Services and Shabbat

This Shabbat has been an interesting experience for me. The customs and traditions of Reform Judaism are much more different from my own than I would have expected. Many of the prayers that we, at the Reconstructionist congregation of Kol Halev, do in whole, are shortened or simply omitted. Other prayers that we do here, we don't do at all back home. Still more have radically different tunes, or a few changed words here and there. 

For instance, in the blessing before reading from the Torah, at my temple we say "asher kervanu la'avodato," while here (and I think in most other places) they say "asher bachar banu mikol ha'amim." The difference is that, in Reconstructionist Judaism, all references to the Jewish people being above the other people, or the chosen people, are removed. We also say "with the other nations" as opposed to "from the other nations" whenever that comes up.

It has been difficult for me for other reasons too. Most everyone here has attended some form of Reform camp, and they all seem to know the same tunes, games, songs, and traditions.  It's hard, not knowing half of the prayers. I am trying to learn all of the tunes that I don't know, but it isn't quite the same as having known them all along and being very familiar with all of them, like so many of my peers are. It reminds me that I am different, and though I don't usually mind that, it will make things harder during the religious aspect of this trip.

I appreciate the strong connection that most of this community has, but I hope that soon I can find my own place in it as well. It's a beautiful thing, friendship, and not one that I would ever want to miss.