Click here to contact BPJC or join our mailing list
|
Click here to contact BPJC or join our mailing list
|
|
|
Welcome to MT News, the place to find all the latest news and articles about our new siddur, Mishkan T'filah, due to be introduced in October 2010
On this page you will information on how you can contribute to this historic journey and an announcement from David Robinson, President of the UPJ. We have also collected articles from Cantor Jeff Klepper, cantor of Temple Sinai in Sharon Massachusetts Rabbi Fred Morgan, of Temple Beth Israel in Melbourne Rabbi Elyse Frishman, editor of the original edition of Mishkan T’filah Rabbi Dean Shapiro, of Beth Shalom in Auckland Rabbi Jonathan Keren-Black, of the Leo Baeck Centre in Melbourne Rabbi Shoshana Kaminsky, of Beit Shalom Progressive Synagogue in Adelaide Rabbi Gersh Zylberman, of Temple Beth Israel in Melbourne Diane Herman of Temple Emanu-El-Edison in New Jersey Rabbi Richard Sarason, Professor of Rabbinic Literature and Thought, and Associate Editor of the Hebrew Union College Annual Click here to access the Mishkan T'filah World Edition homepage
An important element of the transition to Mishkan T’filah is the once-in-a-generation opportunity for our members to dedicate congregational copies. Dedications may be in memory of loved ones or to recognise a special occasion. For future occasions, such as B’nai Mitzvah, when a siddur presentation may be appropriate we can reserve a copy for you and insert the book plate at the appropriate time. Please act now as we only have 25 copies left that are available for dedicating. All members are encouraged to participate in this special opportunity to make Mishkan T’filah truly ours, with every copy providing a direct link to our members through the dedications. We have also committed to the purchase of a small number of additional copies for resale. We are accepting orders now with the payment of a $40 deposit. As the books are being purchased from the United States, the final retail price will be determined by the exchange rate at the time but is expected to be approximately $70. Please contact the Secretary now to avoid disappointment.
Announcement from David Robinson, President UPJ The first new Progressive siddur in a generation will come into use in 2010. Mishkan T’filah (Tabernacle of Prayer), written for Australasia, will be available early next year, Union for Progressive Judaism (UPJ) President David Robinson announced.
“The World Union edition of Mishkan T’filah is both inclusive and accessible to all, as it features full line-by-line transliterations and translations from Hebrew,” Robinson said. After extensive preparation by an editorial committee of UPJ rabbis, Mishkan T’filah will replace Sha’arei T’filah (Gates of Prayer), which was published in 1975 for North American Reform congregations, and has been used by Australian Progressive congregations for almost 35 years. The new siddur will be used by congregations in Australia, New Zealand, South-East Asia and South Africa. Melbourne-based Rabbi Gersh Zylberman, a member of the editorial committee, described Mishkan T’filah as a watershed. There are “differences of emphasis” between the North American and World Union editions, he told The AJN this week. The World Union edition will follow more traditional liturgies, including a more detailed Birkat Hamazon (Grace After Meals) and Rosh Chodesh (prayers for the beginning of the month). Mishkan T’filah is written for the Southern Hemisphere, where festivals are in the opposite season. “We’ve grown accustomed to rearranging things in our minds, but for newcomers to the prayer book and the Jewish calendar, it can be confusing, so we’ve made it clear we’re referring to a season in Israel”. Rabbi Zylberman said year-round prayers for rain acknowledge the current drought. The text also observes “gender neutrality” for God and “gender sensitivity” for humans. Original story by Peter Kohn published at www.jewishnews.net.au
Cantor Jeff Klepper, cantor of Temple Sinai in Sharon, Massachusetts As one of three cantors on the Editorial Committee of Mishkan T’filah from 1999 to 2005, I was involved in many decisions about the content and form of the new siddur. There were hours of discussions around controversial issues such as, “Should the Hebrew prayers be transliterated?” - the vote was yes - or “Should the traditional second paragraph of V’ahavta (which deals with God’s retribution) be included?” - the vote was no. On some issues, such as proposing to change the phrase in G’vurot from “m’chayei hakol” (gives life to all, the Reform/Progressive wording) to “m’chayei meitim” (gives life to the dead, the traditional version), the vote was so evenly split that both phrases were included, with the traditional wording in parentheses.
Mishkan T’filah is a siddur that facilitates singing. The Hebrew and English transliteration is easy to read, the headings and rubrics are clearly marked, and sections of a prayer that are usually sung are subtly separated by a line break or indentation, making it easy to locate the text. Most important, cantors and music leaders now have more musical choices and possibilities than ever before. With the invaluable help of Cantor Benji Ellen Schiller, I had the major responsibility for putting the song section at the rear of the Siddur together. Deciding which songs were in and which were out took many hours of meetings, emails and phone calls. The material had to be collected, checked, translated, categorised, typeset, re-checked, formatted, indexed, and proofread. There are close to 300 songs in Mishkan T’filah, many of which have never appeared in a Siddur. Some of these are notable, if not historic: Debbie Friedman’s version of Mi Shebeirach and her “Miriam’s Song”; an entire section of contemporary songs from Israel; several songs in Yiddish (and one in Ladino), plus songs for every Jewish holiday. Footnote from the UPJ Editorial Committee: Our editorial committee decided to include the second paragraph of the Shema in one instance in our version, and "mechaye hamatim" was included in the second blessing of the Amidah.
Rabbi Fred Morgan, of Temple Beth Israel in Melbourne Over the next few months something momentous is taking place in Progressive Jewish communities throughout Australia and New Zealand: we are adopting a new siddur, a fully revised edition of the American Reform prayer book Mishkan T’filah that was published in 2007. This
is significant for a number of reasons. First, a new siddur means a new approach
to prayer. The essential Hebrew prayers are still there, and so are many of our
most beloved English readings from Gates
of Prayer. But the way they are presented on the page is different, and so
are the creative readings that accompany them, allowing us to see our ancient
prayers in new ways.
Second, the new siddur appeals to spiritual needs that may have been overlooked when Gates of Prayer was published 40 years ago. The recent Parliament of the World’s Religions clearly revealed a profound shift in the direction of spiritual expression across the world’s religious traditions. There is a move to match concern for inner growth and fulfilment; the classical concerns of spirituality, with outer-directed concern for the well-being of the natural world and the society in which we live. There is a sense that religions have a central role to play in mending the world and creating a peaceful and balanced planet. These concerns are addressed by Mishkan T’filah in new and creative ways. Third,
the new siddur encourages people to feel they are an integral part of the
religious service. This was also the motive behind the Artscroll Siddur within
Orthodox Judaism several years ago: to enable people to understand the service
and participate fully. The Artscroll Siddur transformed modern Orthodoxy. It is
unlikely that Mishkan
T’filah will have such a dramatic impact on Progressive Judaism, as our
worship has always been more participatory. Nonetheless, the new siddur invites
us to pray in a way that is different from Gates
of Prayer.
For example, it includes transliterations of every prayer so that those
who are less comfortable with the Hebrew script can participate fully in our
worship.
Rabbi Elyse Frishman, editor of the original edition of Mishkan T’filah [This abridged version is reprinted from CCAR Journal: A Reform Jewish Quarterly, Fall 2004] When did the winter of our discontent begin with Gates of Prayer? Why do we need a new prayer book? Is it just a matter of seeking newness? The
work of the new siddur
began truly with a survey, not of theology and clergy, but of laity. In 1994,
Rabbi Peter Knobel and Dan Schechter received a grant from the Lilly Foundation
to survey worshippers in Reform congregations throughout the United States to
determine what they sought from a new prayer book. What were the results?
Strongly articulated were the desires for transliteration, meaningful God
language, expanded God language, relevant and compelling English prayer,
faithful translation, and a response to the feminist critique. It would be
important to respond to the diversity of the Movement’s expectations: A prayer
book that would help us re-engage our Jews in meaningful worship, offering a
balance of creativity and beauty, theology and purpose. The survey described lay expectations of worship as participating in community and seeking renewal of spirit through ritual, music, and intellectual engagement with the Torah. Many felt a strong sense of community; many also found theological issues vexing. They sought community that observed their personal crises and celebrations, a “healing” environment, and an ethical integrity. They wanted more than a surface brush with tradition. Almost half could not read Hebrew, yet they wanted Hebrew prayers, with transliteration. They loved to sing aloud and to pray in unison; they articulated that responsive readings worked the least well for them. They sought greater terminology for God, less masculine and less hierarchical. And they described a conflict over the language of prayer and the role of God: Though there may be less belief in a personal God, the desire to call upon God in prayer remained central. By the mid-1980s, with Gates of Prayer only ten years old, it was confronted with gender and cultural complaints. But Reform worship was also in conflict. It is possible that Gates of Prayer was being challenged not just because of its content, but because of problems in the worship culture. Classical Reform’s rational, decorous worship style encountered new age spiritualism. The gulf between formal sanctuary worship and informal, relaxed worship was widening. Desktop publishing enabled congregations to produce their own prayer books—a wonderful exercise in teaching liturgy and investing congregants in their own siddur, but devastating for the Movement in terms of a unifying Reform minhag. It used to be argued that such a siddur served two primary purposes: It unified Reform congregations in worship and articulated a clear Reform theology. The latter became untrue with the publication of Gates of Prayer and its myriad theologies. The former became untrue as worship styles in Reform synagogues increasingly diverged. Today, it can seem unclear whether one is attending a Reform or Conservative service—the prayer book may or may not be a Movement prayer book, there may or may not be instrumentation, the length of the service may vary as much as its content, men and women have equal access to participation. Movement boundaries blur as personal clergy style prevails. One could argue that the autonomy of Reform has reached its fullest expression in worship; congregations pray their own way, because they can. Early in the project, some wondered why “form” mattered; create compelling content, and all would pray meaningfully. It became clear how critical was the relationship between worship and the siddur, and that it went well beyond matters of content. The true paradigm shift for Mishkan T’filah is the concept of an integrated theology. Jewish prayer invites interpretation; the left-hand material was selected for both metaphor and theological diversity. The choices were informed by the themes of Reform Judaism and life: Social justice, feminism, Zionism, distinctiveness, human challenges. Theologically,
the liturgy needed to include many perceptions of God: The transcendent, the
naturalist, the mysterious, the partner, the evolving God. In any given module
of prayer, we should sense all these ways. This is the distinction of an
integrated theology: Not that one looks to each page to find one’s particular
voice, but that over the course of praying, many voices are heard, and
ultimately come together as one. As a worshipper, I must be certain that I am
not excluded; yet, it is not my particular belief that needs to be stated each
moment. As worshippers,
we realize that our community, however diverse, includes me—but it is the
community that matters most. An integrated theology communicates that the community is greater than the sum of its parts. Although individuals matter deeply, particularly in the sense of our emotional and spiritual needs, and in the certainty that we are not invisible, that security should provide a stepping stone to the higher value of community, privilege, and obligation. We join together in prayer because together we are stronger and more apt to commit to the values of our heritage. In our siddur, it is critical that Reform Jews understand what is expected of them. Yes, the theology of the new siddur reflects religious naturalism, and the theology of human adequacy, and process theology, and a balance of particularism and universalism. But the essence of Reform liturgy continues to be on what God demands of us, with heavy emphasis on ethical action and social justice. An excellent illustration of theological and social debate is the one over the middle paragraphs of the Sh’ma. One group argues that its literal meaning can never be divorced; since it is Deuteronomic, its context is absolutely retributional. There can be no reconciliation with a theology that justifies senseless suffering and death. Others contend that one must understand the material metaphorically; the “cause and effect” theology is absolutely applicable to today’s ecological crisis. In draft editions, the paragraphs were included, to assess the desire for their inclusion. Since Reform is a prophetic Movement and the idea was to deflect the retributional sense toward one of rational, social justice, passages from the prophets were selected as alternatives. In the end, because the paragraphs come from Torah, it was decided that in the context of prayer, this material continued to be too challenging. Mishkan T’filah will uphold the pattern of Gates of Prayer. A second debate was whether or not to include t’chiat hameitim. The argument is clear: Either physical resurrection defies reason—it doesn’t belong in our prayer book—or, the language is metaphor, even to the sages of the Talmud, and the prayer is testimony to God’s ability to overcome anything. Some went so far as to say: If this is/isn’t included, we won’t buy the book. The work of the prayer book is a navigation of people’s wants: After much discussion about options, including rejecting a contraction or parenthetic form (e.g., hakol/meitim or hakol [meitim]), the first draft contained a compromise text that began with hakol, included “meitim” in the middle two references, then concluded with “hakol.” Since these debates reveal the diversity of our Movement, could the new siddur include the issues? This question led to a deeper appreciation for the teaching opportunities than Mishkan T’filah could offer. Its very format is a teaching tool. On the right side of the page is the Hebrew keva text with a faithful translation and transliteration. On the left are two alternative prayers, reflecting varied theologies. Not every theology is represented on a page-spread; over the breadth of the liturgy, all are included. Headings were explored; those in Gates of Prayer did not necessarily guide the uninformed worshipper—certainly those in stylized Hebrew without vowels were merely decorative for many. Mishkan T’filah puts full rubrics in the margins, in vocalized Hebrew and transliteration, and highlights that page’s particular prayer. Commentary is new for a Reform siddur; ours emphasizes Reform history and thought, and the imperative for social justice. The desert mishkan was a portable sanctuary. Its care was guarded by the Levites and the priests; yet, it invited all to bring their offerings. We clergy are the caretakers of Mishkan T’filah; we hope all who enter are welcomed. Our work is to build worship carefully and consistently, so that participants will know what is expected of them, and that their offerings will, indeed, be acceptable before God.
Rabbi Dean Shapiro, of Beth Shalom in Auckland Prayer did not come easily for me. As a young adult—and even as a new rabbinic student—I sat in the pews, mouthing the words, but feeling empty inside. I knew something was supposed to happen when I prayed, but I didn’t know what it was. I didn’t know that the words of t’filah were gateways into the subtle world of my own interior. I didn’t understand that they could trigger memory, provoke debate, spark imagination, prod action, promote contemplation and shape stillness. They were just words to be said – flat as the page they were printed on. In time, and with guidance and practice, I learned to enter the words of the prayers. And I have come to treasure them, for they connect me to the boundless pavilions of my interior self. But it wasn’t easy. Part of the problem was that the words of prayer didn’t seem to speak to me, Dean Shapiro. They weren’t in my language, didn’t ask the questions I ask, didn’t use the images I use, didn’t sound the way I do. One impediment to my prayer was the necessity for translation – from Hebrew to English, and then again to my English. Mishkan T'filah, the new Progressive siddur, solves this problem. On every page, the editors have paired a contemporary English reading or two with the original Hebrew text. These selections use the language of today – the words, the images, the rhythms, the priorities and the questions. They inspire my prayer and infuse it with an energy I can take back to the original Hebrew. May
the door of this synagogue be wide enough My
soul came to me pure, Praise
to You, Eternal our God, Wisdom
and wonder, All
these things You
are praised These, pieces of prayers from contemporary Jewish authors, as well as many others in our new siddur, capture my thoughts, feelings and questions in words that touch and inspire me. My prayer is deepened through them. I love Mishkan T’filah because it speaks in my soul’s language. Footnotes [1] Welcome, Sydney Greenberg [2] Elohai N’shamah, Elyse Frishman [3] Maariv Aravim, Leah Goldberg, adapted [4] Ahavat Olam, Adam Sol [5] Yotzer, Richard Levy
Rabbi Jonathan Keren-Black, of the Leo Baeck Centre in Melbourne We will soon welcome a new prayer book in early 2010: the World Union edition of Mishkan T’filah. Two notable differences will be: gender-neutral language with respect to God, and virtually every Hebrew passage will have a line-by-line transliteration. We hope this will result in more people feeling comfortable connecting with and participating in our services. Of the numerous additional differences, I’d like to focus here on seasonal references. Those who grew up in the Southern Hemisphere are used to “standing on their heads” to understand the seasonal connection to Jewish festivals. Pesach, the spring festival, occurs in our autumn, and Sukkot, the autumn harvest festival, in our spring. Our edition of Mishkan T’filah resolves this in two ways. First, when a reference is made to a festival and its season, we’ve adapted the words by adding the phrase “in the land of Israel”. Secondly, we have reintroduced a number of more traditional Hebrew passages: the seasonal prayers for wind, rain and dew. In the Amidah, it is traditional to include an extra line in the second paragraph, the Gevurot, which changes depending on the time of year. In winter, we say “Mashiv ha’ruach u’morid ha’ gashem – [we praise God] Who causes the wind to blow and the rain to fall.” In summer, Sephardim also say “Morid ha’tal – [we praise God] Who causes the dew to fall.” Hence, we pray for appropriate weather for the season.
One way to resolve this is to relate these prayers to the Land of Israel. Yet many of us feel uncomfortable about the idea of praying for the weather patterns in Israel, while seeming to ignore our own, browning backyards and drying (or drowning) communities. In response to this dilemma, our edition of Mishkan T’filah will read: “Mashiv haruach u’morid ha gashem, mazriach hashemesh u’morid ha’tal – [We praise God] Who causes the wind to blow, the rain to fall, the sun to shine and the dew to fall.” This formula will serve to remind us of our reliance on the precarious balance of weather patterns to provide harvests and food, and more generally safe living, regardless of where we are situated. Our prayers will be directed to our brothers and sisters in Israel, as well as to our own region, and indeed to all those who rely on the natural cycle to function normally so that crops will grow well in their part of the world. As we enter Elul, we see signs of spring and can feel in our kishkas that the High Holy Days are approaching. The new siddur that we will welcome during this New Year will help us to be in touch with the natural rhythms of the Jewish cycle in a way that is sensitive to our location on the globe, while connecting us to our beloved heritage in the land of Israel.
From Rabbi Shoshana Kaminsky of Beit Shalom Progressive Synagogue in Adelaide When the US edition of Mishkan T’filah was published last year, our congregation leapt at the opportunity to purchase it. Our copies of Gates of Prayer were literally falling apart in our hands, and many of our regular attendees had lost patience with the English readings they had been revisiting for over thirty years. We introduced the new prayer book at Sukkot last year and haven’t looked back. Mishkan T’filah has been a revelation in many ways. Most important, I believe, is how all members of our congregation can now participate in the service regardless of how well they read Hebrew. Everyone feels welcome, including those attending for the very first time. As a prayer leader, I am freed up to bring in new melodies, because I know that everyone will be able to follow along. It is wonderfully refreshing to be introduced to new readings and aspects of prayer, and this new material has greatly enhanced the worship experience for our members. Not everyone likes every reading, but I believe there is something for everyone. Every once in a while, I hear an audible sigh of pleasure from the congregation after reading one of the more touching poems in the book. I also appreciate the beauty and sensitivity of the English translations, which manage both to be faithful to the sense of the Hebrew and also to deepen the prayer experience. It hasn’t always been smooth sailing, of course. The new format takes some getting used to. But in general, my feeling about Mishkan T’filah is that it opens up the Shabbat service and invites worshippers in. It has really transformed the spiritual life of our community, and I’m delighted it will soon do the same all over our region and beyond.
From Diane Herman of Temple Emanu-El-Edison in New Jersey In this article, Diane Herman shares her congregation’s experiences in welcoming the new siddur. Our congregation participated in the pilot testing of Mishkan T’filah in 2002. The transition was not a difficult one; our congregation has always been open to trying new things, and we had already adapted both Gates of Prayer and Gates of Repentance to gender- neutral language. Our recitation of the Amidah had long included the imahot (matriarchs) as well. I found the draft of Mishkan T’filah to be beautiful and spiritual. It afforded options to prayer and the choices available prompted me to feel free to worship truly “as the spirit moved me”. So many of the readings touched my heart and enriched and expanded my worship experience. Without
any fanfare, it immediately became our siddur
… no learning curve, no transition, no difficulties. Having already
used the book in the piloting project, it was familiar to “regulars” and it
soon became a beloved friend. I would like to add a personal word of gratitude concerning transliteration. When I joined my congregation over 30 years ago, I was Hebrew illiterate. Thankfully, in the pews a laminated card was provided with prayers and music transliterated. That card enabled me to fully participate in services without knowing a single word of Hebrew. Mishkan T’filah affords the same benefit today to those who do not know Hebrew, and it’s right there on the page for them. Far from finding transliteration to be a deterrent to learning Hebrew, it became for me a compelling reason to study the language. I wanted to know and understand the beautiful words I was speaking and singing. Why has our experience been so easy and so successful? We delved into the book immediately, just as you leap into the ocean, not fighting the waves but riding them. If you’re told that this book may be difficult to use, you will probably find it difficult to use. If you’re told that you are about to begin using a beautiful new book that will enhance your worship experience, it’s likely that your worship experience will be enhanced. We are on the threshold of a new era of Progressive Jewish worship. How we are led across that threshold will determine what our experience will be. ————
From Rabbi Gersh Zylberman, of Temple Beth Israel in Melbourne In this article Rabbi Gersh Zylberman, of Temple Beth Israel in Melbourne, shares an overview of the unique layout and features of the Siddur. One of the most challenging aspects of Jewish life today is finding inspiration in prayer. During the past 200 years or so, a series of prayer books have emerged in the Liberal and Reform Movements in Britain, in the Reform and Reconstructionist Movements of North America, and in the Conservative (Masorti) Movement, with the most recent addition being North America’s Mishkan T’filah. Mishkan
T’filah contains several exciting innovations, including a beautifully clear
layout. Throughout most of the book Hebrew prayer is found on the right side of
the page. A transliteration lies to the left of the Hebrew and a faithful
translation is found below. On the left-hand (facing) page, creative readings,
connected to the themes of the Hebrew prayer can be found, either for
congregational recitation or private reflection. Each page has a marginal
apparatus that clearly indicates where the current prayer fits into the
structure of the service as a whole, and there are brief explanatory footnotes
throughout. Mishkan T’filah is gender neutral in the English with respect to God and sensitive to gender when it comes to references to human beings. In general, the Hebrew prayers are at least as traditional as in our current Gates of Prayer, but in several cases more so. Our World Union edition of Mishkan T’filah is anticipated to have all of the above innovations, plus several important differences from the original. For example, a number of Hebrew prayers will include more traditional passages (such as the full three paragraphs of the traditional Shema); references to the seasons will be sensitive to our location in the Southern Hemisphere; and there will be additional explanatory notes along the way. Congregations in Australia, New Zealand, Asia and South Africa are now placing their orders for Mishkan T’filah, and we expect that the siddurim will be shipped in early 2010.
From Rabbi Richard Sarason, Professor of Rabbinic Literature and Thought, and Associate Editor of the Hebrew Union College Annual Some years ago I participated in a worship retreat where each of us was asked to identify our favourite prayer in Jewish liturgy, the one with which we resonated most deeply. It didn’t take me very long to realise that I resonate most deeply with the Hoda’ah benediction, and specifically with its attention to the miracles that we experience every day. Whatever theological doubts any of us might have, whatever reservations about petitionary prayer and its efficacy, there should be no doubt at all about the need to say, “Thank you,” and to acknowledge the small (read, “big”) miracles that surround us at all times, if only we open our eyes to see them. It
is human nature to take for granted health, relationships, work—in short,
everything about our lives that is going well—until they are lost or impaired.
It is only when we have been hurt, or suffered a loss or a setback that we cry
out and confront ultimate questions. Life inevitably teaches us those lessons.
Better then, I think, to be ever thankful for our daily blessings while we have
them and can enjoy them; better to be aware and appreciative of the miracles
that surround us at all times. A rabbinic tradition notes that, in the World to Come, prayers and sacrifices will be rendered obsolete – except for the prayer of gratitude and its sacrificial counterpart, the offering of thanksgiving (Midrash on Psalms, 56:4). This is an exceptionally wise tradition: envisioning an ideal era without want; there will be no need for petitionary prayers, but there will always be a need to express our gratitude. Dr. Sarason was ordained at HUC-JIR. His specialties are classical rabbinic literature, history of Judaism in late antiquity, Midrash and Liturgy.
This page was last updated 27 August 2010
|
|
You need to download Adobe Reader to view files on this site
Send mail to BPJC Webmaster
with questions or comments about this web site. |
The
new siddur, which will be adopted by most UPJ congregations, reflects
Progressive Judaism’s commitment to women’s equality, he said.
