“Entering [prayer] words as if they were doors.” That’s part of the answer for Rabbi Professor Elliot Ginsburg, founder of Ann Arbor’s Jewish Renewal synagogue, Pardes Hannah. “At moments of prayer or stillness, I realize [a sense of] connectedness in the core of my being.”
As a movement, Renewal is experimental in nature. It offers fresh takes on ancient and early practices in connecting with the Divine by inviting dance, free movement, chant, and meditation during services and study sessions. Members then share what these practices evoked, which often leads to rich discussions in an intimate, supportive setting. Over time, people find themselves on a deepening spiritual path, able to return to the group for support and encouragement.
“This is the deep nature of havurah, spiritual friendship,” said Rabbi Aura Ahuvia, who was ordained in Jewish Renewal’s ALEPH Ordination Program over a decade ago and has since served Reform, Reconstructionist, Conservative, and Renewal congregations. “It’s similar in principle to the Buddhist sangha. We practice alone together, and we grow in part by helping each other grow.”
The Jewish Renewal movement grew up during the rise of independent Havurot. It was founded by Rabbi Zalman Schacter-Shalomi, a hassidic Jew who escaped pre-Holocaust Europe. He went on to found a movement of access and celebration for American Jews who were otherwise disinterested in what they regarded as a desiccated religion. It has since grown, with congregations in Canada, Brazil, Europe, Australia, and Israel. Over the years, many practices that originated in Renewal communities have been adopted by mainstream congregations. Renewal seeks to revitalize the three pillars of Jewish life—prayer, study, and action. Its goals are to empower individuals and communities to respond to the ancient call of Torah as heard through modern ears. It draws on Jewish tradition, sacred text, mysticism, culture, history, and our own lived experience and inner truths.
Pardes Hannah is the Jewish Renewal synagogue of Ann Arbor in affiliation with ALEPH: The Alliance for Jewish Renewal.
ALEPH serves as the international umbrella organization for Jewish Renewal and supports a network of more than 50 Renewal communities throughout the world. It conducts retreats, offers rabbinic programs for rabbis, cantors, and chaplains, supports social justice initiatives, and provides leadership programs for young adults.