Prayer

Creative Amidah Prayers from
Rosh Hashanah Evening

Avot v’Imahot (The Ancestors) – David Salm

Initially I resisted, then ultimately embraced their wisdom, their strength.  Every day their truth pulsates through me, for they, gave me breath.
L’dor V’dor. 
For unimaginable numbers, a virus has stricken, and no longer, do they breathe. 
For others, it has been a slug of lead or the crush of a knee – No longer do they breathe.
The battles fought & the skills developed by our ancestors compel me to fight against the destruction of our planet and to resist the scuttling of our democracy – to pursue justice on behalf of those who no longer breathe, and by standing on the shoulders of our most notorious ancestor, we say: Amen.

Gevurot – Janet Rae Jorgensen

Everything I know, I’ve learned from the trees,
They were my strong playmates
Bravely, I climbed the highest trees; exhilarated at going up 

Laughing wildly in the crowns as we swayed together in the breeze.
Terrified at the prospect of coming down.

And oh, the Redwoods how they unite in a circle, 
Paying homage to the ancestors at the center; whether alive or not
Desperately, I water the roots of those Redwoods, 
Despite their true wish for the dew of the fog.

In the overbearing heat wave, the white oak dropped all of her acorns to the forest floor, 
As if this was her last ditch effort, 
If I go, at least I’ll leave my babies!
I wonder, what will I leave behind?

May we continue to find source from our roots and let the earth soon feel the delight of the dew. Let us say, “Amen”

Kedushah – Cyndi Norwitz

Kadosh!  Kadosh!  Kadosh!

One for the inferno beneath my feet
Core of holy fire

Two for the heavens beyond my reach
God of holy flame

Three for life: air, water, land
Divine holy spark

Kadosh!  Kadosh!  Kadosh!

Send me light from your hiding place
Let it hit the sky and break and break
Six directions for the path
To see the holy spaces shine

Bring me to the silent shores
Of hidden lands in distant coves
Tell me tales then set me free
To seek the holy, find divine  

Kadosh!  Kadosh!  Kadosh!

One
Two
Three

Holy, holy, holy is the sovereign of hosts. 
The entire world fills with your glory.

Kedushat Hayom – Sheridan Gold

I’ll never forget my mom telling me that she loved Shabbat because it gave her a chance to breathe, to get away from the chaos for a little while. As I grow older, I understand it more and more. Here we are, beginning our High Holy Day journey. I can choose to leave the chaos or not. But if I choose to be here at Ner Shalom, and here in my heart, I find that the chaos is drowned out by pure love. Love for each other, for the holiest of holy times of the year, for a heritage of our music, and prayer, and Shofar – and I am a part of it, trying to find my way towards holiness with you to accompany me.

May we leave the chaos and make way for a beautiful journey, with each other, through these days of Awe. Amen.

R’tzeh – Arin Hilton

I feel the vibration of my Divine Spark ripple through the Universe. It is a radiant wave of Oneness seeking the Greatest Oneness. My hidden light burns within me. And then as I offer my prayers, light emanates from my soul like moonbeams on the fields. They shine onto the world, onto my neighbors, and into You my G-d. I am not alone. Your Holy presence, your Shekinah, Your Oneness is with me. May our Light, our Sparks, and our Divinity, all of our prayers, be seen and heard by You, our G-d.

Modim – Lynn Keller

Thank you...
I have found a way to breathe. Without effort. Without notice.
A gratitude has embraced my heart unplanned, without effort, with notice
Learning to live in what is, not what if
With time to view the grace of the changing seasons
Motherhood that I’ve chosen AND partnership that has fallen silently into place
The buds of acceptance and a new version of patience
Thank you God. I pray my gratitude has wings, as if it was a lightning bug, lighting long enough to share this unexpected gift.
And may we say... Amen

Shalom Rav – Mark Miller

As we transition into the new year, kicking 5780 to the curb, I wish for, I pray for peace…
Peace in our world
Peace in our nation.
Peace in our government.
Peace in our communities.
Peace in our families.
Peace in our homes.
Peace in our relationships.
Peace in our lives.
Peace in our hearts.

 And let it begin with me.

Drashot

Reb Irwin’s Rosh Hashanah Sermon: In the River of Light

Music Video

THe Ner Shalom Singers: “Come” by Shimshai

“ELohai N’Tzor” by Danny Massing

Poetry

“Nova in the Night Sky”

“Our Sea Change”

Music Audio

“Beyond a Wonder”

“Who Will Be Gone”

Torah Riffing

Interpretations of our Torah Verses for Rosh Hashanah Day

Genesis 2:5
ה וְכֹ֣ל | שִׂ֣יחַ הַשָּׂדֶ֗ה טֶ֚רֶם יִהְיֶ֣ה בָאָ֔רֶץ וְכָל־עֵ֥שֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה טֶ֣רֶם יִצְמָ֑ח כִּי֩ לֹ֨א הִמְטִ֜יר יְהוָֹ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙ עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ וְאָדָ֣ם אַ֔יִן לַעֲבֹ֖ד אֶת־הָאֲדָמָה 

And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew; for Adonai God had not caused it to rain yet upon the earth, and there was no one to till the ground. 

This verse tells us that in order to have plants two conditions needed to be met— Yah needs to cause it to rain and human beings need to till the earth. Rashi comments that first humans needed to pray and then Yah will make it rain. My first reaction was “yeah… right… I pray and then there will be rain…” With climate catastrophe our very presence seems harmful. But what if our relationship to our mother earth goes deeper? What if the way we are while praying is actually something that is needed by our mother? (Rinat Abastado)

Genesis 2:9
ט וַיַּצְמַ֞ח יְהוָֹ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙ מִן־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה כָּל־עֵ֛ץ
נֶחְמָ֥ד לְמַרְאֶ֖ה וְט֣וֹב לְמַאֲכָ֑ל וְעֵ֤ץ הַחַיִּים֙ בְּת֣וֹךְ הַגָּ֔ן וְעֵ֕ץ הַדַּ֖עַת ט֥וֹב וָרָע 

And from the ground, Adonai God caused to sprout every tree that was pleasing to the sight and good for food, with the tree of life in the middle of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and bad. 

We were given all that we need, beautiful trees, good food, life AND the ability to discern good from bad. It is our responsibility to make good choices, eat just enough – not too much or too little – and to eat the foods that sprout in our own local gardens, grown in sustainable ways that allow the earth, and the tree of life, to flourish. (Shari Brenner)

Genesis 2:10
י וְנָהָר֙ יֹצֵ֣א מֵעֵ֔דֶן לְהַשְׁק֖וֹת אֶת־הַגָּ֑ן וּמִשָּׁם֙ יִפָּרֵ֔ד וְהָיָ֖ה לְאַרְבָּעָ֥ה רָאשִׁים 

And a river went forth out of Eden to water the garden; and from there it was divided, and became four rivers.

Last night Reb Irwin spoke of the belief that these living waters of creation are still flowing. I envision them as moving outward through time and space, and like these four rivers -- Pishon, Gihon the Tigris, and the Euphrates – they flow in all directions, infusing our lives with meaning and purpose, and pointing us to create (or birth) our own Gardens in these troubling times that can sustain us, our beloveds and our communities. We water them with humility from the essence of our true selves as we commit to healing the world, to tikkun olam.  May it be so! (Barbara Lesch McCaffry)

Genesis 2:11
יא שֵׁ֥ם הָאֶחָ֖ד פִּישׁ֑וֹן ה֣וּא הַסֹּבֵ֗ב אֵ֚ת כָּל־אֶ֣רֶץ הַחֲוִילָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־שָׁ֖ם הַזָּהָב 

The name of the first river is Pishon; that is the one which flows around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold.

Breathe Deeply
Strike Gold 
Lit up 
Reawakened…
Deepening Awareness
Flowing into the WHOLE land of Expanded Consciousness
Reaching far up into the Heavens
Down deep into Mama Earth
I don’t get to take myself out of the equation.
Unity    Wholeness ~ River of Life Central
Sing Singing   Sing Singing   Dance   Enlivening Gold within
Ripples flow into Eternity (Atzilah Solot)

Genesis 2:12-13
יב וּזֲהַ֛ב הָאָ֥רֶץ הַהִ֖וא ט֑וֹב שָׁ֥ם הַבְּדֹ֖לַח וְאֶ֥בֶן הַשֹּׁהַם: יג וְשֵׁם־הַנָּהָ֥ר הַשֵּׁנִ֖י גִּיח֑וֹן ה֣וּא הַסּוֹבֵ֔ב אֵ֖ת כָּל־אֶ֥רֶץ כּוּשׁ 

And the gold of that land is good. There is the Bedolach and Shoham stone. And the name of the second river is Gichon. It winds throughout the whole land of Kush.

Our sages and historians have identified: 6 different stones and a resin as Bedolach, at least 4 different stones as Shoham, 5 different countries as Kush, and at least 5 different rivers as Gichon. If we image and map them all, it looks like a "probability cloud." These objects and places are what and where we observe and measure them to be.

We are doing Quantum Torah; this is Schroedinger's Garden of Eden, and we're all downstream. (Sabra S.)