Tikkun Leil Shabbat
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Tikkun Leil Shabbat is an independent minyan or chavurah in Washington, DC, organized entirely by volunteer leadership and sponsored by , DC's local Jewish social justice organization. The name of the community is a reference both to Tikkun Leil Shavuot and tikkun olam.[1] Its primary activity is Friday night ("leil Shabbat"), but it also meets on Jewish holidays and at other times. Tikkun Leil Shabbat attracts upward of 200 participants on Friday nights.[2]
Like many minyanim and chavurot, Tikkun Leil Shabbat is not affiliated or identified with any Jewish denomination, and explicitly identifies as a diverse community, composed of "Jews from birth, Jews by choice, people committed to both traditional and non-traditional Jewish practice, non-Jews, and people exploring Judaism; LGBT and straight; people of color, Sefardi, Mizrachi and Ashkenazi; Virginians, Marylanders, DC residents, and people from other places; Conservative, Orthodox, Reconstructionist, Reform, Renewal, secular, and Jewish without labels; people with no formal Jewish education, Jewish educators, and people with all other types of Jewish backgrounds".[3]
The original Tikkun Leil Shabbat was founded in summer 2005 "as a summer experiment with no intention of continuing", but it continued beyond that summer as a result of grassroots demand,[4] meeting in participants' homes.[5] It merged in 2006 with the , keeping the name Tikkun Leil Shabbat for the combined community, and outgrowing apartments to meet in larger spaces.[6] In order to serve a diverse constituency, the merged community adopted a practice of having TLS services alternate between two styles: circle seating with musical instruments (similar to Kol Zimrah in New York), and row seating without instruments.[7] Both styles include the full Shabbat liturgy in Hebrew.[8]
Notable innovations[]
Tikkun Leil Shabbat has a focus on social justice, and this is manifested in part through the d'var tikkun at each service.[9] In place of a d'var torah, each TLS service concludes with a speaker from a local organization working on a social justice issue, and over 60 organizations have participated. The d'var tikkun and follow-up emails from TLS include ways for participants to get involved with the organization's efforts.
References[]
- ^ Joelle Novey, "Our Sponges Are Praying: How a Dish System Reflects Pluralism, Environmentalism, Egalitarianism, and Community at Tikkun Leil Shabbat in Washington, DC", in Rabbi Elie Kaunfer, Empowered Judaism: What Independent Minyanim Can Teach Us about Building Vibrant Jewish Communities, 2010
- ^ The Washington Post, April 29, 2009, "Synthesis Outside the Synagogue: Young Washington Jews Form Lay-Led Worship Communities"
- ^ Tikkun Leil Shabbat website
- ^ The Jewish Daily Forward, May 4, 2007, "D.C.-Based Minyan Mixes Shabbat With Activism"
- ^ Time, February 27, 2006, "A More Intimate Sabbath"
- ^ Washington Jewish Week, June 1, 2006, "Soul mates"
- ^ Hadassah, August/September 2009, "Individualism and community"
- ^ The New York Times, November 28, 2007, "Challenging Tradition, Young Jews Worship on Their Terms"
- ^ Joelle Novey, "D'var Tikkun: A Teaching About a Social Justice Issue"
External links[]
- Independent minyanim
- Synagogues in Washington, D.C.
- 2005 establishments in Washington, D.C.