First, the introduction to the magazine is written by the Associate Editor and Maayanot alum, (inaugural bekiut champion and blog contributor) Gabrielle Hiller. Additionally, Rachel Weber (blog contributor and current Tefilla Workshop leader) has a great article relevant to us all called "Single-Sex Education: Still Le-ka-tehillah." I remember the day she came to interview Mrs. Kahan for the piece (she is quoted extensively). It's a great read and a compelling case. I was reminded of this other great moment of Maayanot history in Jewish journals.
Finally, a relevant article written by Hannah Dreyfus (don't know where she went to school) about tefila in schools (Teaching Prayer: Obstacles, Goals, and Strategies) was very interesting. I'm on the outside during Shacharit, but does this ring true?
Titters and giggles are clearly audible from the back row. The teacher prowls alertly up and down the aisles of the small synagogue, rushing over angrily to squash the small rebellions that sporadically break out as the minutes of obligatory silence creep by. Creases in the siddur expertly shield cell phones from view. Some students settle for a more passive approach, staring sleepily into space, siddurim opened laxly to any arbitrary page. Some mutter the words, eyes focused absently, uncomprehendingly. The lone, pious few close their eyes tightly, swaying back and forth, trying to concentrate, battling an overwhelming tide of disregard, apathy, and open resentment. The all-too-familiar picture of a tefillah classroom.I hope not, but you would know better than I would. She has some interesting thoughts, but in the end she acknowledges many of the challenges that we are all familiar with. Again, a good read. Check it out, there's a lot of other good stuff too.
No comments:
Post a Comment