Re: Missing you all already

[sandra shetka <shetka...>]

Hi Rachel,
Thanks for your information on Jewish Renewal.  It's the community
I've been with for 3 years.  To me, nothing has captured the depth of
Jewish spirituality like our renewal movement.  The Kallah is every
other year for a wonderful week in the Summer month of July.  The past
two have been in Colorado.  I can keep you posted on it for Next
Summer.  It's a week to be emersed in Jewish renewal and prayer and
teachings of awesome people.  

I may be in England in July for 2 weeks.  Will let you know.
 Good Shabbos!!!!!

love, from Minnesota(home of the chosen frozen)
Sandi Shetka




---Rachel Gurevitz <rgurevit (at) geography(dot)ucl(dot)ac(dot)uk> wrote:
>
> Hi everyone,
> 
> Back in the UK but still jetlagged it's really nice to 'hear'
everyone over
> e-mail.  I had an amazing time at HN again - would agree with the
jist of
> everything already mentioned in evaluation and have one suggestion re:
> Hebrew, understanding services etc.
> 
> As some of you who I spoke to at HN already know, I also have a foot
in the
> Jewish renewal camp.  Until I went to my first renewal service I
didn't
> understand the structure of the service or the significance of
particular
> prayers at all, although I could read Hebrew fairly well - even the
> translations didn't really help.  But the way a renewal service
works (a
> good one, not too kooky) it helps make the meaning of prayers and the
> structure of the service really obvious.  Also, a technique that I
use a
> lot when planning to lead one of these services is to review the
week's
> parsha and other seasonal or relevant themes and then look at the
service
> to see what calls out to me that relates to those things- so each
service
> is a bit different and also highlights a message from Torah like a
drash.
> There was a lot of comment during HN from the leaders, especially
Debbie,
> about how the US Reform service had thrown so much good stuff out,
> especially the morning service section before the Barechu.  
> 
> So why do we need to be restricted to following the book page by
page just
> using our favourite tunes?  In planning a service, at least one or two
> could be more creative and maybe help some people understand them
better in
> the process.  And in being creative, we don't always need to say
every word
> of every page each time.  One renewal technique is focus on a line
or two
> that forms the essence of a prayer and use it to concentrate kavvanah
> (intention)- this doesn't stop you reading through the rest of the
prayer
> yourself at the same time, but it helps us understand something
about the
> prayer and also helps out those with limited Hebrew - if you chant
or sing
> the same couple of lines over and over you soon get familiar with it.
> 
> What do you think?
> 
> Love to all,
> 
> Rachel G
> 
> 

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