It wasn't a surprise that the Minyan I went to on Friday
night was very special. It was always going to be very special.
But since it was special I'll share a little.
Rabbi Tamar Eldad Applebaum is a graduate of the Masorti
Machon Schechter, she's a native born Israeli and trying to create a new,
Israeli, form of Jewish life. Come as you are, labels don't matter. The tunes
are a mix of Sephardi and Ashkenazi, with a little bit of Carlebach, no more.
The Nusach - the words - include a range of Piyutim - ancient Hebrew poetry.
Rabbi Tamar was wonderful, glowing with a love of humanity and Judaism, the
singing was wonderful, and it did feel like something new. My enjoyment was
helped by having so many of my heroes in the community. Alice Shalvi, Art
Green, Moshe Halbertal, David Roskies ...
But as I went chasing after my daughter, who had wandered
off across the area outside where the kids were playing into another of the
buildings in mini-campus. It stuck my head around the corner. It was another
Minyan, looking very Orthodox, lots of orthodox looking men, and a Mechitzah
down the middle of the room. But the prayers were being led by a woman. It was
the Baka Egalitarian Minyan, just getting on with things. And then on Shabbat
morning I was at Shira Chadasha, still doing its thing which is either a bit
radical or a bit safe depending on your perspective - but lovely all the same. Admittedly
Baka is at the forefront of the progressive traditional Jewish world, but there is movement here. What
was once radical is becoming normal. And from Baka to the rest of the world.
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