Re: Turkey In the Straw

[QuelliPG <QuelliPG...>]

Rick, I would hardly equate that beautiful story of the boy saying the aleph
bet and hoping that God would make prayers of them with singing Adon Olam to
TV show themes!  

The first is an example of a child who wants to pray and lacks the skills so
finds another path to God...  the second is an example of kids who don't want
to pray and don't know what the words mean and don't care but they like
Gilligan's Island so we'll get them to sing the prayer to that tune so it will
be fun.  What is the educational value?  I think that the Kavanah, the
intention behind the prayer is much more important than the words themselves!
The story of the little boy illustrates that beautifully.  I would rather have
my students write their own prayers or meditate quietly for a few moments than
sing a bunch of (to them) meaningless syllables to a TV tune!  Which do YOU
think is prayer?  

Raquel