SS Shabbat 2005.3.10 - RRC

A Weekly Celebration of the Jewish Sabbath

Sacred SeasonsJewish Spiritual

Resources for EldersA Project of Hiddur: The Center for Aging

and Judaism of the Reconstructionist

Rabbinical College

D’vorah Lee bat-Hanina and Rabbi Deborah Waxman

SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual Resources for Elders—A Project of Hiddur: The Center for Aging and Judaism of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.© 2005. All rights reserved.

Hiddur: The Center for Agingand Judaism is dedicated todrawing upon Jewish traditionto enrich the lives of Jews asthey age. Hiddur advancesscholarship, trains rabbis, and,through national programsand resources, empowers eld-ers and their caregivers acrossthe entire spectrum of theJewish community throughlifelong learning (Torah), spiri-tual and religious engage-ment (avodah), and contri-bution to community (gemilut hasadim).

The Reconstructionist Rabbinical

College is committed to the Jewish

people, to Israel, to the Reconstruc-

tionist conception of Judaism as an

ebolbing religous civilization, and

to the advancement of universal

freedom, justice and peace. The Col-

lege’s primary mission is to train

rabbis, as well as other Jewish lead-

ers, to teach Torah in its broadest

terms and provide Jewish leadership

in congregations and in other roles

throughout the Jewish community.

The College strengthens the Jewish

community and broader society

through developing and dissemi-

nating new ideas, resources and

training opportunities.

The College supports the growth of

the Reconstructionist movement

and the furtherance of its ideas and

ideals throughout the Jewish world.

Mission Statement

Sacred Seasons: Jewish Spiritual Resources for Elders is a response to the greatspiritual challenges confronting older adults. Elders who face loss, isolation,frailty, and mortality are particularly in need of spiritual solace. Ritual andholiday observance offers elders—especially those living in residential facili-ties—a vitally important context for creating meaning, strengthening socialand religious connections, and obtaining support. Sacred Seasons addressesthe spiritual needs of Jewish elders by enabling them to celebrate Shabbat(the Sabbath), holidays, and other sacred occasions.

Each Sacred Seasons celebration kit contains a complete program for a par-ticular holiday or holy time. These programs are adaptable for either frailor well elders. Sacred Seasons enables activities/recreation or social workstaff, para-chaplains, chaplains, or volunteers to create a meaningful reli-gious and cultural experience for their setting’s Jewish elders.

Leaders can use this resource without any prior knowledge of Judaism orJewish practice. By introducing Sacred Seasons to your institution, you canbring joy and comfort to your residents.

Sacred Seasons celebration kits can be downloaded free of charge at the fol-lowing website: www.sacredseasons.org. There are instructions for download-ing files at the site. Compact disks with the music accompanying each SacredSeasons celebration kit can be ordered from the same site for $5.00 shippingand handling charges.

If you have any questions, please contact Hiddur: The Center for Aging and Judaism at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College:• by mail at RRC, 1299 Church Road, Wyncote, PA 19095• by e-mail at [email protected]• by telephone at 215-576-0800• by fax at 215-576-6143

1SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual Resources for Elders—A Project of Hiddur: The Center for Aging and Judaism of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.© 2005. All rights reserved.

Introduction

The Oneg Shabbat (Sabbath joy) celebration described in this celebration kitwill offer elders solace, joy, and a sense of community. Even very impairedindividuals will be able to feel a sense of wholeness as they participate in thejoy of Shabbat. This celebration kit includes everything you need to know tofacilitate a meaningful Shabbat (Sabbath) celebration: background on theholiday; detailed instructions for setting up and leading the celebration; asongsheet; optional readings; music; recipes and resource lists to help you tofind materials you’ll need. The celebration kit also includes suggestions forother activities that you can do in any setting in preparation for Shabbat. Youare entitled to reproduce any or all of the celebration kit for unlimited usewithin your organization; the Participant Handout is especially designed tobe reproduced for use during the celebration.

You do not need to have any prior knowledge of Judaism or experiencewith Jewish ritual to create an Oneg Shabbat celebration. You do not needto know Hebrew or how to pronounce the songs and blessings; you canuse the CD to “lead” them (or to teach you the songs and blessings, if youlike). All you really need is the desire to make a difference through facili-tating a beautiful spiritual experience for Jewish elders.

We are pleased to make available the Oneg Shabbat celebration. Shabbat shalom.

Sincerely,

Rabbi Dan Ehrenkrantz Rabbi Dayle FriedmanPresident DirectorReconstructionist Rabbinical College Hiddur: The Center

for Aging and Judaism

An artist cannot be continually wielding thebrush. The artist muststop painting at times tofreshen the vision of theobject, the meaning ofwhich is to be expressedon canvas. Living is also an art.The Shabbat representsthose moments when wepause in our brushworkto renew our vision ofthe object. Having doneso, we take ourselves to our painting withclarified vision andrenewed energy.

Mordecai M. Kaplan

Acknowledgments

We wish to express our thanks to authors, translators, adaptors, com-posers, and other copyright holders for permission to include or quotefrom works indicated below. Every effort has been made to identify copy-right holders and obtain permission from them. Works are listed by titlein alphabetical order.

“An Artist…” by Mordecai M. Kaplan. From The Meaning ofGod in Modern Jewish Religion. The Reconstructionist Press.

Translations of “Lechah Dodi,” “Yismechu Hashamayim,” Genesis 2:1-3, Exodus 31:16-17, Exodus 20:11, “Yismechu Bemalchutecha” by Joel Rosenberg. From Kol Haneshamah: Shabbat Vehagim, Elkins Park, PA: The Reconstructionist Press, ©1994, sixth printing 2002.

Translation of “Shalom Aleychem” by Burt Jacobson. From Kol Haneshamah.

“Shas Tkhines” Adapted from an anonymous translation of theShas Tkhines, a collection of women’s prayers in Yiddish. From Kol Haneshamah.

“Unending Love” by Rami M. Shapiro (Reconstructionist rabbi),published in Tangents. Used with permission by the author.

We are grateful to the following individuals who field tested this moduleand/or offered feedback. The project was greatly strengthened by theircomments and suggestions.

Christine Hallahan, Program Director, The Oaks Assisted LivingCenter (Genesis Healthcare)

Susan Flacker, Program Director, Temple Continuing Care Center

Lenore Silverman, Activities Director, Fairview Care Center(Genesis Healthcare)

Dan Clebes, Director of Therapeutic Recreation, The Towers atLogan Square East

Anita Steiner, Field Tester

Rabbi David Teutsch, Former President, ReconstructionistRabbinical College

Sacred Seasons was createdby D'vorah Lee bat-Haninaand supported by a grantfrom the RetirementResearch Foundation.

Project Director

Rabbi Leah Wald Zollman

Editor

Rabbi Deborah Waxman

Design

Jonathan Kremer

Music

Rabbi Margot Stein

Advisory Committee

Rabbi Linda Holtzman, chair

Rabbi Dayle Friedman

Rabbi Joel Alpert

Rabbi Dan Aronson


Table of Contents

This celebration kit contains the following components:

Leader PreparationBackground on Shabbat ......................................................................L.1

The Oneg Shabbat Program ................................................................L.2

Guidelines for the Program ................................................................L.4

Suggested Additional Programming Activities ....................................L.6

Transliteration Key..............................................................................L.7

Pronunciation Guide ..........................................................................L.8

Resources ..........................................................................................L.10

Recipes ..............................................................................................L.14

Musical Notations for Guitar ............................................................L.18

The ProgramSet Up ................................................................................................P.1

Annotated Leader’s Guide ..................................................................P.3

Participant HandoutSongs and Blessings ........................................................................H.1-6

Additional Readings........................................................................H.7-8

There is also a compact diskof songs and blessings thatcan be used to lead the pro-gram and/or as a learningtool for you to learn theblessings and the songs. For information, go towww.sacredseasons.org orcontact Hiddur: The Centerfor Aging and Judaism at(215) 576-0800.

Leader Preparation

L.1SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual Resources for Elders—A Project of Hiddur: The Center for Aging and Judaism of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.© 2005. All rights reserved.

Background on Shabbat, The Jewish Sabbath

Shabbat (Hebrew for the Sabbath, also pronounced Shabbes) is the holiestand most important day of the Jewish calendar except for Yom Kippur, theDay of Atonement (which is known as “the Sabbath of Sabbaths”). Becausethis holiday comes every week of the year, the celebration of Shabbat can bea treasured way in which Jews connect to their tradition and their people.This celebration kit contains information and materials you can use to cre-ate a regular Shabbat celebration for Jewish elders.

According to Jewish tradition, Jews rest on Shabbat as God rested on theseventh day after creating the world. Shabbat is a day of holiness that beginson Friday evening at sundown and continues through Saturday night.Traditionally, Jews refrain from work and business activities; Shabbat is atime to relax, visit with family and friends, eat special meals, worship andstudy. Synagogue worship services are held on both Friday evening andSaturday morning.

Shabbat can connect an older Jewish person to past and present. CelebratingShabbat each week allows the elderly Jew to connect to fond memories ofSabbaths shared with parents, spouse, children and friends. Observing thisspecial day can create a vital feeling of community and connection to Jewsall over the world who are also marking this holy time. In addition, markingShabbat may provide a positive sense of time at a point in life when time oth-erwise may feel empty.

Because of the importance of Shabbat in Judaism, it can be an excellentopportunity for your facility to establish ongoing relationships with localJewish youth groups, religious schools, synagogues and/or communalorganizations. You may want to recruit individuals or groups from theJewish community to lead or assist with the Oneg Shabbat celebration.

Heaven, earth, and all their beings werefinished. God completedon the seventh day thework that had beendone, and ceased uponthe seventh day from all the work that hadbeen done. God blessedthe seventh day and setit apart. For on it Godhad ceased from all the work that had beendone in carrying outCreation.

Genesis 2:1-3


The Oneg Shabbat Program (Joy of Sabbath)

A key aspect of Shabbat observance is welcoming the Sabbath on Fridayevening at home with a festive meal and special prayers and songs. TheOneg Shabbat (Joy of Sabbath) program presented here focuses on thishome aspect of Shabbat observance (as opposed to a synagogue worshipservice). If your facility is home to elders wishing to participate, this pro-gram is especially appropriate.

Oneg Shabbat is the joyful welcoming of Shabbat. The core of this celebra-tion, traditionally part of dinner on Friday evening, is chanting or recitingblessings over three ritual objects: candles, wine and hallah (special braidedegg bread). The lighting of the candles is the ritual action which marks thebeginning of the Sabbath. Kiddush, the blessing over wine, acknowledgesthe holiness of Shabbat and distinguishes it from the rest of the days of theweek. Hamotzi, the blessing over the hallah, offers thanks to God for pro-viding sustenance. This program includes these three blessings as well asadditional songs that can be incorporated into your program.

Lighting CandlesLighting and blessing Shabbat candles is traditionally a women's ritual,though men may also participate. This ritual may be particularly powerfulfor women. Lighting and blessing the candles may prompt memories ofmothers or grandmothers, providing a precious link to the past. Shabbatcandlesticks are important ritual objects; families often pass treasured setsfrom generation to generation. Individuals who have them may wish tolight Shabbat candles using their own candlesticks. However, any simpleset of candlesticks is acceptable; they do not have to be exclusively dedi-cated to or designed for Jewish ritual purposes, though many such ritualobjects exist and can be purchased through catalog companies or at localsynagogue gift shops (see Resources). Shabbat candles are traditionally 5”white wax tapers, available for purchase in the Jewish/ethnic food sectionof many supermarkets. Any single-wicked candles may be substituted, andusually the person conducting this ritual lights two candles.

The candles are first lit, and then the blessing is recited or sung. Somepeople cover their eyes while saying the blessing; some first make three cir-cles in air (drawing in the spirit of Shabbat toward themselves) before cov-ering their eyes; others simply light and recite. All of these customs areacceptable; some people are very attached to their customs.

The Sabbath is a queenwhose coming changes the humblest home into a palace.

Babylonian Talmud Shabbat 119a


According to Jewish law, once the candles are lit, they should not bemoved until they burn out. Fire codes and institutional regulations maynecessitate other arrangements, but please note that there is likely to besensitivity on this point. You may want to wait until participants have leftthe program area before extinguishing candles if this is the necessarycourse of action. If you cannot light candles, you may use an electricShabbat candelabrum or candlesticks, available through catalog companiesor local synagogue gift shops (see Resources).

Kiddush: Blessing over the WineA special cup is used for the kiddush, the blessing over grape juice or wine.According to tradition, this cup is filled until it overflows, representing theabundant blessings of life. As with Shabbat candlesticks, the kiddush cup isoften a treasured family heirloom; individuals may have their own, or spe-cial cups may be purchased (see Resources). A nice cup or goblet—silver,ceramic, glass—may also be used. You may use any kind of grape juice.One option is to use kosher grape juice. Kosher means the food is preparedaccording to Jewish dietary laws (called kashrut or kashrus). Kosher juicemay be found in the ethnic foods/kosher sections of supermarkets and willbe marked on the label with a or a .

At least one cup should be filled with grape juice for the leader, and other par-ticipants can also have disposable cups filled with juice. The person saying theblessing holds up the cup, recites or sings the blessing, and then sips the juice.Other participants may also hold up their cups during the blessing.

Food: Hallah for the Ritual & Suggested Dishes for the (Optional) MealBraided egg-bread, called hallah, is used at every Shabbat meal. It may beplain or contain raisins or be covered with poppy seeds or sesame seeds. Itis customary to keep the hallah covered with a decorative cloth until theblessing over it is recited. Decorative hallah covers may be purchased ormade; you may also use a napkin or handkerchief. The blessing is recitedfirst, and then the hallah is shared among all the participants by tearing orcutting it into small pieces. Hallah is a part of the ritual celebration ofShabbat and should not be omitted, even if no meal is part of the program.If you are unable to locate or prepare hallah, another bread may be used,though the flavor and appearance of hallah are particularly strong links tomemory and comfort.

Let Israel’s descendantskeep Shabbat, makingShabbat throughout all their generations, as an eternal bond. Between me and Israel’sdescendants shall it be a sign eternally. For insix days Adonay madeskies and earth, and on the seventh day God ceased and drew a breath of rest.

Exodus 31:16-17


The Friday night Shabbat meal may include chicken soup, roasted chicken,brisket, or fish. A noodle pudding called kugel is also traditional. Recipes havebeen included at the end of this section; participants may also wish to sharetheir own favorite recipes. However, participants do not need to have thesefoods to know that they are celebrating Shabbat.

Clothing: Ritual and FestiveMost men and some women may cover their heads for blessings and serv-ices; some participants may insist upon doing so. Men traditionally wear akippah (plural, kippot) in Hebrew or yarmulke in Yiddish. Some womenmay wear lace headcovers. Covering one’s head is seen as a sign of respectfor God. Yarmulkes are modestly priced (a few dollars for a dozen) and canbe ordered through catalogs (see Resources); local synagogues may alsodonate some upon request.

To honor Shabbat, it is customary to bathe and to wear clean, festiveclothes; some people like to wear white clothes. Shabbat clothes do notneed to be fancy. Jewelry or other special adornment can also add to a fes-tive feeling.

The Importance of Making Shabbat BeautifulOne way of honoring Shabbat is to surround oneself with especially beauti-ful things on this day. Special ritual objects such as kiddush cups, hallah cov-ers, bread knives, and hallah cutting-boards can all contribute to a sense ofthe specialness of the day. Vases of flowers, tablecloths, and/or festive dishesare also ways of beautifying Shabbat. (See Resources and SuggestedAdditional Programming Activities for more ideas and information on mak-ing Shabbat beautiful.)

Guidelines for the Program

The Role of the Program LeaderThe program leader facilitates the Oneg Shabbat celebration for the par-ticipants. The leader may be an activities staff member, social worker,family member or volunteer from the community. It is not necessary thatthe leader be Jewish or know the words to songs and prayers. You can usethe CD provided to “lead” the songs and blessings, or you can invite par-ticipants who know them to recite the blessings. All prayers can be reador sung in English or Hebrew. Keep in mind that the Hebrew language


and traditional melodies may be especially powerful means of connectingelders to memory and emotion.

Adjusting the length of this program to fit the participants’ level of function-ing, energy and interest will help them to participate. The more activities inwhich they are able to take part, the more participants will enjoy and benefitfrom the Oneg Shabbat celebration. Other ways to engage participantsinclude inviting them to clap their hands to the music; to read a prayer outloud to the rest of the group; to join together as a group to read prayers oradditional readings; to tell their favorite Shabbat stories; to enjoy the pleasantsmells and tastes of the food. With the leader’s assistance, each participant willdiscover meaningful involvement in the programming. For some, this maymean actually leading part or all of the program. The melodies of the bless-ings and songs will touch others particularly, and still others will connect tothe aromas and flavors of the hallah, juice, or other Shabbat foods. The leaderhelps to empower each elder to participate as fully as possible in these sacredmoments. In other words, as the leader, you are enabling Jewish elders to cel-ebrate Shabbat and to share a weekly moment of peace and joy.

Leadership by ParticipantsOne or more elders may be able to lead all or part of the enclosed programif the resources are made available to them. Elders’ range of Jewish knowl-edge, experience and comfort with ritual varies greatly. Do not assumeexpertise, but also do not hesitate to ask or empower elders to participate.These blessings are the ones that the greatest number of American Jews arelikely to know, especially women, since these are home-based rituals, andhome traditionally is the province of Jewish women, especially of the oldergeneration. As you begin to implement this program, you may want toinvite participants in advance to assist in leading the celebration. If theOneg Shabbat becomes a weekly or bi-weekly program, participation inleadership of the program may become more spontaneous.

Timing of ProgramShabbat begins at sundown on Friday night with the lighting of the candles,and this program is built around the blessings usually recited at the Fridaynight meal. From a strictly religious perspective, Friday evening is the idealtime to implement this program, but many other factors may determine yourschedule, including availability of program staff and the energy level andalertness of your participants at different points in the day. This program isa Friday program: you can determine the best time of day to implement it.


Suggested Additional Programming Activities

The following are ideas for activities you can do with elders in preparation forthe Oneg Shabbat celebration. Just as preparing for Shabbat or any holiday athome adds to its meaning, so too activities in your facility can add to the eld-ers’ anticipation and pleasure in the Oneg Shabbat celebration. All of theseprograms could be intergenerational programs and could be offered in col-laboration with local synagogues, youth groups, or school groups.

• Baking hallah and making Shabbat candles are lovely ritual activities thatcould become weekly events. Candles can be made by rolling sheets ofbeeswax with a wick in the middle. Hallah dough can be prepared bystaff in advance (see Recipes), or frozen dough may be purchased (seeResources), and elders can participate in its preparation by braiding itand coating it with egg, which gives it its glossy shine and helps to createa sense that it is a special bread for a special celebration.

• Decorating or making kiddush cups, candlesticks or hallah covers caneach be a special project which may be done over a period of weeks.Jewish ritual objects are often available at “paint your own” ceramicsoutlets or at craft stores; see also the Resources section for craft bookswhich provide easy and interesting projects.

• Setting the table and beautifying the dining room with flowers andother decorations can also be a meaningful weekly ritual.

• There may be special foods which participants would like to prepareon either an occasional or regular basis. Talk with them: many oftheir recipes are excellent and have been passed down over genera-tions. Many elders would be thrilled to have the opportunity to sharethese dishes with one another. For instance, chicken soup, a tradition-al Eastern European Jewish first course at the Friday night dinner, iseasy to make, and each individual is likely to have a different recipewhich he/she would enjoy sharing. (See also Recipes.)

• If the participant wishes, assist him/her in washing up before theOneg Shabbat celebration, and in dressing in a manner he/she feels isappropriate to the observance of Shabbat. This can be simple: an eldermay have a favorite pin or tie clip which, when worn, tells him or herthat “Today is Shabbat.”

In six days Adonaymade heaven and earthand sea, and all that isin them, and rested onthe seventh day;therefore Adonayblessed Shabbat andsanctified it.

Exodus 20:11


A Word About Hebrew PronunciationIn the American Jewish com-

munity, there are two different

systems of Hebrew pronuncia-

tion. This celebration kit uses

the Sephardi pronunciation

because it is the standard

adopted by the liberal Jewish

community in America.

The other mode is Ashkenazi,

or Eastern European Hebrew,

which is likely to be the ethnic

background of the great

majority of Jewish elders.

Ashkenazi pronunciation dif-

fers from Sephardi in that

many “t” sounds are pro-

nounced as “s,” and some ”a”

(as in “are”) sounds are often

pronounced as “o” (as in

“home”).

Both pronunciations are cor-

rect. Either way, participants

will recognize the Hebrew

used in this program and the

songs and the blessings on

this CD.

(not pronounced)bvg (as in “go”)dhvz (as in “Zion”)ch (as in “chanukah”)tykch (as in “baruch”

or “chanukah”)

lmns(not pronounced)pftz (as in “mitzvah”)krshst

Vowels

e (as in “bed”)

a (as in “are”)

u•t •t o (as in “store”)

u (as in “put”)

i (as in “sit”)

Dipthongs and Glides

ey (as in “they”)

ay (as in “bayou”)

uwi (u+i, pronounced

rapidly together)

oy (as in “toy”)

Those transliterations that have become accepted as standard or familiarEnglish have not been changed. Examples: Shabbat, siddur, sukkah, Kiddush.In these cases the doubling of the middle consonant has been kept eventhough the system of transliteration used here does not require it.

Transliteration Key

If you are unfamiliar with Hebrew, this key will explain how the varioussounds of Hebrew, transliterated into English characters, are pronounced.

Put on the CD, beginning with the first track and follow along in theleader’s manual. In addition to familiarizing you with the program, thiswill help you to learn the pronunciation of the prayers, blessing and songs.Remember, you do not have to know how to pronounce the Hebrew songsand blessings to lead the celebration; you can use the CD for this purpose.

Consonants


Pronunciation Guide

Hebrew is an ancient language that has its roots in the earliest writtenalphabets. It developed prior to Latin, which is the alphabet and languageon which all Romance languages (French, Spanish, Italian) and much ofEnglish is based. In Hebrew, consonants are the primary ways that mean-ing is communicated; vowels are not letters themselves, but appear above,below or in the middle of consonants.

If you have some familiarity with Hebrew, you may lead from the Hebrewtext that is included in all of the materials. You may also be aided in yourefforts by the transliterations (Hebrew transliterated into English charac-ters) that are provided. A transliteration key appears below to offer anintroduction and general assistance.

If you have little or no familiarity with Hebrew, here are some guidelines forreading the transliteration without reference to the Hebrew. Remember, youdo not need to know how to pronounce the Hebrew songs and blessings tolead this celebration; you can use the CD for this purpose.

Hebrew Letters and Sounds that Do Not Appear in EnglishThere are a few letters in Hebrew that have no exact correspondence withEnglish letters or sounds. The most common sound (which actually aris-es from two different letters) is transliterated in this celebration kit as“ch.” This is pronounced differently from the English pronunciation in“church.” The sound is made by making a gutteral sound in the center ofthe throat, similar to the way that Germans pronounce “ch” in such wordsas achtung or the name Bach. If the “ch” appears at the beginning of theword (as in Hanukkah), some people pronounce it as if it is an “h” (thisis the reason for the occasional spelling of Hanukah). If the “ch” appearsat the end of the word (as in baruch, meaning “blessed,” which appears inmost Hebrew prayers), it is important to enunciate it somehow so thatpeople know that you have finished saying the word. People sometimesmake a “k” sound when trying to make this sound; this occurs becausethey close their throats at the top. If this happens to you, try narrowingyour throat in the middle (as if you are clearing a tickle), breathe out, andgive the breath some sound.

There is also a letter that sounds like “tz,” as in the old Russian ruler, thetzar. The sound is familiar to us from English (as in the ending sound in“concerts”), though we make it by putting two letters together. Because itis a separate letter in Hebrew, it sometimes begins a word, which may lookunfamiliar to English speakers.


There are a few letters in Hebrew that have no sound; they are pronouncedonly when they have a vowel attached. This means that it is possible tohave two vowel sounds next to one another, which is a combination thatdoes not happen often in regular modern English (think of the old phrase“ne’er-do-well,” or a character actor drawing out the phrase “he’s ve-e-erytricky”). These instances are usually indicated either by an apostrophe (asin “ne’er”) or a hyphen (as in “ve-e-ery”). To pronounce them, just give aslight pause and then go on.

English Sounds that Do Not Appear in HebrewThere are certain sounds that are not used in Hebrew. The most commonis the “a” sound as it is pronounced in the word “gas” or “has.” If you seean “a” on its own, it is almost always pronounced as the “a” sound in “are”or “cardinal.”

There is no “w” in Hebrew. This means there is no unique “w” sound tobegin a word. There is also no sound like the long “o” sound in “show”(which is how many Americans pronounce many “o” sounds, even thosewithout an actual “w” on the end).

Interesting FactsThere are three letters in Hebrew that are pronounced differently depend-ing on their punctuation. These are B/V, P/F, Ch/K. This difference inpronunciation does not change their meaning. Don’t be surprised (orassume a typographical error) if you see two words or phrases that appearalmost identical except for one letter; trust the transliteration.

A Few Words about PronunciationIn the American Jewish community, there are two different systems ofHebrew pronunciation. This celebration kit uses the Sephardi pronuncia-tion because it is the standard adopted by the liberal Jewish community inAmerica. There is a preference in the Sephardi pronunciation of Hebrewfor the stress to usually fall on the last syllable of a word. (Usually, Englishfavors stressing the first syllable of a word.)

The other mode is Ashkenazi, or Eastern European Hebrew, which is like-ly to be the ethnic background of the great majority of Jewish elders.Ashkenazi pronunciation differs from Sephardi in that many “t” sounds arepronounced as “s,” and some “a” (as in “are”) sounds are often pronouncedas “o” (as in “home”). Different syllables are occasionally accented than inthe Sephardi pronunciation.


One of the most common differences in pronunciations is the Hebrewname of God. Sephardi pronunciation is “Adonay,” with a sound like “sky”at the end. Ashkenazi pronunciation is “Adonoy,” with a sound like “toy”at the end.

Both modes of pronunciation are correct. Either way the blessings are pro-nounced, participants will recognize the Hebrew used in this program andthe songs and blessings on the CD.

Resources

For More Information on this ProjectGo to our website www.sacredseasons.org, or contact Hiddur: The Center for Aging and Judaism at theReconstructionist Rabbinical College:

• by e-mail at [email protected]• by telephone at 215-576-0800• by fax at 215-576-6143.

For More Information on this Holiday“Sabbath.” The Book of Jewish Knowledge. Nathan Ausubel. New York:Crown Publishers, 1964.

This article examines Shabbat from historical, religious and social perspectives. Jewish views on Shabbat from across the ages are included.Various Shabbat practices are considered (cessation from work andother activities, communal worship, etc.), and the latter half of the arti-cle explains in greater detail many of the rituals and practices includedin this program (candlelighting, dressing up, etc.) as well as the early20th-century Oneg Shabbat program on which this program is based.

“Shabbat.” The First Jewish Catalog. Ed. Richard Siegel, Michael Strassfeld, SharonStrassfeld. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1973.

This article contrasts the idea of Shabbat rest with work and explores thetransition between “regular” days of the week and the Sabbath. Practicesfor the entire 25-hour cycle of Shabbat are included; the discussion ofFriday night practices will be particularly helpful for gaining a deeperunderstanding of the rituals and practices included in this program.

Gates of Shabbat: A Guide for Observing Shabbat. Mark Dov Shapiro.New York: Central Conference of American Rabbis, 1991.

This book provides deeper explanations for each of the practices


included in this program, as well as others not included. The Fridaynight section will be particularly helpful. There is an excellent selectionof readings and meditations, and a useful section outlining the mitzvot(commandments) behind Shabbat observance.

The Shabbat Seder. Dr. Ron Wolfson. New York: The Federation ofJewish Men’s Clubs, 1985.

Much of this book is dedicated to brief, first-person accounts of experi-ences of Shabbat, which may be a helpful tool in gaining understandingof how and why Jews observe the Sabbath. Each piece of the programincluded in this celebration kit is broken down in a more in-depth way(concepts, objects, practice, practical questions and answers, andsources).

An Invitation to Shabbat: A Beginner’s Guide to Weekly Celebration.Ruth Perelson. New York: Union of American Hebrew CongregationsDepartment of Education, 1997.

This book offers guidance for people who are new to celebratingShabbat, as well as those who would like to expand their celebration.In addition to its sections on the history, traditions, blessings, and rituals involved in celebrating Shabbat at home, the book includesinspiring essays on the personal meaning authors find in Shabbat, a useful bibliography on Shabbat resources, and sheet music and anaccompanying CD for both Erev Shabbat and Havdalah blessings.

Activity Books for ShabbatMany of these projects, while designed for children, are appropriate foradults. Please adapt crafts projects to support the dignity of participants’adulthood.

Corwin, Judith Hoffman. Jewish Holiday Fun. New York, NY: Simonand Schuster, 1986.

Goodman, Roberta Louis and Zell, Andye Honigmann. Head Start onHolidays. Denver, CO: A.R.E. Publishing, 1991.

Kops, Simon. Fast, Clean and Cheap. Los Angeles, CA: Torah AuraProductions, 1989.

Magnus, Joann. An Artist You Don’t Have To Be! New York, NY:UAHC Press, 1990.


These publishers may also have other titles:• Behrman House, www.behrmanhouse.com, 1-800-221-2755• Torah Aura Productions, www.torahaura.com, 1-800-238-6724 • Kar-Ben Copies, Inc., www.kar-ben.com, 1-800-452-7236• A.R.E. Publishing, Inc., www.arepublish.com, 1-800-346-7779

MusicPlaying Shabbat music as participants gather to begin the celebration may help to create a festive mood. You can play one of the songs on theaccompanying CD, or you can purchase additional CDs or cassettes. An excellent resource for Jewish music is Tara Publications www.jewishmusic.com, 1-800-827-2400. Suggested CD titles includeZ’mirot Sing Along, A Taste of Shabbos, and Celebrate Shabbat!

Community ResourcesLocal Jewish organizations may be a resource in terms of answering ques-tions, providing volunteers, locating appropriate ritual objects, and sug-gesting books and programs. The yellow pages of your local phone direc-tory may be a good place to start (look under “Synagogues” or, in the“Social Service Organization” section, check under “Jewish.”) You maycontact the Jewish federation, the Board of Rabbis, and local synagogues.

Purchasing Ritual ItemsYou or the participants may wish to purchase or create such Jewish ritualitems as candlesticks (for tapers or electric); kiddush (wine) cups; hallahcovers; hallah plates; hallah knives; yarmulkes (skullcaps). Ritual itemsyou will use each time you conduct this program and will need toreplenish include: Shabbat candles; wine or grape juice, and hallah.

• The local Jewish federation (see above) can provide assistance inlocating these items.

• A local Jewish bookstore or synagogue gift shop may carry these itemsor help you order them.

• Items may also be purchased through catalog companies, many ofwhich also have web sites. Some recommendations include:

– J. Levine Judaica, www.levinejudaica.com, 1-800-553-9474– Hamakor Judaica: The Source for Everything Jewish,

www.jewishsource.com, 1-800-552-4088


• Hallah: This can be purchased at a local kosher/Jewish bakery, and somesynagogues special order them for their congregants and would proba-bly be willing to accommodate your order as well. Some supermarketsand bakeries/bread shops carry hallah throughout the week or stock itspecially on Thursday or Friday in preparation for the Sabbath. Yourlocal Jewish federation can provide assistance in locating bakeries. Youmight also wish to purchase frozen kosher hallah dough from the super-market. Elders could then knead, braid, and glaze the dough with egg.

• Kosher wine and/or grape juice. Ask for assistance at your local liquorstore to locate kosher wine. Kosher grape juice may be located in theethnic foods/kosher section of supermarkets. It will include a or a

on the label, indicating that it has been prepared according toJewish dietary laws.


Recipes

Hallah (braided egg bread)The first recipe is for bread made by hand. The second recipe mixes the dough in a food processor.

Hallah by handIngredients:

9 cups of white flour (divided use)11/4 cup sugar3 packages of dry yeast1 T salt21/2 cups lukewarm water1/2 cup vegetable oil4 eggsbeaten egg (for coating)poppy or sesame seeds (optional)

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine 21/2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, salt, water andoil. Mix well.

2. Add eggs and 11/2 cups of flour. Mix well.3. Add remaining flour, one cup at a time, mixing between cups.4. Knead well on a floured surface until dough is smooth and silky.5. Let rise in a warm place, covered with a towel, for 2-21/2 hours.

(You may want to wipe the sides and bottom of the bowl with oil sothat the dough will not stick.)

6. Working on a surface dusted with flour, divide dough into threebatches (for three large loaves).

7. Divide each batch into three parts and roll each part into a longstrand. Pinch three strands together at one set of ends, braid the threestrands, and pinch ends together. Repeat for other batches.

8. Brush each loaf with beaten egg. Sprinkle with poppy or sesame seeds.9. Bake in oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes or

until browned (should sound hollow when tapped on bottom).


Hallah in a food processor (use steel knife)Ingredients:

3 cups flour (plus additional if necessary)1/2 cup warm water (105-115 degrees Fahrenheit)1 package dry yeast (1/3 cake fresh)2-3 T sugar or 1/3 cup honey 1 teaspoon salt1/3 cup vegetable oil2 eggs1/4 cup lukewarm waterbeaten egg poppy or sesame seeds (optional)

Directions:

1. Dissolve sugar in 1/2 cup warm water. Sprinkle yeast into the water andlet stand 8-10 minutes. Stir to dissolve.

2. Place flour, sugar and salt in processor. Pour dissolved yeast mixtureover dry ingredients and process 12-15 seconds. While machine isrunning, add oil and eggs through the feed tube and process untilblended, about 10 seconds.

3. Add water slowly if necessary and process until the dough gathers andforms a ball around the blade. Have an additional 1/3 –1/2 cup flour onhand in case the machine begins to slow down; add through the feedtube if necessary. (The amount of flour will vary depending onwhether large or extra large eggs are used, and on the humidity.)

4. Let the machine knead the dough for about 30 more seconds after theball stage is reached. The dough should be slightly sticky. Turn thedough out onto a lightly floured board. Knead for 1-2 minutes, untildough is smooth and elastic. Try to add just enough flour to preventthe dough from sticking to your hands or to the board.

5. Round up the dough into a large greased bowl, cover with foil or atowel, and let rise in a warm place until it doubles in bulk. Punchdown. If you have time, let the dough rise again, or shape at this point.

6. Follow directions from #7 in previous recipe, for one batch ofbread dough.

Hallah in a food processormakes one large loaf


Kugel (Noodle Pudding)There are many variations on this noodle pudding, some sweet, somesavory. Here is a low-fat version of the sweet, dairy version from“Cooking Light” magazine.

Ingredients:

1 cup cottage cheese, low- or non-fat1 cup vanilla yogurt, low- or non-fat1/2 cup packed brown sugar1/2 cup light cream cheese1/2 teaspoon salt (may be omitted)1/2 teaspoon cinnamon1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract2 large eggs, lightly beaten2 large egg whites, lightly beaten4 cups cooked egg noodles (8 oz dry)—medium widthCooking spray

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.2. Combine first 9 ingredients in a large bowl.

Add noodles and toss gently to coat.3. Spoon noodle mixture into a 13” x 9” baking dish that has been

coated with cooking spray.4. Cover and bake for 1 hour. 5. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Kugel (Noodle Pudding)Yield: 24 servings


Chicken SoupIngredients:

2 cut-up fryers (could be skinned for a lower fat soup*)2 onions, peeled1-2 parsnips, peeled, left whole6 celery stalks, with leaves2 pounds carrots, peeled, cut in half3 sprigs fresh dill1/2 bunch fresh parsley4 cloves garlic, peeled1 T salt (optional)fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In large stock pot, place chicken and salt in 4 quarts of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

2. Skim top if necessary.3. Add remaining ingredients except pepper and simmer, covered,

until vegetables are tender.4. Remove chicken and carrots to a bowl. Strain soup through a cheese

cloth-lined collander.5. Return carrots to broth. If desired, cut some of the chicken into cubes or

shred it and add to soup. Reserve the rest of the chicken for another use.6. For chicken noodle soup, add cooked fine noodles to broth.

* To remove fat, preparesoup the night before orearly in the day, chill thesoup and skim fat off thetop. A quicker version is towrap ice cubes in cheesecloth or a thin towel andskim the top of the soup.The fat will congeal on thecold towel as you skim thesurface.

Shalom Aleychem CD track #3

Dm...................Shalom aleychemAm....................................Malachey hasharet malachey elyonDm........Am.....................Mimelech malchey hamelachim Gm.....................Amhakadosh baruch hu

Shabbat Shalom CD track #9

Dm..........Gm...Shabbat shalomDm..........Gm..Shabbat shalomDm.............Gm......................Dm...Am..DmShabbat shabbat shabbat shabbat shalom


Musical Notation for GuitarHere are chords for the songs accompanied by guitar on the enclosed CD.

Mah Yafeh HayomCD track #1

C.................F.....G................C Ma yafeh hayom shabbat shalomC.................F.....Shabbat shabbat shalomG................C................Shabbat shabbat shalom..................F............C...Shabbat shabbat shalom G.................C...Shabbat shalom

Yismechu HashamayimCD track #6

Dm……………..A7…DmYismechu hashamayim ………………C7…..FYismechu hashamayim ………………D7…GmYismechu hashamayim ….Dm…A7….Dmvetagel ha’aretz Dm..Gm….DmYiram hayam Dm..Gm….DmYiram hayam Dm………………..DmYiram hayam umelo’o

The Program

P.1SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual Resources for Elders—A Project of Hiddur: The Center for Aging and Judaism of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.© 2005. All rights reserved.

Set Up

Materials Needed• two Shabbat candles

• candlesticks and matches or electric candlabrum

• wine or grape juice

• kiddush cup for the leader or a nice cup or goblet

• small disposable cups to be distributed among participants to drinkafter blessing the wine or grape juice (see note)

• 1 or 2 loaves of hallah (braided egg bread) or regular bread

• hallah cover or napkin or handkerchief to cover hallah

• yarmulkes (skullcaps) for men and women

• master copies of participant handout (included in celebration kit) andof extra readings as necessary

Timing of ProgramWhile this celebration is traditionally held on Friday evening after sun-down in conjunction with a special evening meal, you may adapt it tomeet the needs and realities of the elders with whom you work. Dependingon the needs of participants and your resources, you may prefer to have itFriday afternoon, or even Friday morning (for those who are most alertearlier in the day).

Optimal Length of Program (Not Including Meal)30 minutes (can be longer or shorter, depending on the level of function-ing and attention of participants)

Note: If you have more than10 participants in the pro-gram, pour these cups anddistribute them before theprogram begins, since thiscan be time-consuming anddisruptive. If you are con-cerned about spills or aboutpeople drinking them out oforder, another option is topour them in advance anddistribute them when theblessing is recited.


Arrangement of RoomIf the program is to be followed by a meal:

• Tables and chairs can be arranged as they normally would be for theevening meal. Chairs should be placed so that all participants can seethe program leader.

• Tablecloths can enhance a festive atmosphere.

• Flowers or other plants on the tables may add to the specialness ofthe day.

If the program will occur in a setting other than a dining room:

• Chairs may be arranged in a circle, semi-circle, or auditorium-style. If tables are available, chairs can be set up around them.

In any setting:

• If participants have made craft items related to Shabbat, hangingthem or otherwise placing them around the dining room or the activ-ity room where the Shabbat observance is taking place will add to thecelebratory mood. If students or others from the community havedonated decorative items, use these also.

• Place songsheets and readings at participants’ places.


Annotated Oneg Shabbat Leader’s Guide

Below is a program outline, for use in conjuction with the participanthandout and the compact disk. The outline includes a full program ofblessings, songs, and readings. You can incorporate all of the materials intoyour program as well as additional readings or songs, or you can choose afew selections for a more abbreviated program. Here are a few guidelinesfor making your choices.

• Participants should receive copies of the participant handout foundin this celebration kit, which you are free to reproduce. References tothe CD tracks and song numbers on the participant handout areincluded. The outline is designed so that you do not have to lookback and forth between two documents (this one and the participanthandout), but you may want to have a copy of the handout by yourside.

• All three of the blessings—over the candles, the wine, and thebread—should be included in any program you put together. Theseare the only pieces of the program that are actually required, and theyare labelled “Essential” in the outline below. These blessings alone,recited immediately before Friday night dinner, can constitute a com-plete program on their own. (Instructions for leading the blessingsand a breakdown of order and action for each blessing are included.)

• With a more impaired population, you may want to wait to distributegrape juice or hallah to participants until the blessing has been recitedso that they do not consume the item before the appropriate time.

• Songs are optional and can be included, excluded or substituted asappropriate. Participants may have their own favorite songs to wel-come Shabbat, and you may want to create some time in the pro-gram for a different individual to share a song each week. This kitincludes only a handful of the hundreds of Hebrew and Yiddishsongs that celebrate Shabbat.

• Storytelling can add to this program. You may want to encourage par-ticipants to tell brief stories about their experiences around Shabbat.


I. WelcomeOffer a few words of welcome to participants, family and friends to this Oneg Shabbat program, to this celebration of the Jewish Sabbath.

Traditional greetings are:• shabbat shalom (Hebrew for “a peaceful and welcome Sabbath”)• gut shabbes (Yiddish for “good Sabbath”)You may also invite a participant or guest to read a piece from the selected readings.

II. Song to Welcome Shabbat (Optional)Mah Yafeh Hayom• Refer participants to handout and invite one or more to lead the song,

on their own or accompanied by the CD; or• Lead the song yourself, with or without accompaniment of the CD; or• Play the CD; or• Invite a participant to sing a Shabbat song not included in the celebration

kit.

Mah yafeh hayom shabbat shalom.

How wonderful the day is! A peaceful and welcome Sabbath.

III. Blessing: Kindling the Shabbat Candles (Essential)Blessing over CandlesLight candles first:• Invite a participant to come to the candles and light them; or • Light them yourself.Then bless the candles:• The individual(s) lighting the candles may recite or sing the blessing,

from memory or by using the participant handout; or• Recite the blessing in Hebrew and English yourself, on your own

or by inviting those present to recite with you; or• Play CD track #2.

You Will Need: • Yarmulkes• Participant Handouts

II. Participant Handout #1CD Track #1

Participants may have theirown favorite songs to wel-come Shabbat, and you maywant to create some time inthe program for a differentindividual to share a songeach week.

III. Participant Handout #2CD Track #2

You will need: • 2 Shabbat candles• candlesticks• matches OR• electric candelabrum


Baruch atah adonay eloheynu melech ha’olam asher kideshanubemitzvotav vetzivanu lehadlik ner shel shabbat.

Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Ruler of the universe, who has made us holy with your mitzvot, and commanded us to kindle the Shabbat light.

IV. Shabbat Songs (Optional) Include one or both of the following songs.• Refer participants to handout and invite one or more to lead the song,

on their own or accompanied by the CD; or• Lead the song using the CD or on your own; or• Play the CD; or• Invite a participant to sing a Shabbat song not included in the celebrationkit.

A. Shalom Aleychem

Shalom aleychem malachey hasharet malachey elyonMimelech malchey hamelachim hakadosh baruch hu.

Welcome among us, messengers of shalom, angels of the Highest One,From deep within us, Majesty of majesties, the blessed Holy One.

This celebration kitincludes only a handful ofthe hundreds of Hebrewand Yiddish songs that cel-ebrate Shabbat.

Sing Shabbat songs a capella, with CD or see guitar chords

IV. A. Participant Handout #3CD track #3


B. Lechah Dodi

Lechah dodi likrat kalah peney shabbat nekabelah. (2x)

Shamor vezachor bedibur echad hishmi’anu el hamyuchadAdonay echad ushmo echad leshem ultiferet velit-hilah.

Bo’i veshalom ateret balah gam besimchah uvtzoholahToch emuney am segulah bo’i chalah bo’i chalah.

Chorus: O, come, my friend, let’s greet the bride,The Sabbath Presence bring inside.

“Keep” and “Remember” in a sole commandThe solitary God did us command“I AM!” is one, the Name is one,In name, in splendor, and in praise.

O, come in peace, O divine crown,With joy, rejoicing, and with mirth,Amid the faithful, loved by God,Come in, O bride, come in, O bride!

IV.B. Participant Handout #4CD track #4

O, come, my friend, let’s greet the bride,The Sabbath Presencebring inside.


V. Kiddush—Blessing the Wine (Essential)The blessing is first recited and then the grape juice or wine is sipped. Theperson leading the blessing uses the ritual kiddush cup filled with grapejuice, while everyone else can use small, disposable cups. The cups of grapejuice are held up while the blessing is recited or sung.• Invite a participant to lift the leader’s kiddush cup and recite or sing the

blessing, from memory or by using the participant handout; or• Lift the kiddush cup, recite the blessing in Hebrew and English yourself,

on your own or by inviting those present to recite with you; or • Play CD track #5.

Baruch atah adonay eloheynu melech ha’olam borey peri hagafen.

Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Ruler of the universe,who creates the fruit of the vine.

VI. Additional Content (Optional)Choose from one or all of the options below. Option 1: Sing one or both of the songs included below.

• Refer particpants to handout and invite one or more participantsto lead the song, on their own or accompanied by the CD; or

• Lead the song using the CD or on your own; or• Play the CD; or• Invite a participant to sing a Shabbat song not included

in the celebration kit.A. Yismechu Hashamayim

Yismechu hashamayim vetagel ha’aretz yiram hayam umelo’o.

Let the heavens rejoice and the earth be glad,The sea exult in its fullness.

V. Participant Handout #5CD track #5

You will need:• Wine or grape juice• Kiddush cup/nice cup/

goblet• Small disposable cups

With a more impaired population, you may wantto wait to distribute grapejuice to participants untilthe blessing has beenrecited so that they do notconsume the item before the appropriate time.

Storytelling can add to this program. You may want toencourage participants totell brief stories about their experiences aroundShabbat.

VI. A. Participant Handout #6CD track #6


B. Yismechu Bemalchutecha

Yismechu bemalchutecha shomrey shomrey shomrey shabbat vekorey oneg shabbat. (3X)

Those who keep Shabbat enjoy your realm, They call Shabbat the summit of delight.

Option 2: Choose a reading from the “Additional Readings” section at the back of this celebration kit.• Invite a participant to read it to the group; or• Read it to the group yourself.

Option 3: Invite one or more of those present to offer reminiscences aboutShabbat, e.g., what do participants remember about Shabbatfrom their childhoods? What are favorite smells, sounds, tastes ofShabbat? What was a really happy Shabbat? What was the bestShabbat they ever experienced?

VII. HaMotzi: The Blessing over Hallah (Essential)HaMotzi

The hallah is uncovered and held up, and the blessing is recited. • Invite one or more participants to come forward and bless the

hallah, from memory or by using the participant handout; or• Recite the blessing in Hebrew and English on your own or by

inviting everyone present to recite with you; or• Play CD track #8.

After the blessing, cut or tear the hallah into pieces and distribute it to everyone to eat.

VI. B. Participant Handout #7CD track #7

VII. Participant Handout #8CD track #8

You will need:• Hallah• Hallah cover/napkin/

handkerchief


Baruch atah adonay eloheynu melech ha’olam hamotzi lechem min ha’aretz.

Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Ruler of the universewho brings forth bread from the earth.

VIII. Shabbat Wishes (Optional)Wish the participants “Shabbat Shalom” or “Gut Shabbes.” Invite participants to:• extend greetings to one another; and/or• to take a moment to turn to a neighbor to shake hands; and/or • to speak with one another.

IX. Closing Song (Optional)Shabbat Shalom

• Invite one or more participants to lead the song, on their own or accompanied by the CD; or

• Lead the song using the CD or on your own; or• Play the CD; or• Invite a participant to sing a Shabbat song not included in the celebration

kit.

Bim bam, bim bim bim bam, bim bim bim bim bim bam (2X)Shabbat shalom (2X), Shabbat (4X) shalomShabbat (4X) shalom, Shabbat (4X) shalomShabbat shalom (2X), Shabbat (4X) shalom

A peaceful and welcome Sabbath.

X. Serve a Shabbat Meal (Optional)

The Sabbath is a queenwhose coming changes the humblest home into a palace.

Babylonian Talmud Shabbat 119a

IX. Participant Handout #9CD track #9

Songs and BlessingsParticipant Handout

Songs and Blessings

1. Mah Yafeh Hayom

Mah yafeh hayom shabbat shalom.

How wonderful the day is!


2. Kindling the Shabbat Candles

Baruch atah adonay eloheynu melech ha’olam

asher kideshanu bemitzvotav vetzivanu lehadlik

ner shel shabbat.

Blessed are You, Eternal our God,

Ruler of the universe, who has made us

holy with Your mitzvot, and commanded

us to kindle the Shabbat light.

H.1


3. Shalom Aleychem

Shalom aleychem malachey hasharet malachey elyonMimelech malchey hamelachim hakadosh baruch hu.

Welcome among us, messengers of shalom,

Angels of the Highest One,

From deep within us, Majesty of majesties,

The blessed Holy One.


H.2

4. Lechah Dodi

Lechah dodi likrat kalah peney shabbat nekabelah. (2x)Shamor vezachor bedibur echad, hishmi’anu el hamyuchad

Adonay echad ushmo echad, leshem ultiferet velit-hilah.Bo’i veshalom ateret balah, gam besimchah uvtzoholah

Toch emuney am segulah, bo’i chalah bo’i chalah.

Chorus: O, come, my friend, let’s greet the bride,

The Sabbath Presence bring inside.

H.3


(Lechah Dodi continued)

“Keep” and “Remember” in a sole command

The solitary God did us command.

“I AM!” is one, the Name is one,

In name, in splendor, and in praise.

O, come in peace, O divine crown,

With joy, rejoicing, and with mirth,

Amid the faithful, loved by God,

Come in, O bride, come in, O bride!

5. Kiddush—Blessing the Wine

Baruch atah adonay eloheynu melech ha’olam borey peri hagafen.

Blessed are You, Eternal our God,

Ruler of the universe, who creates

the fruit of the vine.

H.4


6. Yismechu Hashamayim

Yismechu hashamayim (3X) vetagel ha’aretz Yiram hayam (3X) umelo’o.

Let the heavens rejoice and the earth be glad,

The sea exult in its fullness.

7. Yismechu Bemalchutecha

Yismechu bemalchutecha shomrey shomrey shomrey shabbat vekorey oneg shabbat. (3X)

Those who keep Shabbat enjoy your realm,

They call Shabbat the summit of delight.

H.5


8. HaMotzi—The Blessing over Hallah

Baruch atah adonay eloheynu melech ha’olam hamotzi lechem min ha’aretz.

Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Ruler of the universe,

who brings forth bread from the earth.

9. Shabbat Shalom

Bim bam, bim bim bim bam, bim bim bim bim bim bam (2X)

Shabbat shalom (2X)Shabbat (4X) shalomShabbat (4X) shalomShabbat (4X) shalomShabbat shalom (2X)

Shabbat (4X) shalom


H.6


Additional ReadingsParticipant Handout

Additional Readings

1. The Sabbath QueenThe sun on the treetops is no longer seen;Come, gather to welcome the Sabbath,

our queen!Behold her descending, the holy, the blessed,And with her the angels, of peace and of rest.Draw near, O queen, and here abide;Draw near, draw near, O Sabbath bride.Peace be unto you, O angels of peace.

2. Shas TkhinesAlmighty God,Grant me and all my loved ones A chance truly to rest on this Shabbat.May the light of the candles drive out

from among us The spirit of anger, the spirit of harm. Send your blessings to my children,That they may walk in the ways of YourTorah,

Your light.

H.7

Chaim Nachman Bialik (adapted from a translation by A. Irma Cohen)

translator unknown


3. Unending LoveWe are loved by an unending love.We are embraced by arms that find useven when we are hidden from ourselves.

We are touched by fingers that soothe useven when we are too proud for soothing.We are counseled by voices that guide useven when we are too embittered to hear.We are loved by an unending love.

We are supported by hands that uplift useven in the midst of a fall.We are urged on by eyes that meet useven when we are too weak for meeting.We are loved by an unending love.

Embraced, touched, soothed, and counseled…ours are the arms, the fingers, the voices;ours are the hands, the eyes, the smiles;We are loved by an unending love.


Rami M. Shapiro

H.8

A CELEBRATION OF THE JEWISH SABBATH

Evaluation

Demographics

1. What kind of setting is your facility?

Nursing home Assisted living Retirement community Adult day care Community

2. What percentage of the population you serve is Jewish?80-100 percent 60-80 percent 40-60 percent 20-40 percent 0-20 percent

3. With what population was Sacred Seasons used in your setting?High-functioning, independent elders Moderately functioning elders Impaired elders

Questions for Program Director or Supervisor

4.Who was the program leader for the Sacred Seasons Program?Recreation therapist Volunteer Resident’s family member Other staff Other

5. Was the program leader Jewish? Yes No

If no, was the program leader familiar with the celebration of the Jewish sabbath? Yes No

6. How did you select or recruit a program leader?

7. Were the directions for the set-up of the program clear and easy to implement?

Very clear Clear Somewhat unclear Unclear

8. Did the Program Leader’s Annotated Guide enable the leader to implement the program independently?

He or she was: Very independent Independent Somewhat dependent Needed intensive supervision

9. Was the material easy to download off the website? Yes No Any problems?

10. How many times has the program been offered at your facility? ________

11. Would you like to receive more Sacred Seasons materials for Jewish elders?

Yes No

If yes, on what topics?


12. Would you recommend Sacred Seasons to colleagues? Yes No

13. Would leadership training on Sacred Seasons materials be helpful? Yes No

14. What other needs do you se in your population for Jewish connection and spiritual expression?

Questions for Program Leader

15. How farmiliar were you with the Jewish sabbath prior to using Sacred Seasons?

Very familiar Familiar Somewhat familiar Not familiar

16. How easy were the materials to use?

Very easy Easy Moderately difficult Difficult

17. What might make the materials easier to use or more accessible?

18. How did the participants respond to the program?

19. What kind of participation did you notice?

Singing along Leading parts of the celebration Tapping fingers or toes Demonstrating recognition or familiarity

20.Other comments or suggestions.

Name

Address

City State Zip

Email Phone


Supporting Sacred Seasons

I/we would like to help bring Jewish celebration and communityto more Jewish elders through Sacred Seasons.

Enclosed is my tax-deductible contribution payable to Hiddur—RRC:

$540 $360 $180 $72 $36 Other

Name

Address

City State Zip

Email

Please charge my:

Visa Mastercard Account #

Signature Exp. Date

Please send your donation

to Hiddur: The Center

for Aging and Judaism at

the Reconstructionist

Rabbinical College

1299 Church Road

Wyncote, PA 19095

SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual

Resources for Elders—A Project of

Hiddur: The Center for Aging


Rabbinical College

A Weekly Celebration of the Jewish Sabbath

Jewish Spiritual Resources for Elders

A Project of Hiddur: The Center for Aging


Rabbinical College

Reconstructionist Rabbinical College1299 Church RoadWyncote, Pennsylvania 19095215-576-0800www.rrc.edu

In six days Adonay made heaven

and earth and sea, and all that is

in them, and rested on the seventh

day; therefore Adonay blessed

Shabbat and sanctified it.—Exodus 20:11

Sacred SeasonsJewish Spiritual

Resources for EldersA Project of Hiddur: The Center for Aging


Rabbinical College

Additional Sacred SeasonsCelebration Kits:

Hanukkah

Passover

SS Shabbat 2005.3.10 - RRC

Documents

Transcript of SS Shabbat 2005.3.10 - RRC