Our new prayerbook is completed. Just the sixth siddur in the 150 plus years of Holy Blossom’s history, this is the only book we ourselves have produced.
Infused with the ethos of the tradition and of Peoplehood, this book is most responsive to the contemporary moment. There are few siddurim in the liberal Jewish world to match Siddur Pirchei Kodesh for its fullness, its elegance, its Jewishness. This will be a siddur to cherish both while praying in our synagogue and while reciting blessings at home. It can be read as a history; it can be studied as a way into Judaism and Jewish prayer; it is an important face of our congregation.
The siddur is to be celebrated.
Thank you to everyone who joined us on Shabbat morning October 29, 2011.
Watch for videos, information and interviews on how it came to be; listen to the music of the book and how we will pray from it—and more.
This is a book to have at home, no less than in shul.
And it’s a book for dedications, to remember loved ones as well as to pay honour on special occasions.
See below to order your copy of our Siddur Pirchei Kodesh.
Malcolm Lester is one of Canada’s finest publishers. Out of his fondness for Holy Blossom Temple and his interest in matters of the spirit, Malcolm took hold of our prayerbook project, brought together a tremendous team of professionals, and ushered the book to completion. Siddur Pirchei Kodesh is the result of Malcolm’s wise counsel and steadfast commitment. Hear his personal account of what this unique project means to him. This Read more »
Our new Siddur “Pirchei Kodesh” has been received very favourably by many of our worshipers. Friendly, informative, scholarly and full of surprises makes the Siddur a viable addition to our life at Holy Blossom. There are a few new passages throughout the Siddur which perhaps are not immediately familiar or recognizable. It is for that reason that I am happy to provide some learning tools -- I am recording sections of the new passages which Read more »
Unlike some rabbis, I’ve never been very enthusiastic about liturgical reform and always maintained that I could conduct Reform services from any Jewish prayer book. That’s why I had no ambition to create alternative services in any of the congregations I served. I don’t believe that new prayer books bring in new worshippers. The best-attended synagogue services often use traditional, even archaic, texts. Ignorance of Hebrew hasn’t stopped Read more »
“Prayers with Wheels, if not Wings” Shabbat Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan, 5772 / October 29, 2011. On the Occasion of the Launch of Siddur Pirchei Kodesh. My grandmother marks every simcha with the words: “Zeh HaYom asah Adonai. Nagilah v’nism’cha vo!” “This is the day the Eternal God has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!” Today feels like a simchah. To hold Siddur Pirchei Kodesh in our hands at last is indeed reason Read more »
Here is a taste of the new siddur we launched this past Shabbat morning– my preface at the outset of Siddur Pirchei Kodesh. PREFACE: Siddur Pirchei Kodesh With the publication of Siddur Pirchei Kodesh, Holy Blossom Temple has embraced the future. In the shadow of the bloodiest century in human history, when grave doubts about Divine existence and efficacy continue to harden hearts, we nonetheless assert the centrality of prayer. When few affirmations Read more »
Mondays, November 7, 14 and 21 at 7:30 pm. In Judaism, sacred study is a form of worship, of praising God, and marveling at the mysteries of God’s world. The newly launched Siddur Pirchei Kodesh is rich with texts – Biblical, Rabbinic, Medieval, and Modern. We’ll consider these and add our own voices, too, as we ask the eternal questions embedded in the prayerbook. Among them are: What does God do? What does God want from the Read more »
The children of Rabbi W. Gunther and Elizabeth Plaut---Judith Plaut, Rabbi Jonathan and Carol Plaut---remember their parents, and reflect on their decision to dedicate Siddur Pirchei Kodesh in their honour. Rabbi W. Gunther Plaut was rabbi of Holy Blossom Temple from 1961—1977, at which time he was named the synagogue’s Sr. Scholar. Today---November 1, 2011—he turns ninety-nine. Read more »
Sharyn Salsberg Ezrin and Hershell Ezrin, beloved members of our synagogue, regulars in shul, leaders of services here and in the homes of our members, together with the Plaut Family, have made this book possible with very generous financial support. Their motivation, while responsive to the communal need, is very personal---and their gift to our congregation, one that keeps alive the memory of loved ones. (Watch for an upcoming video on the Read more »
One generation shall acclaim your work to the next, and shall tell of Your mighty acts. -- Psalm 145:4 More than 12 years ago, the leadership of Holy Blossom Temple responded to a call for gender-inclusive prayer language in our worship services. This modest beginning grew into an immense project to revise and renew our prayer services for almost every day of the Jewish calendar, reflecting the unique and changing character of our congregation. Read more »
Learn with Cantor Maissner a beautiful melody for “El Adon”---the liturgy and melody part of the liturgical library of the Jews, and soon to be part of ours, too, at Holy Blossom. Siddur Pirchei Kodesh will have much already very familiar and some that is new. Learn “El Adon” here and be ready to sing it Shabbat morning October 29, 2011, 10:30 am! This is a book to have at home, no less than in shul. And it’s a book for dedications, Read more »
Enjoy these sample pages designed for this month of Ellul, as we prepare for the High Holy Days – L’Shanah Tovah! Click each of the thumbnail images below to enlarge. This is a book to have at home, no less than in shul. And it’s a book for dedications, to remember loved ones as well as to pay honour on special occasions. See below to order your copy of our Siddur Pirchei Kodesh. Please click here to order Siddur Pirchei Kodesh for your Read more »
Please watch this video interview with Rabbi Moscowitz and Rabbi Splansky, Siddur Editor, about the launch and value of Siddur Pirchei Kodesh to Our Community. This is a book to have at home, no less than in shul. And it’s a book for dedications, to remember loved ones as well as to pay honour on special occasions. See below to order your copy of our Siddur Pirchei Kodesh. Please click here to order Siddur Pirchei Kodesh for your home ◦ Please Read more »
Our new prayerbook is completed. Just the sixth siddur in the 150 plus years of Holy Blossom’s history, this is the only book we ourselves have produced. Infused with the ethos of the tradition and of Peoplehood, this book is most responsive to the contemporary moment. There are few siddurim in the liberal Jewish world to match Siddur Pirchei Kodesh for its fullness, its elegance, its Jewishness. This will be a siddur to cherish both Read more »
This is a book to have at home, no less than in shul. And it’s a book for dedications, to remember loved ones as well as to pay honour on special occasions. See below to order your copy of our Siddur Pirchei Kodesh. Please click here to order Siddur Pirchei Kodesh for your home ◦ Please click here to dedicate Siddur Pirchei Kodesh for use at the Temple Read more »