Union Prayer Book
The Union Prayer Book was a Siddur published by the Central Conference of American Rabbis to serve the needs of the Reform Judaism movement in the United States.
History
An original version of the prayer book was published in 1892, based on the Minhag America prayer book authored in 1857 by Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise. By the time it was released, a group within the Reform movement led by Rabbi David Einhorn of Baltimore sought to implement greater changes, and the 1892 editions were recalled at significant cost.[1]
The 1895 release was edited by Rabbi
Associate Rabbi
The 1918 (revised) and 1940 (newly revised) editions of the Union Prayer Book were intended to accommodate "the needs of conservative congregations insofar as these do not conflict with the principles of the Conference", changing the word "Minister" in the first and second editions to "Reader" in the 1940 edition. The 1940 edition showed a greater emphasis on Jewish peoplehood, reflecting a 1937 Reform platform that supported the creation of a homeland for the Jewish people in Palestine.[1]
Consideration of a successor prayer book
At a meeting of American and Canadian Reform leaders held in Toronto in June 1966, an announcement was made that the CCAR's Committee on Liturgy would begin a "re-evaluation and research" process aimed at a rewrite of the Union Prayer Book[5]
At the 78th annual meeting of the CCAR in June 1967, held at
With rising interest in the 1960s in Zionism and The Holocaust, as well as an upsurge in Jewish pride and identity following the Six-Day War, it became clear that the Union Prayer Book was no longer adequate. The CCAR released an updated prayer book, edited by Rabbi Chaim Stern as part of a committee chaired by Rabbi A. Stanley Dreyfus.[1] The new Gates of Prayer, the New Union Prayer Book was announced in October 1975 as a replacement for the UPB, incorporating more Hebrew content and was updated to be more accessible to modern worshipers.[7]
In 2000, Chicago Sinai Congregation in Chicago, Illinois published yet another revised version of the Union Prayer Book, which modernized the Elizabethan English of the previous versions, while attempting to preserve the lofty, poetic prose of the original. In addition, the liturgy was updated to address and reflect upon the Holocaust and the founding of the State of Israel, neither of which had happened yet at the time of the publication of the 1940 edition. Only a handful of ultra-liberal congregations have adopted the Sinai Edition of the UPB, the rest preferring to use Gates of Prayer or Mishkan Tefillah, which reflect more closely the neo-traditionalist trends in the Reform Movement. In 2012, Chicago Sinai Congregation and the
References
- ^ a b c d Stevens, Elliot L. "The Prayer Books, They Are A'Changin'" Archived July 3, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, reprinted from Reform Judaism (magazine), Summer 2006. Accessed March 4, 2009.
- ^ Staff. "CONFERENCE OF THE REFORM RABBIS; An Ancient Hebrew Parchment Sent to the Jewish Preachers.", The New York Times, July 12, 1895. Accessed March 4, 2009.
- ^ Staff. "RABBI ATTACKED REFORMED JUDAISM; Trustees of Temple Emanu-El Weighing Effect of Orthodox Sermon by Dr. Magnes.", The New York Times, May 12, 1910. Accessed March 5, 2009.
- ^ Staff. "DR. KOHLER DEFENDS REFORMED JUDAISM; President of the Hebrew Union College Comes Here to Answer Dr. Magnes's Attack. SAYS IT MISREPRESENTS Dr. Magnes in Urging a Return to Old Ceremonies Champions Insincerity, He Declares.", The New York Times, May 15, 1910. Accessed March 5, 2009.
- ^ Spiegel, Irving. "JEWS FIND NEED FOR REAPPRAISAL; Reform Leaders Cite Stress of Science-Oriented Society", The New York Times, June 25, 1966. Accessed March 5, 2009.
- ^ Spiegel, Irving. "Reform Rabbis Study Revisions in Prayer Book; Seek to Provide a Greater Relevance to Present Project Takes 2 Years", The New York Times, June 21, 1967. Accessed March 5, 2009.
- ^ Spiegel, Irving. "RABBIS ANNOUNCE NEW PRAYER BOOK; Translations Modernized in Reform Group's First Revision in 80 Years", The New York Times, October 11, 1975. Accessed March 5, 2009.