Temple B'nai Israel has conducted Jewish renewal services for over the past two and one half years. This overview is a brief explanation of how renewal services differ from traditional services. Both services have the same goals but how they reach those goals is down different paths.

The Jewish Renewal "Movement's" aim is to discover the modern meaning of Judaism as a spiritual practice. It sees itself as transdenominational, a tendency that transcends the boundaries of the various movements. Jewish renewal draws heavily on the thought of Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, which is a loving critique of the limitations of traditional Rabbinic Judaism and a call to continue the ongoing renewal of Jewish life in our time, as the Talmudic rabbis did in theirs. It seeks a spiritual vitality because of its view of Judaism as an evolving religious civilization. In its evolution, it also borrows from Kabbalah, the spirituality of Native Americans, and of West African cultures.

Jewish renewal acts to fully include all Jews and to respect all peoples. Jewish renewal helps to heal the world by promoting justice, freedom, responsibility, caring for all life and the earth that sustains all life —in Hebrew it is called “Tikkun Olam.”

Jewish renewal is committed to a fully egalitarian approach to Jewish life and welcomes input and participation of women who were traditionally excluded from the process of forming the Jewish tradition.

Services always include the weekly Torah Reading and Parsha by Dr. Ron Ramer, discussions led by spiritual scholar Bruce Goldsmith, poetry from our gifted "poet laureate" Karen Christensen and Cantor Cindy Michelassi's voice uplifts the spirit of the service by leading us in music and song. 

The renewal experience is our listening to one another, awareness of God and ourselves, drilling deeper into the meaning of being Jewish through poetry and selected readings and of examining Hebrew Scriptures. Most of the service is in English and if not, there are always Hebrew transliterations provided.

For more information, contact Tamara at the Temple Office.