will also be streamed online to a worldwide congregation.

"We're creating a High Holiday experience unlike anything that's come before," says Blane, who often sings jazz standards at wedding ceremonies. Blane is also a trained Cantor and he will lead a trio of Israeli jazz musicians in a program based on traditional Holiday melodies and readings, as well as give readings and guide the community in services which are both meaningful and highly interactive.

The services are another way for Blane to reach out to the nearly 50% of Jews who are unaffiliated, and who consider their faith to be very important despite finding that traditional denominations don't work for them. His online synagogue, Sim Shalom, is a not-for-profit that welcomes people from all over the world to its weekly sermons. He also founded the Jewish Spiritual Leaders Institute (JSLI), which trains people to become liberal rabbis without requiring them to relocate.

As a proponent of Jewish Universalism, Blane rejects the idea that Jews have an exceptional relationship with God, and believes that all religions are equally holy. One-third of his current JSLI students are converts to Judaism, and one, Dario Hunter , will be the first Muslim-born man to become a rabbi when the class is ordained in New York City on August 25.

Rabbi Blane's High Holidays services will take place at Smalls Jazz Club (183 West 10th Street, New York) on Monday September 17 for Rosh Hashana and Wednesday September 26 for Yom Kippur, at 10am on both days. Tickets are available for $36 from www.simshalom.com/High-Holidays-2012, and will be streamed live at a cost of $3 via www.smallsjazzclub.com.

About Sim Shalom :

Sim Shalom is an online Jewish liberal synagogue, which offers online weekly synagogue services for a worldwide community. Led by Rabbi Steven Blane and based in New York City, it welcomes everyone and preaches Jewish Universalism, which holds that all religions are equally holy.www.simshalom.com

About Jewish Spiritual Leaders Institute (JSLI)

JSLI is an online rabbinical school, founded by Rabbi Steven Blane in New York City, which trains future rabbis to spread Jewish thought and rituals to the nearly 50% of Jews who are unaffiliated or in interfaith marriages. Its one-year program of study takes place entirely online, and its current class will be ordained at the Subud Chelsea Center in New York City on August 25.www.jsli.net

Rabbi Steven Blane is available for comment, and can be reached on (201) 338-0165

Media Contact:

Rabbi Steve Blane Sim Shalom Online Synagogue, 201 338 0165, rabbisteve@simshalom.com

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SOURCE Sim Shalom Online Synagogue

RELATED LINKS
http://www.simshalom.com
http://www.jsli.net
http://www.smallsjazzclub.com