From its very inception, Reform Judaism has looked for new ways to engage with Jewish ritual. Jews all around the world have looked for ways to make the traditional prayers and customs inspiring and attractive to a modern Jew. Services were shortened (mainly through the removal of repetition of certain prayers that arose at various points in our history) to encourage better atten- dance; Dvar Torah, or sermon, was introduced in vernacular; prayers were translated and often read in the language of the land. Instrumental music was brought back into Jewish worship after centuries of absence following the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in 70CE. At every point in the last 200 years our movement has looked for inspiring ways to engage the Jews. Temple Emanuel has always been at the forefront of that search for meaningful and inspiring opportunities to be Jewish as part of our community.
A number of years ago a Torah Service was added to one Friday night a month in order to provide our small congregation with an opportunity to interact
with the Torah scroll and the ritual associated with reading Torah from the scroll since we do not have a regular Shabbat morning service (when Torah is traditionally read). Every Shabbat morning a committed minyan of TE members comes together in TE’s library to read and discuss the weekly Torah portion in great detail—a wonderful tradition and a very special part of my weekly life at TE. But much as I enjoy our wonderful Torah discussions, I also miss the wonder and the joy of raising the Torah and reading the ancient words from the scroll on more than one occasion a month.
On the first Shabbat morning of January (Jan. 5th at 10:30am and every month after that), we will be adding one more opportunity to engage with Torah at Temple Emanuel—a special Torah Service with an extended discussion of the portion. Come enjoy the ritual and the joy of Shabbat and Torah celebration, as well as an opportunity to learn wisdom from its timeless teachings and the warmth of TE community. “It is a Tree of Life to those who hold fast to it!”
It is a Tree of Life to those who hold fast to it…
