Imagine you were a guest visiting “770” with your smartphone? Imagine your friends and family could follow your experiences on social media? Meet Sholom B, an eighteen-year-old student visiting the Rebbe who recorded everything he saw, and shared it in real time for all to see.
Tishrei in the Moment is a new, all-immersive experience documenting the sights and sounds of a Tishrei with the Rebbe. Novel, yet entirely authentic – featured on a dedicated platform, TishreiintheMoment.com, Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp. The series unfolds as events occurred for Sholom, offering an uplifting, front-row seat into the sights and sounds, the solemnity and the joy, and the excitement and anticipation of a Tishrei at 770.
On a mission to share the Rebbe with the world for the past twenty-five years, JEM is constantly evolving. In film, photos, audio, and print, the organization has successfully met and spearheaded a surge of worldwide interest in learning from, and about, the Rebbe.
“Audience expectations and sensibilities continue to change, and we need to keep bringing the Rebbe to new audiences in fresh and innovative ways,” explained Rabbi Elkanah Shmotkin, Executive Director of JEM. “In fact, I think this experience will end up engaging our core audience in new ways, as well. Beyond the act of watching a 2D video, this medium enables a more raw and immersive experience.”
“In today’s world, where feature-length films, books, and other in-depth materials are being replaced by short clips, snapshots, and tweets; the challenge is to be there, while at the same time deliver authentic content” explained Ezra Wiemer, the project’s producer “Tishrei in the Moment has it all, packaged in a captivating way, presenting the Rebbe in a language young people connect with, and in the style they are comfortable with.”
The experience is based on real videos, photos, diaries and recollections from Tishrei 5749 (1988), thoroughly researched. Every notable moment that was captured on film – from “Sholom B’s” arrival in New York, standing in line to receive dollars, watching the Rebbe pray before Yom Kippur, to the dancing on Sukkot, Tishrei in the Moment has it all. Sholom’s observations, commentary, and little messages, open a window into the mind of a young student taking it all in.
Tishrei in the Moment is dedicated by Osher & Rivka Karnowsky in loving memory of their son Shmuel, a sixteen-year-old boy who tragically passed away. “Shmuel was a young bochur full of life, who certainly would have been participating in every moment of Tishrei with the Rebbe. Through this project, in his merit, thousands of young people like him will be able to experience these moments.” said his father.
The stories will be posted on JEM’s newly-designed platform TishreiintheMoment.com, as well as on Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp and YouTube. The first story posts on Thursday, 26 Elul — 26 September. From then, each event will go live “in real time,” when the event originally occurred.
“What we have created is engaging, cool and talks to everyone,” concluded Ezra Weimer. “Everyone who watches it is sure to be inspired.”
Sign up now to receive Sholom’s WhatsApp updates at TishreiintheMoment.com or click here to join the group.
Follow them on Instagram or Facebook to experience Tishrei in the Moment.
This was the Rebbe’s vision, to use out modern technology to spread yiddishkeit! amazing work
The whatsapp group is full. Can you create another?