Why a New Siddur?
The purpose of a Siddur (prayerbook) is to make the prayer experience more accessible and meaningful to the worshiper. My prayer is that this new Siddur will do exactly that for a variety of people, from the experienced davener to the person who knows little or no Hebrew. Although there are many excellent Siddurim available in the world today, many of which were considered for purchase, none was able to address the full spectrum of people who come into Conservative and independent congregations. Nevertheless, change in something as sacred as a prayerbook can be challenging, and it is difficult to say goodbye to what surely feels like an old friend.
This new Siddur has the following features: a simple layout, usually with only one prayer on each page or set of two pages, traditional Hebrew text, linear, literally-oriented, full transliteration, titles for the main prayers, simple explanations, “stage instructions,” gender inclusiveness, and additional thoughts.
I am also very interested in your thoughts, which is why we are putting it onto the website. Browse at your leisure, correct mistakes, ask questions, and feel free to give me any feedback you might have!
L'shalom,
Rabbi Mark Bloom
