Shira Hadasha

WELCOME TO SHIRA HADASHA We are a community of observant men and women in Jerusalem who came together to create a unique synagogue experience that values the rich textures of communal singing and encourages participation in all parts of our community. We are deeply committed to four core values: HALACHA | FEMINISM | MEANINGFUL TEFILAH EXPERIENCES | KEHILLAH HALACHA Though we seek to expand the boundaries of women’s participation in our services, we do so within the bounds of halacha. We have a va’ad halacha made up of several learned members who advise the kehilah and the leadership on all halachic questions. As a kehilah, we are committed to the observance of mitzvot such as Shabbat, kashrut, tzedaka, hachnasat orchim etc. In celebration of our 12th year as a kehilah we published a book (in Hebrew) of halachic articles around our practices. FEMINISM Feminism is not only about the inclusion of women, or aspirations of egalitarianism, it is about inclusion in general. Through our feminism we seek to make the invisible visible, the silent heard. To that end we actively create space for all kinds of groups that have often been marginalized in traditional Judaism including but not limited to women, single-parent or non-conventional families, LGBTQ, the elderly, the mentally ill. This is done in a variety of different ways. The most obvious examples relate to the participation of women as Torah readers and prayer leaders. According to our current practice many, though not all tefilot may be led by women. Our mechitza runs down the center of the room with the bima in the center allowing men and women equal access and visibility. We also believe in a decentralized consensus form of leadership. We have no rabbi but instead are led by a team of eight gabayim (executive committee), who work with the vaad halacha and a large group of more than 30 other lay leaders and volunteers. With the exception of a part-time administrator and security and maintenance staff, Shira Hadasha is run by volunteers. KEHILLAH We strive to create not just a synagogue or minyan, but a true kehilah – community. We offer support to members in times of need such as bereavement, sickness or the birth of a child. We have a gemach fund for emergency financial loans to kehilah members. And members of the congregation offer home hospitality for Shabbat and holiday meals to other members and visitors. There is a kiddush after services and on-going Torah study, children’s programs, interest groups and volunteer activities in the local community. We offer a monthly guest shiur after services open to the wider Jerusalem community. In order to build a broader sense of kehilah, we also run a teen program together with other partnership minyanim. MEANINGFUL TEFILAH EXPERIENCES Our emphasis on participation encourages regular congregants and visitors to join in harmonious singing, and it was therefore only natural that we adopted the name of Shira Hadasha— ‘a new song’. The beauty of our tefilah is one of the main reasons many visitors give for joining our services. We recorded a double CD which includes some of our favorite Shabbat melodies.