By Alaina Yoakum, Director of Marketing & Communications
Years ago when my kids were little, prayer was inaccessible to them. They would often pray in our synagogue, but I could only get them to do so for short spans and they didn’t often understand the meaning or context of the prayers. Then we came to camp, and they discovered entirely new and exciting paths into prayer, ones that were dotted with finger paint and redwood trees, with yoga and hikes to a Jewish star.
Here at URJ Camp Newman, our rabbinic faculty excel at making prayer come alive for our campers. Creativity is the norm – and innovative t’fillah services are encouraged and embraced. What’s even more exciting is to learn about how many of these rabbis actually use camp as a testing ground for experimental prayer services that they then take back with them to their own synagogues.
This week, for instance, Rabbi Karen Sherman of Temple Etz Rimon led a “tefloption” where campers wrote Haiku and other poetry on the different prayers in the service. They were awesome! Here are just a few of them for your Shabbat enjoyment:
On Kaddish and Memory, by Rosie W. (Nitzanim):
To celebrate life and death,
to live the life we love.
On Mi Chamocha and Freedom, by Melody W. (Etzim)
Once we were captured
We want to be free
And once we were free
We abused the right
The following are all by Gabriel Y. (Kesher) – he wrote one for each prayer in the service:
On Barchu and Invitation
As my knees are bent
My mind shifts to prayer
The service has begun
On Ma’ariv Aravim and Evening
The sun sinks slowly
Darkness spreads across the land
But stars shine brightly
On Shema and Listening
If we are quiet
And we pray down to our hearts
God listens closely
On V’ahavta and Love
And we all shall love
Be acceptable to you
Oh, God we shall love
Mi Chamocha and Freedom
The house of bondage
No longer means such to us
Because we are free
On Amidah and Personal Prayer
God opens our lips
So we may give thanks to Him
For all he has done
On Aleinu and Community
As we reach the end
Gathered, a community
We all praise our God
On Kaddish and Memory
We may think it’s sad
But to praise God once again,
A valuable chance