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November 12, 2024

Why Pray in Community?

Rachael Gelfman Schultz

Rachael Gelfman Schultz

Ms. Rachael Gelfman Schultz is a teacher and writer. She has taught in a variety of formal and informal Jewish educational frameworks in Israel and in the US, including high school, Hebrew school, adult education, and one-on-one tutoring. She specializes in teaching students in the process of conversion. Rachael writes, edits, and translates for Jewish non-profit organizations and publishers, as well as writing Jewish educational curricula. Rachael has a BA from Harvard University in Religion and an MA from Hebrew University in Jewish Thought. She also studied in the Bruriah Scholars program at Midreshet Lindenbaum and the Advanced Kollel at Pardes Institute. Originally from Sharon, MA, Rachael now lives with her family in Mitzpe Netofa in the Galilee.

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Why is there a mitzvah to pray with a minyan? How does praying in community benefit (or detract) from my prayer experience? Why are so many of the Jewish prayers in plural – for others and not just for ourselves? Why can we say certain prayers only in a minyan? We will take a closer look at the prayers and parts of the prayer service that we can only say in a minyan – such as Kaddish, the repetition of the Amidah, Kedushah, the Priestly blessing, the Torah service, and Haftarah – through the lens of ancient, medieval, and modern thinkers, as a way of exploring the meaning of tefillah in our personal lives and in our communities. All are welcome to join the course, no matter how you practice (or do not practice) prayer in your life.

Session 1

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Session 2

Session 2 - 11/19/2024
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Session 3

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