Prompts for "Synagogue, Hebrew, Music & Prayer" by Tamar Ghidalia

tamarghidalia — 2025-06-28 14:17:22 UTC

How do you see the three functions of a synagogue as essential or non-essential to the continuity of Judaism and the Jewish people?

tamarghidalia — 2025-06-28 14:17:48 UTC

What are your priorities when “shul shopping”? What qualities do you seek in your spiritual home?

tamarghidalia — 2025-06-28 14:18:26 UTC

What do you see as the purpose of prayer? Do you believe that our prayers are heard?

Synagogue

txang143 — 2025-07-04 15:34:26 UTC

The 3 functions: house of worship, study, and assembly are certainly all important and essential to the continuity of the Jewish people. The building itself, not so much, but the symbols within and the ideas it represents, very much so.

When Jews were in hiding for years under Nazi occupation, they could not attend Synagogue. Were they less Jewish? When Jews were forced to convert to Christianity during the Inquisition or Islam during the Almohad conquest of Spain, they hid the communal aspect of their Jewishness and replaced it with that of the conquering culture/religion. Were they less Jewish in doing so? Did solo practice away from the synagogue make them less Jewish than if they participated in overt, communal worship? I don’t think so.

In times of peace and plurality, having a physical building where Jews may gather is a blessing. But it isn’t what makes Jews Jewish and it doesn’t define a people. Studying, praying, and maintaining a connection to your community in the best way you can is what is essential to Judaism and the Jewish people.

Shul shopping

txang143 — 2025-07-04 15:39:38 UTC

So I am actively Shul shopping in Austin. Until recently, I had only ever attended 1 temple in town. I attended a different Reform service last week and will be returning this week because they’re getting a new Rabbi this week!

My priorities are: an approachable Rabbi, an active community, an adult learning program, and a vibe that doesn’t feel icky.

Prayer

txang143 — 2025-07-04 16:04:16 UTC

I actually just purchased this last night because I am trying to understand and determine an answer to those exact questions. I enjoy the ritual and tradition associated with davening. It helps me feel grounded. Doing the same things every day at the same time forces me to step out of time and reframe my priorities. Will I actually complete the full weekday Shacharit each morning? I strongly doubt it. But I will at least know how to do it if I feel the urge.

Do I believe my prayers are heard? I don’t know. I hear them. I guess that’s something. If nothing else, I am at least speaking and representing my intentions and taking time for myself to reflect on the fact that I do believe that something greater than myself exists.

I struggle with a few things. Not sure if I want to divulge those vices here just yet (or at all), but I use prayer to redirect my urges and remind myself that I am very intentionally going in a different direction now. I am not strong when it comes to some things, so I turn to ritual. I am like the ancient Israelites at Sinai when they accepted the covenant:

"Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it aloud to the people. And they said: 'All that the LORD has spoken we will do and we will hear [or understand].'" (Exodus 24:7)

I don’t fully understand the ritual yet or the purpose of prayer, and I don’t even know if my prayers are heard, but I will do it anyway as a testament of faith. Maybe I will even daven with tefillin and I will shuckle. I don’t know yet. If it helps me become a better person, which I suppose is at the root of what prayer is meant to do, then I’ll do it.