URJ - Worship - Music - Religious Living

Daily Blessings Card

ARE YOU:

The chair of your synagogue Ritual Committee?
A choir director?
A lay worship leader?
A synagogue musician?
A cantor?
A rabbi?

Do you wonder if it's really possible to find new forms and models of prayer and integrate them into your communal worship experience?

Here are comments from some who have already begun to do just that:

Worship with Joy: Visions of Prayer [a sixteen-minute video about worship] has strongly influenced our discussions about any worship change that we might propose here. The discussions are ongoing. In a few months we will be preparing a report and suggestions for the Ritual Committee. (Rabbi, Texas)
People are very excited to discuss these issues. They are being open and honest about the positives and the negatives of our worship, and I have every confidence that this will lead to some improvement in our worship and music... Our Board of Trustees has endorsed this fully, and we are very pleased with the process so far. (Ritual chair, Minnesota)
After some discussion and study by our Ritual Committee, we have begun using creative prayers when lighting Shabbat candles. The purpose is to capture congregants' interest and focus their attention on the lighting of the candles in new and different ways. (Cantor, Illinois)

Are you wondering how to find resources to help you accomplish your worship and music work more effectively when you have no idea how to begin?

Click on Getting Started, Frequently Asked Questions and the Publications and Resources pages for detailed suggestions and information. In addition, the staff of the Department of Worship, Music and Religious Living is always available for consultation. We can be reached by phone at 212.650.4193 or by email at worship@urj.org. We are here to assist you.