The past few months I've been regularly attending Friday night services. Meditation Plus is Saturday morning ritual for the past 5 years and recently felt a strong desire to end my work week by joining my community in their Friday night Shabbat services. Sometimes it is a moment of meditation, sometimes an opportunity to learn, and always, it is to give a spiritual break from the week.
Tonight was something special. Several weeks ago, a new service was born at Temple Beth Am in Los Angeles. Shabbat Sovev is a service of song, prayer, and a communal energy that is soulful. Every other Shabbat, this new service introduces new melodies and even reinvigorates your old favorites. Tonight, I joined the inner circle to be closer to the leaders of the group. Definitely one of my better decisions. While I don't consider myself a singer, I found myself singing along. Sitting so close to those recognized as singers, I could hear the joy as they sang and it was captivating. More than once I found myself smiling as I moved between confidence and discomfort.
In these experiences, I learn more about myself. My friend, an accomplished singer, said today that if she is leading the service, she sings with the freedom that echoes in all corners of the sanctuary. When she is sitting among the audience, she is more conscious of the volume of her voice and the eyes upon her (real or imagined). I feel exactly the same way and I'm not a performer. I realize that my fear of singing and performing had stopped me from fully engaging, but not anymore. Shabbat Sovev has freed me and given me permission to learn the harmonies and embrace a new joyful prayer experience.
Thank you Temple Beth Am and the all the creators of Shabbat Sovev.
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