BTE Course Subjects
Theoretical
1. Why do we pray?
2. What is a prayer?
3. What’s in a Siddur? Structures of Jewish prayer
4. The role of prayer leader
5. Tensions: Keva and kevannah – tradition and innovation
6. Tensions: Hebrew and the vernacular – understanding our prayers
7. Tensions: Performance and participation – leading and following
8. Tensions: Individual vs public prayer – the pros and cons of davening
9. Tensions: Reading vs Singing – music and instrumentation
10. The Holocaust and Prayer
11. Israel and Prayer
12. Modalities of Jewish Worship
13. Children and Prayer: separation or integration
Practical
1. Kabbalat Shabbat (Zemirot)
2. Kabbalat Shabbat (before Lecha Dodi)
3. Kabbalat Shabbat (after Lecha Dodi)
4. Ma’ariv (Barchu until the Amida)
5. Ma’ariv (Amida)
6. Divrei Torah
7. Ma’ariv (Aleinu to finish)
8. Shacharit (Birkat Hashachar)
9. Shacharit (Psukei deZimra)
10. Shacharit (Barchu, Shema & Blessings)
11. Shacharit (Amida)
12. Shacharit (Hallel)
13. Shacharit (Torah service)
14. Torah Reading
15. Haftarah
16. Shacharit (Aleinu to finish)
17. Baby Blessings/Celebrations
18. Bar/Bat Mitzvahs
19. Chagim (Pesach/Shavuot/Sukkot/Simchat Torah)
20. Other Life-Cycle Events