The prayers we sing every Shabbat can become catalysts for change….for new understanding or vision of what is or what can be. We can recall the power of musicians and artists to lead social change. The songs that empowered a movement. The dance that embodied and reflected a culture. The paintings that explored new visions. These are the seeds that emerge from the unity of prayer. When a song or a prayer learned “by heart” is repeated over and over again, “by heart” becomes “in heart.” These anthems, joyful in their repetition, become powerful catalysts for change. 

Words conjure images that are seen in the mind’s eye. As an example, I love “…rolling light away from darkness and darkness away from light,” from the b’rakhah recited in the Ma’ariv service. For me, it resonates with catalytic images and relationships. The prayer becomes a source of inspiration for living and for art making.  And for growth. For strength. For pride.

I believe that growth and strength and pride reflect who we are as a global Jewish community today. Ready to move along and consider our future. Here at home, where do we want to be in five or ten or twenty years? How will we get there? What do we need to consider in order to continue to grow our shul membership, to keep pace with and support the ever-changing needs of our community, our house? And how do we institutionalize the appropriate leadership succession to support our plans for growth and change? 

That is a big question to leave hanging. However, it is only one of many that can be addressed with a thoughtful and dedicated planning process to harness the power of change. 

—Judith K. Weiner