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Prayer can be electric and alive. Prayer can touch the soul, burst forth a creative celebration of the spirit, and open deep wells of gratitude, longing and praise. Prayer can connect us to our Living Source and to each other, enfolding us in love and praise, wonder and gratitude, awe and thankfulness. Jewish prayer in its essence is soul dialogue and calls us into relationship within and beyond.
We intuitively know when group prayer is working. Through the power of ancient and modern words and melodies, we venture into realms of deep emotion and find longing, sorrow, hope, wholeness, connection and peace. When guided by skilled leaders of prayer and ritual, our complacency is challenged, we can break through outworn assumptions about God and ourselves, and emerge refreshed and inspired to meet the challenges our lives offer. As rabbis, educators and prayer leaders, we aspire towards meaningful prayer and ritual. How does one learn to create transformational spiritual experiences that will vitalize our congregations and havurot?
The Davennen' Leadership Training Institute offers a unique learning experience to help those who lead worship and other communal events in a Jewish context to deepen the quality of communal prayer so that it activates the body, touches the heart, engages the mind and nourishes genuine spiritual growth and insight. Employing the participatory approach of an intensive master class, this program coaches participants in the high art of leadership of public ritual and prayer. The training is a 2-year program consisting of four five-day retreats. The retreat participants become a living and learning fellowship -- deeply engaged in the practice and process of communal prayer and ritual. Throughout each retreat the group joins with core faculty and guest master-teachers in ongoing davvenen', text study, group discussions and coaching.
For more information go to: www.dlti.homestead.com or http://elatchayyim.org/dlti/
Prayer/Spiritual Leadership Training Institute co-led by Rabbi Zevit
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“Let every Soul praise God” (Psalm 150)
Everything needs a “let there be…”
to leap off the drawing board into being.
For human “becomings”
Mirror’s of the Divine
Prayer is our response
to simply being alive.
Somewhere between singing a new song
and the very limits of our voices
a soundtrack to life that all can participate in awaits.
c- Rabbi Shawn Zevit, 2006
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You are here
In the love between and around and within
Offering our hearts to You
And prayers for gentle return
The yearning prayer
That we should be so graced and blessed
In the day ahead
By being again
In your love
And the rekindled
And new-found love
For each other
You are the life still present
In possiblity
Be the embrace for us dear God
You are returned to Me
Always part of Me
Different time and space
through which My Glory shines
c- Rabbi Shawn Zevit, 2001/6
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