The Movement for Reform Judaism

Part of the challenge of producing the new Prayerbook is coming to terms with unexpected issues. In the course of producing these ‘diaries’ we have had to examine a number of familiar ones and we continue to try to resolve them as best we can.   But there is one issue that is new to this edition and it has evoked any number of divergent views. It is the question of whether or not to include transliteration of the Hebrew passages within the book, and if so, to what extent?   

Those who know the American scene are aware that the Reform and Reconstructionist movements have long since made provision for transliteration on the page, and individual Conservative and even Orthodox prayerbooks have also done so.   The argument for this is simply one of inclusivity. People who come to the synagogue may have very little in the way of Jewish education, let alone fluency in reading Hebrew. Thus they feel excluded when the service is largely conducted in Hebrew and this robs them of the incentive to become more involved. By providing transliteration they can read or sing along with the community so that one more barrier is removed. 

In the UK, at least in the past, we have not gone that route and tended instead to use the English translation as the ‘way in’ for people to participate. At least they could join in with the parts read in English. But in recent decades, both UK progressive movements have considerably increased the Hebrew component of the services. This is to some extent a reaction against the old canards about the movements being assimilationist, but also a wish to improve knowledge of Hebrew as a basic Jewish ‘skill’. 

Sadly this often stops with the ability to read fluently, if not always accurately, without understanding what is being read.    Synagogues have also provided limited transliteration possibilities, usually as separate sheets containing the Kaddish, so as to help mourners, or the blessings for the Torah and Haftarah. Nevertheless, without a degree of practice, these unfamiliar phrases are not read very well, and tend to highlight the reader’s lack of Hebrew (or Aramaic) rather than substitute for it.   

Though we are not used to having transliterations in our Prayerbook, because it is now a common practice elsewhere, it became one of the possibilities from the beginning of this work. Naturally there are people who are opposed to having it at all. We can accept people reading Hebrew without understanding what they are saying, because at least they have made the effort to master the letters, though this is already a sad reflection on our distance from our tradition. But to read English letters feels quite unacceptable to some – perhaps because it actually highlights the deeper problem. (There is a legitimate argument that the sound of the Hebrew, and the fact of reciting it ourselves, even without comprehension, rather like a mantra, helps create an atmosphere of prayer, and a link with other Jews at prayer – but on that basis whether we read Hebrew or English letters so as to achieve this effect is largely irrelevant.)   

One of the main questions that arises is whether reading from a transliteration leads people to wish to learn Hebrew itself, or simply becomes a substitute.   Most of the information we have seems to be anecdotal and I am unaware of any real studies made of the subject.   Nevertheless the general opinion seems to be that it in the case of adults, familiarity with the sounds and the ability to speak them, can be the necessary bridge to acquiring Hebrew.   It has certainly proved to be the case in places like the Former Soviet Union where all services need to use transliterated texts because people simply have no background whatsoever in Judaism.   It is a sad reflection on our Jewish educational resources here in the UK that that same lack of knowledge on the same scale is also the case.      

But if transliteration helps adults there seems to be evidence, or at least concerns, that it is counterproductive in the case of children.   For them having an English ‘crib’ on the page may remove the incentive to master the Hebrew alphabet.   This raises all sorts of questions and anxieties.   Clearly it is important as part of our educational system that children come to know the liturgy, and if the transliteration is on the same page as the Hebrew, we know what they will choose to read.   On the other hand, there are those who argue that if the goal is to teach Hebrew, the siddur is not the only, or necessarily even the best, ‘textbook’ to use.   However a good transliteration system can help learners recognize where the stress is on a word, for example with the ‘conversive vav’, or make clear how to pronounce such traps for the unwary as the ‘kamatz katan’ (pronounced ‘o’ instead of ‘ah’).   So the question is actually how to use the transliteration as a positive educational tool.
   
Ultimately, if the desire is to make our services more welcoming, accessible and participatory then transliteration can be an important and positive element of the new siddur.   If the principle is accepted, then comes the question:  how little or how much should be transliterated.    Those in favour of minimal transliteration feel that it should only be the ‘main’ prayers that are included – though there is a degree of debate about what are the ‘main’ prayers: obviously the Shema, Amidah, Bar’chu, Torah and Haftarah blessings, probably Alenu and Kaddish.   Inevitably there is a counter-argument that some of these one learns pretty much by rote through hearing them on a regular basis, so what needs to be transliterated instead are the less familiar passages, especially the songs that can help create a prayerful atmosphere – though since no two congregations sing exactly the same pieces, this makes selectivity even more problematic.   

While these ‘ideological’ and ‘practical’ issues need to be debated, further considerations arise about the possible impact on the length and hence the weight of the book.   Adding transliteration clearly takes up space, and something has to go if we are to keep the original size of the 1977 Siddur (but printed on the original correct weight of paper!).  
   
By now it must be clear, as with other issues, that to accommodate so many different views, a careful compromise will have to be made.   The Prayerbook committee have accepted that transliteration is to be incorporated, and if it is to be effective it should cover the whole of the Shabbat evening and morning services as these are the ones where greatest participation is needed.   A few other places, like the grace after meals, will also have it.   This will be the case in the final draft volume which will be tried out by congregations, which will also be an opportunity to see how the layout can accommodate both the transliteration and the explanatory notes in a helpful way.   

Ultimately the use of transliteration belongs to a strategy that seeks to include more people in our worship services, though the frustration of trying to read it may itself encourage people to move on to Hebrew.  The challenge will now be to make it a valuable tool for educating and engaging people in the deeper issue of understanding the prayers that we are reading.

'Forms of Prayer' will be published in May 2008. If you haven't yet ordered your copy, please contact your synagogue office. The siddur is also available to people who are not members of synagogues. To place your order, please call 0208 349 9484 or click here to buy on-line.