Every effort has been made to trace copyrighted materials used in this booklet. This booklet is an experimental service for congregational use and is not to be sold. We acknowledge our gratitude to the Rabbinical Assembly, the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, and to all those who share with us the deep concern for people and the love of God. We especially offer thanks to the rabbis and sages of the past and all those who worked on Jewish prayer books with mind and heart throughout the centuries. It is upon their shoulders, that we all stand. Thank you to Ken Agranoff, Joshua Fineblum, and Susan Tervola for their help in editing text. Compiled by: Rabbi Jeremy Fine and Rabbi Chaim Singer-Frankes. In Loving Memory of S. Paul Johnson Toni Braverman Max & Clara Rikess Lewis & Rivian Johnson Temple of Aaron 616 S. Mississippi River Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55116 (651)698-8874 www.templeofaaron.org America the Beautiful O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain. Introduction By: Michael Waldman For purple mountain majesties, Above the fruited plain! Michael is the Executive Director at the St. Paul JCC. He grew up at Temple of Aaron and helped run the music at youth High Holyday Services. America! America! God shed God’s grace on thee, And crown thy good with brotherhood, Join me as we flashback through the years and examine some of the ways Jewish music has played a pivotal role, both personally and professionally, in my life. As a From sea to shining sea! student at Talmud Torah and the Temple of Aaron; as a camper at Butwin and Herzl; through the beginnings of my professional career in the Jewish community as a music teacher and song leader; and as the director of Camp Butwin, Jewish music was a Hatikvah common thread connecting me to Judaism and our community. Now, as the executive of a Twin Cities Jewish communal agency, I continue to use past experiences to help Photo Caption guide our organization and my personal life with the rhythms, harmonies, emotions Kol od baleivav p’nima, and expressions of Jewish music. Nefesh y’hudi homiya, Ul’fa’atei mizrach kadima, Ayin l’tziyon tzofeyah. Od lo av’da tek’vataynu, Hatikvah bat sh’not alpayim, Li’heot am chofshi b’artzeinu, Eretz Zion, v’Yirushalayim. As long as in the heart, The Jewish spirit yearns, With eyes turn eastward, Looking towards Zion, then our hope, The hope of two thousand years is not lost; To be a free nation in our land, The land of Zion and Jerusalem. 17 2 18 1 Genesis 22:13-14 ספר בראשית פרק כב יג וַיִּשָּׂאַאבְרָ הָםאֶ ת־עֵינָיו אוַיַּרְ וְהִ נֵּה־ַאיִל רַאחַ נֶֶֽאֱחַ ז בַּסְּ בְַך בְּקַרְ נָיו וַיֵּלְֶךַאבְרָ םהָ וַיִּקַּח אֶ ת־הָ ַאיִל וַיֶַּֽ עֲלֵהוּ Mourners Kaddish לְעֹלָה תַּ חַת בְּנֶֽוֹ: יד אוַיִּקְרָ ַאבְרָ הָם שֵׁ ם־הַמָּ קוֹם הַ הוּא ה יִרְ האֶ אֲשֶׁ ר יֵֶָֽאמֵ ר הַ יּוֹם בְּהַ רה יֵֶֽרָאֶֶֽ ה: 13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.” Insight Into the Shofar Rabbi Abbahu said: Why do we sound the shofar? Because the Holy One, blessed be God, said: Blow me a ram's horn that I may remember to your credit the binding of Isaac, the son of Abraham, and I shall account it to you as a binding of yourselves before Me. The Torah tells us: Abraham looked up and behold, he saw a ram caught in the thicket by its horns (Genesis 22:13). This teaches us that the Holy One, blessed be God, showed our ancestor Abraham the ram tearing himself free from one thicket and becoming entangled in another. Said the Holy One, blessed be God, to Abraham: Thus are your children destined to be caught in iniquities and entangled in misfortunes, but in Yitgadal v’yitkka’dash sh’may rahbaB’al mah dee v’rah chirootay the end they will be redeemed by the horns of a ram. Therefore the prophet V’yamleech mal choo tay, b’chayaychone Zechariah said of the time of redemption: And the Lord shall be seen over them, Uv’yomaychone u’vchai yay d’chol bayt yisrael, and his arrow shall go forth like the lightning; and the Lord God shall blow the bahahgahlah oov’vizman kareeeev. V’imru amen. shofar, and shall move in stormy winds of the south (Zechariah 9:14). – Babylonian Talmud Rosh Hashanah 16a Y’hey sh’may rahbah m’varach l’ahlom ul’al may Almaya. Yitbahrach v’yishtahbach v’yitpahar v’yitromam V’yitnahsay v’yithadar v’yitaleh Connection to the Music V’yithalal shmay dkud’sshah. B’reech hu. The sound of the shofar has a lasting effect on all those who come to L’aylah laylah min kol birchatah synagogue on the High Holydays. It is arguably the most recognizable V’shirahtah tushb’chahtav v’nehchehmahtah sound of the Jewish people. The Song Shir LaShalom, a Song of Peace, Daahmiran b’almah. V’imru: Amen. has become a calling cry for Israel and the Jewish people. Its association with Israeli Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin’s final moments in this world, Y’hay sh’lahmah rahbah, min sh’mayah reminds Jews everywhere, like the sound of the Shofar, that we continue V’chahyeem aleynu v’al kol Yisrael. to strive for a better world and a united Jewish community. V’eemru: Amen. 3 16 2 17 Shir LaShalom - A Song of Peace תנו לשמש לעלות Tnu lashemesh la'a lot laboker le'ha'ir לבוקר להאיר, Hazaka shebatfilot otanu lo tachzir הזכה שבתפילות .Shofar Service Let the sunrise light up the morning אותנו לא תחזיר. The purest of prayers will not bring us back Praised are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who has taught us the way of holiness through Mitzvot, and has commanded us to hear the sound Mi asher kava nero u've'Afar nitman מי אשר כבה נרו of the Shofar. Bechi mar lo ya'iro lo yachziro le'chan ובעפר נטמן, Praised are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who has kept us in He whose candle was snuffed out and was buried in the dust בכי מר לא יעירו life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this season. Bitter crying won't wake him up and won't bring him back לא יחזירו לכאן. איש אותנו לא ישיב Ish otanu lo yashiv mibor tachtit a'fel - kan lo yo'ilu מבור תחתית אפל, lo simchat hanitzachon Velo shirei hallel כאן לא יועילו Nobody will bring us back from a dead and darkened pit here Neither the victory cheer nor songs of praise will help לא שמחת הניצחון ולא שירי הלל. Lachen rak shiru shir lashalom al tilhashu tfila Photo lachen rak shiru shir lashalom bitze'aka gdola לכן, רק שירו שיר לשלום Caption אל תלחשו תפילה .So just sing a song for peace don't whisper a prayer מוטב תשירו שיר לשלום Just sing a song for peace in a loud shout בצעקה גדולה. Tnu lashemesh lachador miba'ad laprachim תנו לשמש לחדור al tabitu le'achor hanichu la'holchim מבעד לפרחים. Allow the sun to penetrate through the flowers אל תביטו לאחור, Don't look back let go of those departed הניחו להולכים. שאו עיניים בתקווה, A Personal Meditation S'u eina'yim betikva lo derech kavanot לא דרך כוונות Avinu Malkenu, bless my family with peace. Teach us to appreciate the treasure of shiru shir la'ahava velo lamilchamot Lift your eyes with hope not through the rifles' sights שירו שיר לאהבה our lives. Help us to find contentment in one another. Save us from dissension and Sing a song for love and not for wars ולא למלחמות. jealousy; shield us from pettiness and rivalry. May selfish pride not divide us; may pride in one another unite us. Help us renew our love for one another continually. אל תגידו יום יבוא - In the light of you Torah grant us, the people of Israel and all Your children Al tagidu yom yavo havi'u et hayom - ki lo chalom hu הביאו את היום! everywhere, health, fulfillment, harmony, peace, and joy. Amen uve'chol hakikarot hari'u rak shalom כי לא חלום הוא - Don't say the day will come bring on that day ובכל הכיכרות - Because it is not a dream And in all the city squares cheer only for peace! הריעו לשלום! 15 16 3 A Few Thoughts Before We Leave Now, with senses newly quickened by the time we have spent together, Let us walk out into the New Year with the lessons we have learned; Having listened to the Shofar, let us listen also to the good voices in our lives, Introduction By: Amy Miller Stern Having looked into the Torah, let us look to find our best selves, Having tasted honey, let us bring the taste of sweetness to the lives of those we love, Amy has been an integral voice in the Temple of Aaron choir for over 25 years. Having smelled the fragrant year outside our praying place, let us work to preserve the fragrance from the destructive forces in the world, Happy New Year to everyone. I have been asked to share my feelings today about our Having touched the ancient thoughts and yearnings of our people, let us resolve to let the theme Shir Chadash, A New Song.