Book Talk: "Can One Pray without Praying to God?” with Herb Levine
Wednesday, October 29, 2025
7:00 - 8:30 PM
How do you deal with the God-language of the Siddur? Do you find yourself looking for spiritual nourishment primarily in the margins — in Kol HaNeshamah, below the line, in Lev Shalem, at the edges of the page? If you use Kol HaNeshamah, how do you use the various alternative God descriptions provided by the translator? Or do you avoid the issue by simply singing along with the Hebrew when there are songs? Or perhaps you davven, falling into the familiar communal rhythms that have soothed the souls of Jews for generations. Herb’s teaching will begin by creating that conversation among us and then move on to share passages from his new book, Blessed Are You, Wondrous Universe: A Siddur for Seekers. He will explore how his innovations compare to the passages from the traditional Siddur, which is their launching pad.
Dr. Herb Levine, GJC member since 1989, is a long-time student of how poetry shapes our spirituality. He is the author of a book on the biblical Psalms, two collections of bi-lingual poetry and of the recent siddur companion referenced above, which presents a naturalist voice in conversation with the traditional Siddur. He has been teaching Jewish adults for almost 50 years.
Please register for this free event!