YIW BLUE: Tekhelet show-and-tell this Sunday in Woodmere

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On Sunday, the Young Israel of Woodmere will showcase a color that was largely forgotten but now represents a living mitzvah.

Sunday’s yom iyun (day of study) marks a quarter century since the renewal of tekhelet, Judaism’s legendary blue dye.

The Talmud defines the tekhelet dye as derived from the “blood” of a rare amphibious snail know as the chilazon. The mitzvah to wear a thread of that dye on one’s tallit is mentioned multiple times in the Torah, but the tekhelet supply disappeared after Muslims conqured the land of Israel in 638 CE.

How a new source for tekhelet was discovered will be discussed at Sunday’s event, from 9 am to 2 pm. How the color is made will be demonstrated at 11:15 am, and tekhelet products will be available for purchase. The program is free and open to the public.

Featured speakers are Drs. Baruch Sterman and Ari Greenspan of P’til Tekhelet, and Rabbis Hershel Billet, Ben Zion Halberstam, Aryeh Lebowitz, Hershel Schachter, Dr. Meir Soloveichik, Michael Taubes, and Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb.

“Tekhelet is a quintessential example of science and Torah working hand in hand,” Sterman said.