Hello and Welcome to our Family, Friends, and Community! We are so happy that you are joining us today, virtually, as Alexa becomes a Bat Mitzvah. In Judaism, a Bat Mitzvah signifies a time when a young woman is old enough to read from the Torah after studying Hebrew, the principles of the Jewish religion, and the laws and history of the Jewish people. Alexa will be leading the service today. She has worked tremendously hard over the past several years to learn Hebrew, the prayers, and her Torah and Haftarah portions. As you will see, she has added her unique perspective and flair to the service and her interpretation of her Torah Portion, Ekev. It is especially significant that Alexa is celebrating this milestone with Central Reform Congregation. When Lauren celebrated her Bat Mitzvah at another Synagogue in St. Louis many years ago, her family was told that girls were not allowed to read from the Torah. Shortly after that, Lauren’s family joined CRC. It was extremely refreshing and meaningful to belong to a Synagogue where women not only could read from the Torah, but which had an incredibly inspirational woman Rabbi! This was Rabbi Susan or Rabbi Talve as we called her then and her leadership and CRC shaped Lauren’s Jewish education and life. When we moved back to St. Louis in 2012, we reconnected with CRC. We have truly come full circle as now Alexa is becoming a Bat Mitzvah here AND reading from the Torah. You will see that Alexa has selected readings from strong, smart women to supplement the service. This is our way of honoring all of the influential women who have shaped Alexa into the independent, athletic, bright, funny and inimitable person that she is. As we have all said about many different aspects of life this year, this is not what we expected for Alexa’s Bat Mitzvah. We respect the fact that CRC is being careful during this unprecedented time and we appreciate the congregation’s flexibility in making it a special experience for Alexa and our family. Judaism and Jewish traditions have endured during tough periods in history and we believe that this unique experience is part of that ongoing tradition. Thank you so much for being part of it. Lauren and Darryl
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Transcript
Hello and Welcome to our Family, Friends, and Community!
We are so happy that you are joining us today, virtually, as Alexa becomes a Bat Mitzvah.
In Judaism, a Bat Mitzvah signifies a time when a young woman is old enough to read from
the Torah after studying Hebrew, the principles of the Jewish religion, and the laws and
history of the Jewish people. Alexa will be leading the service today. She has worked
tremendously hard over the past several years to learn Hebrew, the prayers, and her Torah
and Haftarah portions. As you will see, she has added her unique perspective and flair to
the service and her interpretation of her Torah Portion, Ekev.
It is especially significant that Alexa is celebrating this milestone with Central Reform
Congregation. When Lauren celebrated her Bat Mitzvah at another Synagogue in St.
Louis many years ago, her family was told that girls were not allowed to read from the Torah.
Shortly after that, Lauren’s family joined CRC. It was extremely refreshing and meaningful
to belong to a Synagogue where women not only could read from the Torah, but which had
an incredibly inspirational woman Rabbi! This was Rabbi Susan or Rabbi Talve as we
called her then and her leadership and CRC shaped Lauren’s Jewish education and life.
When we moved back to St. Louis in 2012, we reconnected with CRC. We have truly come
full circle as now Alexa is becoming a Bat Mitzvah here AND reading from the Torah. You
will see that Alexa has selected readings from strong, smart women to supplement the service.
This is our way of honoring all of the influential women who have shaped Alexa into the
independent, athletic, bright, funny and inimitable person that she is.
As we have all said about many different aspects of life this year, this is not what we
expected for Alexa’s Bat Mitzvah. We respect the fact that CRC is being careful during
this unprecedented time and we appreciate the congregation’s flexibility in making it a special
experience for Alexa and our family. Judaism and Jewish traditions have endured during
tough periods in history and we believe that this unique experience is part of that ongoing
tradition. Thank you so much for being part of it.
Lauren and Darryl
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The traditional service has five parts. The first part of the service that we call Awakening opens our hearts and helps
us prepare for prayer. The Sh’ma and Her Blessings includes our call to communal prayer and our lessons on
walking in the world, celebrating the connectedness of creation. The T’filah gives us the opportunity to express our
most personal prayers, deepening our connection to the wisdom of our tradition and reminding us to reach toward a
time of peace and redemption for all creation. The Torah Service leads us in joyful learning, guided by the Torah
and Haftarah portions. The Concluding Prayers prepare us to take the peace we have found into the many holy
opportunities for service and tikkun in the week to come, inspiring us to be more courageous, caring, and kind.
Awakening
MODEH ANI (Gratitude Upon Awakening)
Modeh / modah ani l’fanecha, ruach chai v’kayam, she-hechezarta bi nishmati b’chemla, rabbah emunatecha.
I am grateful to stand before the Source of Life that has returned my soul to me once again. My
faith is renewed.
TALLIT
The tallit with its fringes reminds us of our religious and ethical values and of our duty to remember and do them.
O rock of Israel, come to Israel's help. Fulfill Your promise of redemption for Judah and Israel.
Our redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. Blessed is God, the Redeemer of Israel [and all creation].
SIYAHAMBA (Zulu Spiritual)
Siyahamba is a South African folk song written in 1952 in the Zulu language. It was sung as a
freedom song during the anti-apartheid movement. We include it in our service in the spirit of
recalling that the Exodus story from the Torah has inspired many liberation efforts throughout
history.
Siyahamba, ekukanyen' kwenkos', Siyahamba, ekukanyen' kwenkos', (2x) Siyahamba, siyahamba, oh, Siyahamba ekukanyen' kwenkos'. (2x) We are marching in the light of God, We are marching in the light of God. (2x)
We are marching (marching), We are marching (marching), Oh. We are marching in the light of God. (2x) Mi chamocha Ba'elim Adonai? Mi kamocha ne'dar bakodesh; (2x)
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PLEASE RISE
The Prayer
T’filah
Kavannah: The central part of the prayer service is the T’filah, the Hebrew word for prayer. It is also called
Amidah (Standing) and Shemoneh Esreh (Eighteen) because in the weekday service it originally contained 18 (today
19) blessings and was said standing. The Shabbat and holiday Amidah, called T’filat Sheva (seven) is composed of
the first three and the last three prayers of the daily Amidah plus a special prayer for holidays and Shabbat
(Kedushat Hayom). The blessings praise, petition and thank God. Once this was the time for the spontaneous
prayers of the congregation. The more popular prayers were preserved. These became keva. The kavannot, our own
personal blessings and hopes, are for us to add.
T’FILAH (The Great Prayer)
Adonai s’fatai tiftach, ufi yagid t’hilatecha.
Adonai, open my lips that my mouth may declare your praise.
Adonai, prepare me to be a sanctuary.
Pure and holy. Tried and true.
With thanksgiving, I’ll be a living sanctuary for You.
Holy One of blessing. Your presence fills creation. You called us from all the peoples
and gave us Your Torah. Holy One of blessing. You give us Torah.
READING OF THE TORAH
Deuteronomy 11:16-25
ם׃ טז ם לה ם אלהים אחרים והשתחוית ם ועבדת ם וסרת ה לבבכ ן יפת ם פ מרו לכ וחרה יז השא־יהיה מטר והאדמה לא תת ת־השמים ול ם ועצר א ם מהרה מעל אף־יהוה בכ ת־יבולה ואבדת ן א
ם׃ תן לכ ר יהוה נ בה אש ץ הט ם יח האר ה על־לבבכ ת־דברי אל ם א ם ושמת ם וקשרת ל־נפשכ ועם׃ ת בין עיניכ טפ ם והיו לטו ת על־ידכ תם לאו ם לדבר בם בשבתך יט א ת־בניכ תם א ם א ולמדת
ך׃ בשכבך ובקומ ך ו ר כתך בד ך ובל יך׃וכ כ בבית ך ובשער ת בית למען ירבו כא תבתם על־מזוזו בניכ וימי ם ץ׃ ימיכ ר על־הא השמים כימי ם לה לתת ם תיכ לאב יהוה נשבע ר אש אדמה ה על ם
ת־כ כב ר תשמרון א ת־יהוה כי אם־שמ ם לעשתה לאהבה א תכ ה א כי מצו ר אנ את אש ל־המצוה הז׃אלהי ו ת בכל־דרכיו ולדבקה־ב כ ם לל ם כג כ ירשת ם ו ה מלפניכ ים האל ת־כל־הגו ריש יהוה א והו
לי גד ים ם׃גו מכ ועצמים ם כד ם לכ בו ם ף־רגלכ כ ך תדר ר אש ם מן־המדבר כל־המקו יהיה ם׃ ן יהיה גבלכ אחרו ן מן־הנהר נהר־פרת ועד הים ה ם פ כה והלבנו ם לא־יתיצב איש בפניכ חדכ
ר ת ץ אש ם על־פני כל־האר היכ ם יתן ׀ יהוה אל ראכ ו ם׃ומ ר לכ ר דב דרכו־בה כאש
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16 Take care not to be lured away to serve other gods and bow to them. 17 For the anger of the Eternal will
flare up against you, and the Eternal will shut up the skies so that there will be no rain and the ground will
not yield its produce; and you will soon perish from the good land that the Eternal is assigning to you. 18 Therefore impress these My words upon your very heart: bind them as a sign on your hand and let them
serve as a symbol on your forehead, 19 and teach them to your children — reciting them when you stay at
home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you get up; 20 and inscribe them on the
doorposts of your house and on your gates — 21 so that you and your children may endure, in the land that
the Eternal swore to your fathers to assign to them, as long as there is a heaven over the earth. 22 If, then,
you faithfully keep all this Instruction that I command you, loving the Eternal your God, walking in all the
Eternal’s ways, and holding fast to the Eternal, 23 then the Eternal will dislodge before you all these
nations: you will dispossess nations greater and more numerous than you. 24 Every spot on which your
foot treads shall be yours; your territory shall extend from the wilderness to the Lebanon and from the
River — the Euphrates — to the Western Sea. 25 No man shall stand up to you: the Eternal your God will
put the dread and the fear of you over the whole land in which you set foot, as the Eternal promised you.
BLESSING FOLLOWING THE TORAH READING
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam, asher natan lanu Torat emet, v’chayei olam nata b’tocheinu. Baruch atah Adonai, notein haTorah.
Holy One of blessing, Your presence fills creation. You gave us the Torah of truth
and planted within us eternal life. Holy One of blessing, You give us Torah.
V’zot haTorah asher sam Moshe lifnei b’nai Yisrael al pi Adonai b’yad Moshe.
This is the Torah which Moses placed before the children of Israel, in accordance with God's
command through Moses.
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MI SHEBEIRACH (Healing Prayer)
Mi shebeirach avoteinu M’kor habrachah l’imoteinu.
May the source of strength
Who blessed the ones before us,
Help us find the courage
To make our lives a blessing,
And let us say, Amen
Mi shebeirach imoteinu M’kor habrachah la’avoteinu.
Bless those in need of healing
With refua sheleima,
The renewal of body,
The renewal of spirit,
And let us say, Amen
~ Debbie Friedman
Baruch atah Adonai, rofeh hacholim.
Blessed is God, healer of the sick.
El na r’fa na lah.
Please God, heal her now. (The perfect prayer of Moses praying for his sister, Miriam.) ~ Numbers 12:13
Hu Eloheinu ein od, emet Malkeinu efes zulato. Kakatuv b’Torato, v’yadata hayom [v’yadata hayom] v’hasheivota el l’vavecha, ki Adonai hu HaElohim bashamayim mima’al. v’al ha’aretz [v’al ha’aretz] mitachat, ein od.
V’ne-emar, v’hayah Adonai l’Melech al kol ha’aretz. Bayom hahu [bayom hahu] yih’yeh Adonai echad Ush’mo [ush’mo, ush’mo] echad.
Translation:
Let us adore the ever-living God and render praise unto the one who spread out the heavens and established the
earth, whose glory is revealed in the heavens above and whose greatness is manifest throughout the world. Our God
is one; there is none else. We bow our heads in reverence and worship the Holy One, praised be our God.
You spread out the heavens and established the earth. You are our God there is none else. In truth you alone are
God, as it is written, “Know then this day and take it to heart, the Eternal One is God in the heavens above and the
earth below; there is none else.”
May the time not be distant, O God, when all shall turn to You in love, when corruption and evil shall give way to
integrity and goodness, when superstition shall no longer enslave the mind, nor idolatry blind the eye. O may all,
created in your image, become one in friendship, forever united in Your service. Then shall Your realm be estab-
lished on earth, and the word of Your prophet fulfilled: Adonai will reign for ever and ever.
PLEASE BE SEATED
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MOURNER’S KADDISH
I would like to recognize my Pop Pop Stu (Stuart Sagel) who took a lot of
pictures of us. I remember when Pop Pop Stu and Grandma Bevvie would fly
to New York for my half birthday and take me to CPK and let me get the adult
size brownie. It is one of my favorite memories.
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I also remember my Great Uncle Randy who used to play with me.