Notes Worth Knowing

extending the reach of our congregations and catalyzing

Cantor Alane S. Katzew

August 6, 2013

For many of us the summer is a time of slowing down, enjoying the great outdoors, kicking back and relaxing. School is out and the rigors of the academic year give way to informal environments such as camp, vacation, or even the backyard BBQ. Jewish campers and youth groupers have long been enamored of the outdoor sanctuary, finding the feeling of praying in the woods, alongside a lake, or accompanied by the chirping of the birds a naturally enhanced experience of worship. Many congregations across North America are moving worship services outside of the sanctuary.

Sha-beach Shabbat, Shabbat Outdoors, and Blue Jean Shabbat are a few of the names given to the efforts to draw in congregants to a more informal style of worship; they seem to have surprising appeal to multi-generational communities.

This summer when visiting our youngest daughter who lives in Tel Aviv, we purposefully attended Kabbalat Shabbat Services at the Tel Aviv Port – or T’filah BaNamal – as it is called by its’ organizers – Beit Tefilah Yisraeli. Imagine sitting together on the Tel Aviv promenade facing the Mediterranean sea, a gentle breeze blowing, salt water crashing against the rocks, and late-in-the-day beach goers enjoying a swim or the sand of the beach in the distance. Gently the instrumental ensemble begins to play the strains of a Niggun/a wordless melody and the crowd coalesces into an instant community welcoming Shabbat (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwO7dCn9qIg&list=UUKFTs1Rvm8jMH83q13_05lw ). What follows is a series of prayers, music, dance, and meditation of this post-denominational liberal Jewish community.

It is a picture of many contradictions. The leaders of the service are not Rabbis or Cantors; rather they are a group of self defined “musicians and Davenners” intentionally infusing Shabbat into an otherwise secular space. That secularity finds its way into the service via applause that inevitably follows a beautifully rendered musical selection (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRN9ecciRR0&list=UUKFTs1Rvm8jMH83q13_05lw)
or the explosion of “worshippers” filming or photographing the magnificent sunset over the sea (photo above). Contrasting this innovative experience of Kabbalat Shabbat to many worship services that I have attended over the years – kudos must be given to these leaders for pushing the envelope. They have presented the secular Israeli population an opportunity to find meaning in non-Orthodox ritual, and met the people where they are – on the beach – proclaiming “My House shall be a house of prayer for all peoples” (Isaiah 56:7) - Ki Beiti, Beit T’filah Yikarei L’chol Haamim. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJqUzZKUBu8&list=UUKFTs1Rvm8jMH83q13_05lw).

What can we learn about extending the reach of our congregations and catalyzing change from a variety of outdoor Shabbat services? We can reach out beyond the walls of our Synagogue buildings and provide easy access to the broader community – especially at the time of the High Holy Days. Baltimore Hebrew Congregation is already making this a reality by offering Rosh HaShanah Under the Stars. Held at a local park with seating on the grass. The prayers are projected on a large screen, (booklet available – but hands free preferred) and the Peabody Ragtime Ensemble warms-up the crowd as families picnic over Rosh HaShanah dinner. The service is open to the community; registration is required. Clearly this is a clever way to extend our reach to those who identify as Jews but have not affiliated with a particular synagogue.

Other congregations engage in video streaming of worship services; streaming allows those who are away at school to pray with their home community or for those who are home bound to be included remotely with their congregation. A virtual community of thousands gathers at www.ourjewishcommunity.org. Headed by Rabbi Laura Baum of Congregation Beth Adam in Loveland, OH, this online Jewish community seeks to give voice to the contemporary Jewish voice “that is not afraid to challenge convention” and invites all to join together for Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur via the internet.

If you do what you’ve always done then you’ll get what you’ve always gotten. How can we catalyze change? We can push the boundaries and experiment in new ways to reach beyond the borders of the synagogue building walls. We can meet the people where they are, where they walk on their way, where they rise up, and even where they lie down. It is a challenge and an opportunity to be taken up as we begin the New Year – Rosh HaShanah 5774. Shanah Tovah u’mchudeshet!

Cantor Alane S. Katzew

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwO7dCn9qIg&list=UUKFTs1Rvm8jMH83q13_05lw (For Nigun Hayadata)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJqUzZKUBu8&list=UUKFTs1Rvm8jMH83q13_05lw (For Ki Beiti)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRN9ecciRR0&list=UUKFTs1Rvm8jMH83q13_05lw (for Ilu Finu)

Another interesting alternative would be this clip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tZaVrI8vqg&list=UUKFTs1Rvm8jMH83q13_05lw&index=1

or this one.