Author Description

Hineni The New Hebrew Through Prayer 2 continues study of the prayer service with the Shabbat morning Amidah and selected prayers for Friday night. Students learn over 90 key prayer words and 30 roots, prefixes, and suffixes as they explore the meaning of the blessings of the Amidah (Avot, Avot Ve'imahot, G'vurot, K'dushah, Hoda'ah, Birkat Shalom), Oseh Shalom, and prayers and songs for Friday night (L'chah Dodi, V'shamru, Shalom Aleichem). Each prayer begins with a friendly and accessible motivational introduction. Then students examine the themes of each prayer and relate each theme to their own experiences and lives. Hineni 2 explores relevant Jewish values and shows how those values underlie the meaning of the prayers. It also uses challenging analytical questions to encourage students to think critically about the prayers and the activity of praying. For example, in regard to the Kedushah: "Rising up on our toes is a physical way of trying to come closer to God. Can you think of another, nonphysical way you might come closer to God?".