Thousands of Jewish students travel to Israel on many programs. In 2009, the Israel Shabbat Experience began working with various tour operators bringing large numbers of students and young adults to enhance participants’ appreciation of Shabbat. An important part of the Shabbat Experience is the moving Kabbalat Shabbat service, whether at the Kotel or Shuls throughout Israel. Rabbi Doniel Baron, Director of the Israel Shabbat Experience, dreamed of creating a user-friendly siddur the students could enjoy using in the minyanim, and also gain an appreciation for the meaning and importance of Kabbalat Shabbat.
Rabbi Baron is not your ordinary dreamer; he started working on his own English translation of the Hebrew tefillot as well as insights into the prayers. He shared his vision of the siddur with NLE Resources seeking collaboration. The concept was warmly embraced and the Kabbalat Shabbat Experience Siddur was developed over six months. The siddur features the Kabbalat Shabbat prayers in Hebrew, Hebrew transliteration, and English. It also includes an overview of the Kabbalat Shabbat Service, short insights into the tefillot and essays on the depth and centrality of Shabbat in Jewish life.
The Kabbalat Shabbat Experience Siddur is designed for rabbis and educators at Shuls, Kollels, outreach centers, and campus venues running Kabbalat Shabbat services for newcomers. The siddur was tested successfully on over three hundred students on Birthright programs visiting Jerusalem.
The excitement continues… Rafael Sait, Director of NLE Israel Trips, overseeing 5,000 students annually exploring Israel and Judaism on NLE programs, recommended the siddur be expanded to cover a “typical” Shabbat experience for the participants. NLE Resources is therefore now developing the more comprehensive “Shabbat Experience Siddur” that will include Mincha, Candle Lighting, Kabbalat Shabbat, Maariv, Birkat HaBanim, Shalom Aleichem, Aishet Chayil, Kiddush, Al Netilat Yadayim, Hamotzi, Zemirot and Popular Songs, Birkat Hamazon, Kiddusha Raba and Havdallah.
The Kabbalat Shabbat Experience Siddur is designed in the universal A5 pdf format, for free easy downloading, and standard book-size printing and binding.
Please contact kabbalatshabbat@nleresources.com with any questions.
