Re: P.S.

[Lori Cahan-Simon <l_cahan...>]

We have reached a comfortable place in my shul where we have the ark on one end
and the torah table at the other and a smaller lectern for the person leading
the service a few yards in front of it (both facing the ark), and the seating
following the Sefardi model with the chairs on both sides facing the center, so
everyone can hear well and see what they need to.  It works for us.
Lorele

Robert Cohen wrote:

> Oh:
>
> >When you are looking at the bima,
> >is it distracting to those reading torah or the sheliach tzibur?  Are they
> >or the kavanah in the room somehow dimished because members of the
> >congregation are looking at them?
>
> Answer:  Yes.  That's why--or one of the reasons why, I think--in
> traditional synagogues (including, for many years, in some more traditional
> havurah [egalitarian] minyanim), the shaliach tzibur faces the *ark,* *not*
> the congregation.
>
> --rlc
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