About Us

Founders

The Bar Yohai Minyan was founded almost 20 years ago by Eric Benhamou and Jean-Pierre Braun. Eric and Jean-Pierre aimed at filling multiple synergistic needs: the lack of a Torah observant community anywhere between San Jose and Palo Alto, the growing needs of the South Peninsula Hebrew Day School community, the lack of any Sefardic community in the South Bay, and finally, the perceived need for a community that would combine the traditional Jewish values with the spirit of Silicon Valley. Bar Yohai, one of the most enlightened heroes of the Talmudic times was actually the name of the Synagogue where Eric, Jean-Pierre and their families worshipped for many years in Grenoble, France.

Mission

The Bar Yohai Minyan is an Orthodox, Sefardic community. Bar Yohai's founding members are SPHDS alumni and it is located on the SPHDS campus; it is dedicated to serving the needs of the SPHDS community at large, and by extension, the needs of the Jewish community of the Silicon Valley.

History

The Bar Yohai Minyan held its first services in a classroom at SPHDS with a Sefer Torah generously loaned to us by Congregation Sinai. Growing rapidly from its initial six families to 10 families, the Minyan moved to SPHDS’s multi-purpose room less than a year later. Generous members were eager to fuel the growth of the community and brought their friends and relatives, and donated the necessary supplies, such as books, chairs, rugs, etcetera. Rabbi Yossi Ohana actively participated in the Minyan from 1993 to 1996 and contributed to the expansion of its activities, especially in the area of adult classes. The Bar Yohai Minyan, working together with SPHDS, was able to attract a number of very talented Rabbis, who also worked as Head of Religious Studies at the school, including Rabbi Yochanan Kirschenboim, Rabbi Menashe Louk, Rabbi Aryeh Halevy and Rabbi Avi Mansura. Today the Bar Yohai Minyan consists of more than 50 permanent member families from more than 15 different countries and traditions of origin. It hosts between 200 and 400 worshippers for the holidays and offers a full program of daily and weekly services, social activities and classes for all.

Values

The Bar Yohai Minyan is deeply attached to the most traditional values and ethics of Judaism. The Bar Yohai Minyan is committed to the proactive preservation of the Sefardic heritage in its rich diversity by providing an environment where this heritage can be lived, practiced and taught to, and by, adults and children alike. All holidays are conducted following the traditional Sefardic customs. Melodies that cannot be heard anywhere else in the South Bay are used in vibrant fashion by the whole community and taught to the children to ensure their preservation. Ancient Sefardic traditions such as the celebration of the Hiloula of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yohai are adhered to with the deepest respect at the Bar Yohai Minyan.

Synergy with SPHDS

Ninety-five percent of the Bar Yohai Minyan families are part of the SPHDS community, with children either currently attending the school or being alumni of SPHDS. SPHDS teachers and Rabbis teach at the Minyan; Minyan members provide the school with special services, lending books, scrolls and religious articles, and many key activities have been jointly sponsored and organized by the two organizations.