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prayer

Kehilat Zion is a small, emerging Jewish community in Jerusalem that grew out of the gentle dream of praying together. An embroidered community of grandparents and children, young and old, diverse families and individuals, Jews and Israelis from all streams and backgrounds, who gather every Friday night to pray together in one prayer of partnership and connections. Prayer of the ingathering of exiles. That the ingathering of the exiles is not only a physical act of gathering from all corners of the world, but that it is also meant to be an act of gathering the spirit, when all the treasures of the people are gathered together to one prayer woven from endless traditions, Land of Israel.
 

The prayer at Zion is not a new invention, but an ancient and ongoing transmission of generations of communities that also gathered on the Sabbath and holidays, at different times and places, to teach their children the language of prayer, a language of longing for the soul. The language of the prayer is the language of faith, and from a grandfather to his granddaughter, she prays to return one day to Zion in order to receive the Sabbath and humanity. And we who gather in Jerusalem in these days of the return to Zion, we tried to continue the language of faith given to us by our forefathers and added to it by our own. Therefore, we invited Jews from communities throughout the world to join us and teach us their own traditions, and we invited believers from neighboring religions and nations to participate and teach us from their prayers, so that Jerusalem would be able to welcome Shabbat and humanity at this time. So in every prayer in the community of Zion, we go out to seek the heavenly Jerusalem in the actual streets of Jerusalem.

We had guidelines on the way: that we could imagine our grandparents sitting in prayer on our one side and our grandchildren on our other side; that we will recognize at least one melody in each prayer and renew at least one other melody; that we should walk in an ancient memory and renew it with humility.

 

Prayer in Zion is the soundtrack of a Living Active Hope, of a world of soul-friendship, a world in which everything is woven together and becomes One, of the world to come. Co-leading the prayer team are Yahalah Lahamish and Nerya Refael Knafo, joined with with the Paytanim Hadass Pal-Yarden, the community's musicians,   and together with all voices of our beloved members and friends, voices of Jewish partners with Muslim and Christian believers – our Zion prayers is thus woven into One.


Kehillat Zion holds weekly Kabbalat Shabbat services throughout the year and Shabbat morning prayers every two weeks.


During the summer, Shabbat eve Kabbalat Shabbat prayers  begin one hour before Shabbat enters, in order to enable Jews from all denominations to participate, and once Shabbat comes in, the musical instruments are put aside, and the prayer continues without them.


In addition, prayers are held in Holy days  and festivals.

Youth and children's prayer

Friday Night:

Kor'ei Hadorot - Stories and cookies following Kabbalat Shabbat, lead by different members of the community to create a multigenerational experience.

Shabbat Morning (Twice a month)"

Shababa at Zion - Prayer experience for children and parents (nursery school through 1st grade).

Ashorer Shira - Prayer and conversation on the weekly portion for kids between the 2nd through 5th grade.

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