Dizzying Array of T’filot Keeps it Real! Alternative T’filot Friday

All of our Tzad Bet chanichim (campers) attended T’fila Friday morning as usual; what was unusual was that they had a choice of 11 amazing alternatives.

Here is the list of options; which one would you attend?  Want to learn more about t’filin, practice wearing t’filin, or think about t’filin’s place in your life? Come to #t’filinspiration for an exciting service full of discussion, ruach, and making our own t’filin, led by Hannah Glickman (photo, left, below).   Want your t’filot to be as similar to the traditional Machaneh Ramah t’filot as possible? led by Sarah Glickman (photo, right, below).

Center yourself with Maor Gordon-Guterman, as he guides you through a meditative service (photo, left, below).  Experience p’sukei d’zimra as never before through the poetry of Yehuda Amichai, led by Rabbi Elliot Goldberg (photo, right, below).  Here is one poem read and discussed by the chanichim:

“Bird tracks in the sand on the seashore

like the handwriting of someone who jotted down

words, names, numbers and places, so he would remember.

Bird tracks in the sand at night

are still there in the daytime, though I’ve never seen

the bird that left them.  That’s  the way it is

with God.

Yoga T’filot: connect your davening with movements, breath and intention.  Come ready with a towel and clothes you can move around in. Led by Meghan Cum (photo, top).   Meghan has completed her 200 hours of yoga teacher training through Real Evolution Yoga in Canada.  She is currently exploring more in depth the connections between Yoga and T’fila, and she had an amazing experience with the chanichim, who took it seriously and got a lot out of it.  Connecting body movements to the emotional and spiritual experience of t’fila is very rewarding for her.   A workshop for chanichim who wish to become more proficient at leading services:   this option will focus on the skills necessary to lead p’sukei d’zimra and shacharit during weekday services, led by Sarah Kieval (photo, below left).  Look at different types of leadership as demonstrated by Moses and Miriam during Az Yashir.  What type of leader do you want to be? With Devorah Lowenstein (photo, below right).

T’filot in everyday life with Maddie Gelfand explored the various ways t’filot manifest throughout our entire yom, shavuah and shanah, (day, week and year) because prayer doesn’t stop at aruchat boker. (photo, below left).   The learner’s minyan with Rabbi Seth Haaz: dig more deeply into the meaning of our t’filot (photo, below right).

Last but not least, Musical T’filot with Elie Greenberg included as many songs and as much ruach as can fill the Beit K’nesset (photo below).  All in all, an amazingly inspirational, educational, musical, contemplative and spiritual array of morning tefillot!