Shabbat Gathering: Avodah: Our own Star Search.
Dear Chevra, as is our custom, we will gather tonight at 5.45p ct to welcome Shabbat. These are the coordinates:
Zoom
Meeting ID: 963 5113 1550
Password: 1989
Phone: +1 312 626 6799
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Here we go.
I’m the type of congregant who doesn’t go home during the breaks in the Yom Kippur service. I don't drink. I don't eat. I don’t even brush my teeth. I’m not going to watch television. I might listen to the radio. If I want to read, I can bring a book with me, but that might be a distraction from the repenting I need to do. And then there’s parking and re-parking to contend with and I have absolutely no patience for that. So once I get to synagogue, I stay at synagogue. And it’s always a big blessing to me when my synagogue programs a full day’s worth of activities, like CSS does.
Our own Star Search.
Talent shows have been popular on television as long as there’s been television and long before that. Everyone likes to see someone, just like them, who may become a star. I can remember watching the Ted Mack Amateur Hour and then, many years later, the Gong Show. I sort of dropped out of mainstream television before Star Search and the rest of the crop of new talent shows hit the air. CSS has it’s own kinder and gentler talent show on Yom Kippur called Avodah and I highly recommend it. No one is going to become rich and famous at Avodah, and everyone is a winner. CSS’ Avodah service begins around 2.15p on Yom Kippur and concludes in time to get set up for our Yom Kippur presentation and discussion.
Avodah is not Avodah.
Strictly speaking, our Avodah isn’t Avodah. What I mean is, the traditional Avodah part of the Yom Kippur service at many synagogues is a recounting of the animal sacrifices performed at Yom Kippur during the Temple period. As My Jewish Learning puts it, “The Avodah service has preserved the quintessential rite of ancient Judaism [animal sacrifice], the most solemn moment of the Jewish year involving the holiest person (Kohen Gadol), the holiest time (Yom Kippur), and the holiest place (Temple in Jerusalem).” CSS doesn’t do this. Instead, we hold a sharing circle where people play music, sing songs, and read from their creative work. Or most anything else for that matter. Avodah.
Having only been a member of CSS for only eight some odd years, I don’t know its origin story, so I turned to Jeff Spitzer-Resnick who has served as emcee of Avodah as long as I can remember. According to Jeff, “It started a long time ago when we were still worshiping at Prairie Unitarian, well before Laurie was our Rabbi.” The rest of the story is lost in the mists of time.
My list of Avodah’s greatest hits.
I’ve been moved by all of what I’ve experienced at Avodah including:
- Mikko and Thalia playing a violin duet
- Werth leading us in a sing-a-long of the Cuban folk song Guantanamera
- Mimi reading us a story
- Judith reading us a poem
- Jeff playing a flute improvisation to kick things off every year
And many, many more.
I think that, given the choice between a detailed recounting of animal sacrifices or the opportunity experience the best that my fellow congregants and friends have to offer during one of the most intense days of our religious calendar — well, I’ll take our own Avodah service every time.
And may it be for all of us a blessing.
See you tonight!
Gut Shabbes!
All my love,
brian.
PS
Is there ever too much Barbra Streisand? Here's her rendition of Avinu Malkeinu especially for you on Yom Kippur.