Where can I find Shabbat liturgies for home use?

A fellow caregiver asked...

Where can I find Shabbat liturgies for home use?

Expert Answer

Rabbi Richard F. Address, D.Min., serves as the consultant/specialist for Union for Reform Judaism in North America in congregational programs concerning aging and spirituality and their impact on families. In that capacity he created the award-winning program Sacred Aging for congregations. He has written for numerous publications. He founded and edits www.jewishsacredaging.com and writes for other websites such as www.silverplanet.com.

Shalom: The desire to find liturgies for home shabbat use is growing. Thankfully, there are ahost of resources, both print and electronic. The "Gates of the House" is a tried and true book (published by the CCAR Press in New York) that is perfect for a variety of home ceremonies and has a wonderful home shabbat service. That may be updates in the new "Mishkan T'filah" series of prayer books. (Contact CCAR Press) Also, reach out to the denominations (United Synagogue and Reconstructionist Movement) for their selection.Each has a web site that can be mined for great ideas (i.e. www.urj.org) Other web sites, such as My Jewish Learning.com, usually have weekly Shabbat updates and commentaries. Also, depending on where you live, local congregations may have published a home service for their membership. Finally, you can take any prayer book and take out the Shabbat prayers and create yoiur own home based liturgy. Add in some favorite selections of yours and you have a meaningful experience that combines tradition with your own flair Rabbi Richard F Address, D.Min