“Do Jewish prayer services nurture us… or narrow us?”

— Dr Elliot Malamet

This is the first episode in a series of special Living Jewishly podcast episodes that will take a deeper look at the Jewish holidays. 

As we approach Rosh Hashanah, Jewish New Year, and Yom Kippur, the day of atonement, many of us will celebrate the high holidays by attending synagogue or shul.

However, particularly for young Jews not religiously oriented in the traditional sense, there is an increasing disconnect to synagogue life, institutional ritual, and liturgy.

With shul attendance also affected by Covid-19, communities have been further distanced by digital spaces.  

This episode explores our emotional, spiritual, and social relationship with — and connection to — synagogue structures and prayer services during the high holidays. 

In a series of illuminating interviews with members of the Jewish community, traditional and modern approaches to the language and practice of prayer are discussed in relation to virtual engagement, the campfire community, and how we connect in a changing world.

“The act of prayer is an act of commission and omission. It has to be both, and you have to engage and disengage at the same time.”

— Rabbi Yossi Saberman

This‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌

• What millennial Jews think about synagogue life — and what they would change about prayer services and texts 
• Working with sacred texts — the tension between humanism and the sacred in prayer language 
• How the practice of non-traditional prayer, such as social justice activism as a form of holy work and divine communication, can be secular or complement institutional ritual 

 ‌  

Highlights:‌ ‌

00:51  Introduction

02:02  Ruth Chitiz & changes to prayer

06:11  Noah Tile & identity

07:49  Jenny Young & inclusion

10:04  Divine connection in Judaism v. Christianity

12:24  Sam Venis & interpreting tradition  

15:18  Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz & maintaining mission

17:19  Synagogue infrastructure: Connection & relationships  

19:30  Social justice activism as prayer  

20:54  Rituals as reflection

23:40  Yom Kippur: Navigating affirmation & judgement

27:19  Dr Zindel Segal & prayer meditation

30:08  Prayer mindfulness

34:09  Lisa Morrison & prayer in the pandemic

36:24  Rabbi Yossi Saberman & listening to yourself

38:30  Prayer language

46:11  Covid-19 & structural changes

47:07  Menachem Feuer & virtual communities

48:40  Rabbi Yossi Saberman & post-pandemic shul

52:21  Social connection

55:08  Dynamic synagogue

59:17  Recap & community challenges

Links:‌ ‌ 

To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:  

Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org  

Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly  

Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw   

or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.  

Shalom!