Rabbi Toba Spitzer explores the obstacles to prayer posed by stale language about God, and suggests new language that may ease our way in finding connection.
Ritual and Liturgy
Related Resources
As part of our recent convention, B’yachad: Reconstructing Judaism Together, we shared this video of a new setting for Hinei Mah Tov by RRC student Solomon Hoffman. It features over 150 Reconstructionists representing 40 of our communities from across North America and beyond. The participants reflect the spectrum of our movement—lay leaders, Rabbis, Cantors, students, teachers, children, elders, musicians, singers, dancers, artists—all sharing in this collective project.
Before Ritualwell was a website containing more than 2,200 liturgy and rituals crowdsourced by Jews, it was an idea of where to put dozens of scraps of paper in the drawers of offices in the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College and Kolot: Center for Jewish Women’s and Gender Studies in Wyncote.
In 2001, RRC and Kolot, in partnership with Ma’yan, a Jewish feminist organization, uploaded the prayers scrawled on those papers to the newfangled Internet, creating an archive of Jewish writing that filled in the gaps of liturgies and practices that historically excluded women and LGBTQ+ Jews. Community members were invited to write and submit their own liturgies and rituals.
Almost two decades later, Ritualwell has not only become a library of prayers and poetry, but an online community center for Jews looking to hone their skills through writing workshops and classes.
Printable Torah blessing sheet
The story of Temple Emmanuel's ongoing exploration of Reconstructionist liturgy, and the rich conversations the process has opened up.
Rabbi Shelly Barnathan, the 2017 Launch Grant recipient, is busy creating a co-constructed network of baby boomers and empty nesters, a commonly-overlooked generation within the Jewish community. Her project, Or Zarua, features "holy conversations" over coffee and musical Shabbat dinners.
Meditative interpretation of Psalm 27.
A guided meditation on Psalm 27
D'VAR TORAH
Leviticus 16:1-34; 18: 1-30
Kavvanah written for Yom Kippur services at the Lincoln Memorial, 2015.
D'VAR TORAH
Genesis 21:1 – 22:24
Kavvanah for shofar blowing on the High Holidays
This ritual invokes the blast of the shofar to articulate the plight of refugees. It was created for use at High Holidays in response to the presidential travel ban.
This alternative Amidah was used during mincha prayers by members of the Reconstructionist Rabbinic Association outside of an Immigration Processing Center in order to call attention to the plight of immigrants and underscore the importance of the Jewish obligation to welcome the stranger.
Rabbi Brant Rosen's poem responds to Psalm 79, challenging us to welcome the stranger even, and especially, in uncomfortable ways.
This excerpt from The Guide to Jewish Practice explains the practices associated with Tisha B'Av.
This lesson helps children and adults delve into the meaning and feeling of the Hashkiveinu prayer.
Hebrew text of the services found in the Kol Haneshamah: Shabbat Veḥagim prayer book.
Fuller Aleynu prayer for Siddur Kol Hano'ar
This audio program, recorded in 1998, offers an overview of the structure, development and religious meanings of the haggadah and the Passover seder.
A recording of the Reconstructionist text of the Kiddush prayer for the Passover seder.
The phrase "Next year in Jerusalem" occurs at the end of every Passover seder. This piece suggests ways to use that phrase as an entry point to a deep educational experience.
This distance learning conference call explores the dynamics of worship and the human impulse to pray, some of the deep structures of Jewish prayer services, and specifically Reconstructionist liturgy.
Yigdal, one of the most beloved of the medieval piyyutim (liturgical poems) summarizes the thirteen principles of the Jewish faith as formulated by Moses Maimonides (RaMBaM; late 12th century C.E.). Reconstructionists often proudly assert that when we pray with a Reconstructionist siddur, we feel that we can 'say what we mean and mean what we say,' because our liturgical language reflects Reconstructionist theology. How might a Reconstructionist interpret the words of Yigdal in this way?
This is a short Passover reading that expresses appreciation for people of backgrounds and identities other than Judaism. It would work well in a community seder, as well as home seders.
Prayers and resources for discussion following the November 2016 Presidential election in the United States.
A child of Holocaust survivors, Rani Jaegar composed a yizkor prayer for Righteous Gentiles that is unique and breaks new ground. It tells the story of those who saw suffering and knew how to find their humanity. It remembers that “righteousness is an everlasting foundation” that breaks boundaries.
Reconstructionist prayerbooks use an altered version of the blessing before reading Torah. We affirm Torah as our unique and precious Jewish vehicle for connection with the divine, while avoiding implications of superiority over other peoples and religions.
This lesson, for use with Siddur Kol Ha'Noar, helps acquaint children and adults with the idea and practice of Shabbat.
Wine is the traditional vehicle for prominent Jewish ritual moments. At the same, Jewish communities contain people who struggle with alcohol. Rabbi Richard Hirsh outlines simple steps to recognize and support all in a community who wish to participate.
Rabbi Alan LaPayover (RRC '02), recorded the prayers of the Reconstructionist liturgy for the High Holiday services. The sound files are available for listening and download from links on this page.
Prayer For The State Of Israel from Kol Haneshamah: Shabbat Vehagim, the Shabbat and Festival siddur of the Reconstructionist Movement
Prayers written for insertion into Aids Awareness Shabbat services
Sheet music for a new setting of the traditional Friday night Lecha Dodi prayer.
