Nava Tehila: "Beautiful Prayer" Comes to VBS

NAVA TEHILA: “BEAUTIFUL PRAYER” COMES TO VBS

Most of us, clergy included, would like to have a more meaningful prayer experience. We all want to connect with the transcendental, with the ineffable, with the Holy One.

This morning I asked the Day school 3^rd graders if they talk to God.  Many responded that they do -- especially when they say “Sh’ma” before going to sleep.  So I did an experiment. We sang the “Sh’ma” through one time.  Then, I slowly translated each word and asked them to sing it again.

After singing it the second time I asked them to describe the difference between the two experiences. They all agreed that the repeated version was much more powerful.  They said they saw pictures in their minds which connected them to the prayer.  They said they understood it much better.  And it was obvious that they enjoyed the experience much more.

I told the class that all of us struggle with making our prayers real.  We suffer from a life filled with distractions, a prayer tradition which is in a foreign language, and multiple challenges which take us out of real connection.  Rabbis and cantors acknowledge this, and here at VBS we are actively striving to bring people into a new relationship with holiness through prayer. To that end, I encourage you to attend a very special concert and workshop we are co-sponsoring with Temple Judea here at VBS, this Sunday night at 7:30.  The program features an innovative music ensemble from Jerusalem, the remarkable Nava Tehila (“beautiful prayer”).  Here is how they describe themselves:

Our prayer is experiential because we are constantly seeking ways of connection to the Living God in each and every moment…Nava Tehila grows and develops at its own pace. Some of us are drawn to prayer, some find their spiritual anchor in music and devotion…Nava Tehila is a fertile ground for the emergence of new and exciting prayer music…We invite you on a meaningful journey into the world of prayer. We hope that our compositions and our ideas will inspire you to create a meaningful experience in your communities.

Nava Tehila is drawing huge crowds in Jerusalem for their Kabbalat Shabbat service, and their followers are of every stripe – religious, secular, spiritual.  I think their music will pull you in as well. Please join us Sunday night for an evening of engaging, transformative community prayer.