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Maoz Tzur from original Recon siddur

This revision of a familiar Hanukkah song was published in the 1945 Reconstructionist siddur. The original text was amended to address ethical concerns raised by Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan - specifically, the first verse is changed so that instead of anticipating God “preparing the slaughter of the blaspheming foe,” we look forward to the end of slaughter and the stilling of the sound of battle. See attached for the Hebrew and (non-literal, but poetic) translation.

https://archive.reconstructingjudaism.org/document/revised-maoz-tzur-early-reconstructionist-siddur

Posted on: 2016/11/17 - 2:54pm

Teshuva Parables - Kafka and BeSHT

This study sheet contains two parables of the King and the returning son by the Baal Shem Tov, as well one of Kafka's parables, “The Imperial Messenger,” which has some intriguing echoes of and stark contrasts with the first two stories.

https://archive.reconstructingjudaism.org/document/kings-messages-journeys-parables-teshuvah

Posted on: 2016/11/17 - 3:06pm

Teshuvah and Compassion study sheet

This study sheet on teshuvah and compassion draws our attention to the interplay between our ability to forgive others, and God's ability to forgive us.

https://archive.reconstructingjudaism.org/document/teshuvah-and-compassion

Posted on: 2016/11/17 - 3:15pm

God in Metaphor

For many people, attending High Holydays services is a bit like going to a play where you really don't like the main character—where, much of the time, you doubt the very existence of the main character! If the “main character” in our traditional High Holydays liturgy is God, this can be quite a problem for anyone seeking a meaningful spiritual experience.

https://archive.reconstructingjudaism.org/article/god-metaphor-guide-perplexed

Posted on: 2016/11/17 - 3:25pm

Making Pesakh Personal study sheet

This study sheet provides a variety of sources on the spiritual practices surrounding Passover (Pesakh).

https://archive.reconstructingjudaism.org/document/making-pesakh-personal

Posted on: 2016/11/17 - 5:33pm

Coveting text study

Twice in the Torah (In Parashat Yitro and Parashat Va’etchanan), we are commanded not to “covet.” What does that mean? This study sheet explores sources on coveting to find out.

https://archive.reconstructingjudaism.org/document/what-coveting

Posted on: 2016/11/17 - 5:39pm