Background: The Ritual Committee was asked to discuss adding a prayer for the welfare of American soldiers. The Ritual Committee did some research and identified a prayer from the Jewish Welfare Board (JWF) that was deemed suitable for consideration. The Ritual Committee modified the JWF prayer slightly to read as follows: “We beseech you, Oh God, to shield and protect our armed forces in the air, on sea and on land. May it be Your will that the dominion of tyranny and cruelty speedily be brought to an end and the kingdom of righteousness be established on earth with liberty and freedom for all mankind. Amen.”

Ritual Committee’s recommendation: The committee recommended that this modified prayer be added to the existing prayer for the country for as long as U.S. military personnel are engaged in armed conflict.

General discussion: Most members were sympathetic to the argument that U.S. service men and women deserve our prayers. There was a wide range of views, however, on how best to address this issue. Some participants expressed concern that inserting the prayer into the Shabbat liturgy would inject politics into our service. Others, while sensitive to that possibility, felt that careful wording could minimize that risk. Still others were reluctant in general to add prayers to the existing liturgy, with some suggesting that prayers for our troops are best addressed on a private/personal level. The operational implications should the Minyan opt to include some version of the prayer were also discussed, including where such a prayer would be placed in the liturgy and where it would be physically inserted into the prayer books. The pros and cons of going with a prayer vs. a misheberach were also discussed.

Vote: A majority of the members present voted NOT to ratify the Ritual Committee recommendation to include a separate prayer for U.S. soldiers. Instead, a majority of the members voted in favor of exploring the idea of inserting some such expression or prayer into the standard mesheberach. The matter was referred back to the Ritual Committee to identify an appropriate formulation.

Background: The Ritual Committee was asked to address adding a prayer for the welfare of Israeli soldiers.

Ritual Committee’s recommendation: Upon review of the relevant prayers included in the siddur, the Ritual Committee determined that the Prayer for the State of Israel already includes an appropriate phrase and recommended that no further modification or addition be made. Instead, the Ritual Committee suggested that the Kahal be reminded from time to time that the prayer does encompass the safety and wellbeing of Israeli armed forces and that this should be kept in mind while praying.

General discussion: There was a strong consensus behind the Ritual Committee’s recommendation to make no further modification or addition to the liturgy and no opposing point of view was expressed.

Outcome: The committee’s recommendation was adopted.

Background: The Ritual Committee was asked to review long-standing Minyan policy concerning children on or around the bimah during services.

Ritual Committee’s recommendation: The Ritual Committee strongly reaffirmed the Minyan’s desire to welcome families and children and reiterated the Minyan’s existing policy: a) Children who are not leading a portion of the service should not, in general, reside on the bimah; b) At no time should any child (or any other person) sit on the shulchan, particularly in the presence of a Sefer Torah; c) The Minyan does and should continue to invite children to the bimah at specific times, such as the removal and return of the Torah and at Adon Olam; d) It is the responsibility of parents to enforce this policy with respect to their children, although gabbaim should provide gentle reminders as necessary.

General discussion: Most people agreed with both the committee’s reaffirmation of the Minyan’s desire to continue to foster a “child-friendly” environment and its reiteration of the Minyan’s existing policy. There was general agreement in particular that children should not be sitting on the schulchan in the presence of the Sefer Torah, nor should they be playing at the foot of the bimah or interfering with the schaliach tzibur. Several people stressed that, while it is a shared responsibility to create a sacred space for us all, it is especially incumbent on the parents of small children to help their children understand that the chapel is a sacred space. Others, pointing to the “graying hair” around the table, emphasized the need for maximum tolerance.

Outcome: There was general agreement that the Ritual Committee should remind the kahal of the Minyan’s existing policy.

Background: The Ritual Committee reviewed the pending issue of videotaping of simchot in the Minyan on Shabbat and chagim, which arose when a member of the Minyan asked if a family bar mitzvah could be recorded by a “Shabbat-friendly” video recorder. Rabbi Rembaum held as the Mara D’atra that such taping is halachically permissible based on a T’shuva by the Rabbinical Assembly drafted by Rabbi Elliot Dorf, and videotaping has been done upstairs in the main shul for the past six months. Rabbi Rembaum also stressed, however, that the decision whether to allow such taping in the Minyan is entirely a decision for the Minyan to make for itself and there is no pressure from the shul one way or the other. Mark Wolf strongly reiterated both of these points, emphasizing that as far as the shul’s lay leadership is concerned we should feel under no pressure either regarding the issue itself or the time it might take to reach a decision. After a brief exchange of e-mail among Ritual Committee members, Bob felt that the committee could not make a decision on this issue without the involvement of the general membership, a feeling Norm fully shared. Under severe time constraints to make a decision on the particular simcha, however, Norm and Bob decided to agree to a “one-time only” taping of that particular event on the basis of the explicit understanding that it would not constitute a precedent. The decision also included the proviso that no further taping would be allowed until the Minyan membership as a whole had a chance to vote on this issue. The issue was then returned to the Ritual Committee for further deliberation.

Ritual Committee’s deliberations: At the Ritual Committee meeting prior to the general Minyan meeting, many issues were raised both for and against videotaping. (For a more detailed account, see the minutes from the Ritual Committee’s October 29, 2003 meeting.) These included the following:

Ritual Committee’s recommendation: The committee determined that the issues surrounding videotaping in the Minyan required a full discussion and vote by the entire kahal and recommended that the issues be discussed at a general membership meeting, followed by an e-mail discussion and mail-in vote prior to Chanukah.

General discussion: These issues served as the point of departure for a lively discussion. In addition to some of the same views expressed at the Ritual Committee meeting summarized above, the discussion included (but was not limited to) the following points, arguments, and/or perspectives:

Vote: Following discussion of specific wording for a question that could be posed to the Minyan for a vote on this issue, a formulation was offered limiting the taping question only to bar or bat mitzvah celebrations and a vote on that formulation was called. The wording of the proposed question was: “Should the Library Minyan allow videotaping on Shabbat and Yom Tov of b’nai and b’not mitzvah as long as the videotaping is within halachic guidelines?” The majority of the members present voted “no” and this proposed formulation was rejected. An alternative motion was adopted to form a small team to develop appropriate wording for the question, along with a brief background statement and major pro and con perspectives. Herschel Elkins, Janet Halbert, and Steve Spronz agreed to work with Bob Braun on this drafting team.

Background: As part of the Minyan’s effort to be a welcoming community, the Ritual Committee agreed over the summer to prepare a set of guidelines to assist families celebrating a bar or bat mitzvah in the Minyan. Avi Havivi and Sandra Braun drafted the guidelines. The Ritual Committee reviewed this draft and, with a number of changes, unanimously adopted the guidelines. The guidelines will be provided to families when they schedule their simcha at the Minyan.

Ritual Committee’s recommendation: Since the guidelines are limited to implementing existing policies, the committee believes that no further action by the general membership is required. Copies of the guidelines will be posted on the web site and made available in hard copy to interested Minyan members.

General discussion: There was no discussion of this issue.

Background: Several Minyan members had complained about a lack of decorum during services and asked the Ritual Committee to address this issue. After discussion, a consensus was reached that existing policies adequately cover this issue but that all members are encouraged to remind their friends of the goal of creating a prayer-friendly environment.

Ritual Committee’s recommendation: No further action need be taken.

General discussion: There was no discussion of this issue.