The Jewish prayer book is called a siddur. I learned the Jewish prayers in religious day school growing up, and recited them religiously (pun intended) through my mid-twenties. Then life started to get more complicated. In grad school I remember the tension I felt about having to rush through my morning prayers to get to … Continue reading Back to the Basics: the Prayer Book
Tag: religious ritual
Procedural Memory and Prayer
This past Sunday I attended the entire morning prayer service (Shacharit) for the first time in a while. I went to recite Kaddish, the memorial prayer, since it was my father's yahrzeit (anniversary of death). It has been a while since I prayed the entire morning service. I started in middle school and did so … Continue reading Procedural Memory and Prayer
Reciting Morning Blessings in Nature
There is a sequence of Jewish prayers in the morning. I grew up saying them, continued into my young adulthood and then stopped due to having new responsibilities as a young professional as well as feeling a need to let go of my childhood religious rituals. But I still from time to time say these … Continue reading Reciting Morning Blessings in Nature
Remembering My Father’s Recitation of the Kiddush Blessing
A few weeks ago I recited the Friday night Jewish prayer of Kiddush, sanctifying the Sabbath. My husband usually says it, but I was going to bed extra early so I said it for myself (I pass out early on weekends too ever since I became a mom and have a perpetual 6 am wake … Continue reading Remembering My Father’s Recitation of the Kiddush Blessing
Mindful Nuggets 