[HANASHIR:4386] Re: Tot Shabbat Siddur

[Carol Boyd Leon <cbleon...>]

I write my own.  It's not that hard and then you can customize it to your 
temple's needs and include the parts of the service that you feel are most 
important at your Tot Shabbat.  I use a large font and some clip art because 
my services are for kids from baby through 3rd grade and there seems to be a 
contingent of kindergartners/beginning readers who attend.  It's basically a 
"service in song," with just little bits of liturgy I've written to string 
the songs/prayers together in a logical fashion, with never more than about 
2 or 3 spoken sentences between each.  I have everyone say all the words 
together and sing all the songs together.  I use three horizontal 8 1/2 x 11 
pages folded in half, photocopied front and back, and stapled together.  
(I've provided this detailed description because I would prefer not sending 
out copies.)

I've got about a dozen different ones, as some include a focus on an 
upcoming holiday and others have a general "theme" (such as "blessings" or 
"light").  They all share certain elements -- opening song, candle blessing, 
barchu, Shema, Mi Chamocha, sermon (not included in the printed service), 
Oseh Shalom,
closing, benediction, Kiddush, motzi.  I rotate in other elements over the 
months -- V'ahavta, Mi Shebeirach, songs of creation and thanks and 
holidays.  The service is 35 minutes so I can't fit it all every month.

An alternative is to use no siddur at all.  Some leaders do that very 
successfully and even find the siddur just gets in the way if those who 
attend are too young to read anyway.  My personal style is to have it 
written down.  It helps the adults feel connected to the service and it 
helps me, too!

I ADORE Tot Shabbat, the creativity that goes into writing the service, the 
challenge of doing a service that has learning value for kids and spiritual 
aspects even everyone, even the adults.  I enjoy the mixed-age audience.  
And I love the music.  It's one of the joys of my life.  Can you tell? -- 
Carol

Carol Boyd Leon
Director of Music, Temple B'nai Shalom
7612 Old Ox Road, Fairfax Station, VA 22039
Temple fax:  703-764-2904
E-mail:  CBLeon (at) hotmail(dot)com

>I'm looking for a good Tot Shabbat siddur appropriate for birth to 6yrs.  
>We
>use a great tot service on High Holy Days published by Behrman House called
>High Holiday Machzor, but I can't seem to find a similar Tot Shabbat
>Service.  Any ideas?
>Abby


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