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From: gto@hou2a.UUCP (G.ORROK)
Newsgroups: net.religion.jewish
Subject: New Age Judaism
Message-ID: <654@hou2a.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 1-Oct-85 22:37:46 EDT
Article-I.D.: hou2a.654
Posted: Tue Oct  1 22:37:46 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 3-Oct-85 04:23:14 EDT
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Holmdel NJ
Lines: 64

New Age Judaism:

In response to Bill Peter's request for some basic orientation
re New Age Judaism,  and to cornell who asked the difference between 
NAJ and orthodox approach,  I will quote briefly from Rabbi Zalman
Schacter-Shalomi's book "The First Step" and then describe briefly our
Yom Kippur experience this year.

"Tradition is Organic
   "In moments of grace, I'm aware that G'd is available to me, in
consciousness, love, and energy.  He's there for all of us; all we
have to do is find Him and take hold.  The problem is that many of us
are confused and disappointed.  We have tried, but we haven't gotten 
far enough. We wander in one direction for a while, then another.  But
it is disheartening: the maps are old and the roads have changed. In 
addressing this problem, we have tried to sketch a contemporary road 
map for living in the Jewish universe and to provide a practical guide 
for using that map. 
   "The coordinates for our map are derived from the tradition of Jewish
mysticism.  The principles which inform this tradition are: 1) that an
act be appropriate to the place, time, and people present, and 2) that
it be in organic harmony with life.  In this way, one who lives the
tradition increases awareness and grows spiritually.  This tradition
has power.  Like everything else in the universe, it is evolving, and
in some measure, it is available to you now."
  
   Our B'nai Or Yom Kippur began at sundown with congregation chanting
of the Kol Nidre.   We use United Synagogue of America Siddur.  Most 
prayers are chanted, rather than spoken, in Hebrew, or English, 
or both, going from one to the other.  The focus is on Kavanah,
(intention) rather than form.  Men and women sit together and prayers
such as the Amidah  include the names of our matriarchs as well as
our patriarchs.  G'd is referred to in both male and female forms. 
Members of the congregation say the form of the name with which they 
are most comfortable.
 We handle the al hhayt (for the sin--) as follows:  Each member
of the congregation has filled out four cards; sins against self, 
against others, against the world, and against G'd.  At each of the four 
readings of the al hhayt, the appropriate cards are passed at random, 
we stand tightly in circles and read aloud the sin we hold.  This is a
deeply moving experience as we struggle as a community to forgive
ourselves and each other.  
   The Aliyahs are handled in various ways.  For Yom Kippur, for the
first Aliyah for Kohen, all those who were leaders, or in charge
were invited up.  For the second, those who follow (Levis), for the
third, all those wrestling with G'd.  The fourth and fifth were related
to the theme of the reading.
   Late in the afternoon, when energy is low, the Jonah story is handled
like a psychodrama with people examining the sub-conscious, conscious,
and super-conscious aspects of Jonah's struggle.  A prayer would be sung
to a popular tune.  This really makes the prayer alive at 5:00p.m.  We 
observe the deepening shadows and drive toward the final blowing of the
shofar, by the Rabbi, the Bar Mitzvah boy, and other members of the
congregation.  We then adjourn for our breaking of the fast together.
   I hope this gives you some flavor of how we do it. The focus is on
intention rather than the specifics of the form. It is rather the
struggle of the community to derive forms which meet the requirements of 
tradition and fulfills the intention of the act.
  B'nai Or has many affiliate groups throughout the country.  In your
area you could contact Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb 295 La Plata N.W. 
Albuquerque, N M. 87101.
  I am also interested in names of people interested in forming a
Havurah in the Holmdel NJ area.  Please post through Tim Orrok (hou2a!gto).
Shalom  Fran Silbiger