[HANASHIR:3548] Re: This List

[GurevitzR <GurevitzR...>]

In response to Neil - a bit more discussion... (and it is a discussion; I do 
not mean to sound preachy or overly traditionalist - as a live-in staff 
member of Elat Chayyim, the only Jewish Renewal retreat center in the 
country, that's probably one of the last things I see myself as being!)

There was one piece of your mailing that I felt I wanted to explore further.  
In my reading of your mail, your words sounded as though they emphasised the 
joy of the song, the joy of the music - please come back on this if I've read 
you wrong.  And you emphasised being a songleader, as indeed all of us on 
this list see ourselves at least part of the time.  But, for me, while I 
bring the skills of a songleader to lead, teach and communicate effectively 
when I am leading prayer set to music, I am leading *prayer*, not singing a 
song.  At camp, or in a music class I might be singing a song, but on 
kabbalat Shabbat I am praying.  And, for me, the richness of our tradition, 
the mystical deepening of understanding of prayer (and sometimes taking that 
understanding and coming up with new interpretations and ways of experiencing 
them - that is one of the contributions of Renewal), allows me to have much 
more personal and deep connection with the whole process of prayer.

Back home I am a member of a Reform community.  Reform differs from Orthodoxy 
in many ways, but I wouldn't want to be misinterpreted by others who seem to 
believe that Reform means less educated and more 'feel good' experience 
rather than depth understanding and heart-felt prayer.  I don't, for a 
moment, think that that was what you were trying to say, but it could be 
misinterpreted that way.

Ok, that's the serious bit - now, Brian.... time for a joke?

Shalom,
Rachel

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