To me, the service is a story which makes the congregant the protagonist. And the protagonist should be at least a little transformed at the end of a story, which is hard to do when you don’t know what’s going on. So if you’re re interested in learning about what you’re saying and singing on Shabbat mornings, let me help you make it your story.
In my opinion, the two words that sum up my kind of Judaism are Obligation (to community, ethics, tikkun olam, teshuvah, learning, etc. ) and Doubt (we love questions!) No faith or belief necessary although welcome if you’ve got it. Personally, I hold at least two contradictory ideas in my head about God-ness at the same time most of the time.
We can design a learning agenda that’s specific for you but what I usually do is go through the entire Shabbat morning service from the first Modeh Ani (I give thanks) to the kiddish and V’shamru we can go fast or slow, and, if you want, stopping during holidays to study rhe holiday liturgy and, at any point, writing your own versions of the prayers.
There’s reading material for learning detailed history and tradition (which you can read or not as you desire ) but the heart of it is you and I going through the service and talking about what each component means personally, spiritually, politically, theologically, all of it.
We can do this via zoom or in person.
Email me at Trisha.arlin@gmail.com if you’re interested
Trisha
No comments:
Post a Comment