Resources

Audio Resources

The files below are in .mp3 format and should play automatically if the appropriate software is installed on your computer. They can also be downloaded to any .mp3 player such as an iPod by right-clicking and selecting "Download link file."

TORAH AND HAFTARAH PREPARATION

PERFORMING AN ALIYAH TO THE TORAH

Instructions:
1. The Cantor or Gabbai will announce the aliyah to the congregation and invite you by name to come up to the bima.
2. Please ascend and stand at the right of the Torah reader. The blessings are on a plaque written in Hebrew and Hebrew transliteration, similar to that below this explanation.
3. You may touch the Torah with your tallit, prayerbook, or the Torah belt on the lectern. This is a traditional custom giving honor to the Torah. Touch the Torah at the place where the reading will begin and the reader is pointing with the yad(pointer), then kiss that object (the tallit, prayerbook or Torah belt)
4. Read or chant the first blessing in Hebrew, or if you can’t or struggle to read Hebrew, you may use the English transliteration.​

בָּרְכוּ אֶת יְ-יָ הַמְבֹרָךְ
Bar’chu et Ado-nai ham’vo-rach!
Praise the One to whom our praise is due!​

Steps 1 through 4 are explained in this audio file.

5. After you read or chant the first sentence, the congregation, including the others around you, will respond with the second sentence and you repeat it the same way.  (This, by the way, is the most commonly misunderstood step!)

בָּרוּךְ יְ-יָ הַמְבֹרָךְ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד
Baruch Ado-nai ham’vo-rach l'olam va-ed!
Praised be the One to whom our praise is due, now and for ever!​

6.  Continue directly with this blessing.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְ-יָ אֱלֹהֵֽ-ינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר בָּֽחַר בָּֽנוּ מִכָּל הָעַמִּים 
וְנָֽתַן לָֽנוּ אֶת תּוֹרָתוֹ. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְ-יָ, נוֹתֵן הַתּוֹרָה
Baruch Adonai ham’vo-rach l’o-lam va-ed Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-o-lam, 
a-sher ba-char banu mi-kol ha’a-mim, v’na-tan lanu et Torah-to. 
Baruch Atah Adonai, no-tein ha-Torah.
We praise You, Eternal God, Sovereign of the universe: You have called us to Your service by giving us the Torah. 
We praise You, O God, Giver of the Torah

7. Stay to the right of the Torah reader while he or she then reads or chants the selection from the Torah.

After the Torah reader finishes:

8. At the conclusion of the reading, you may touch the end of the Torah text to which the reader will be pointing with the yad (pointer) using a tallit, prayerbook, or Torah belt, then kiss that object (the tallit, prayerbook or Torah belt).
9. Read or chant the concluding blessing.

,בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְ-יָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם
,אֲשֶׁר נָֽתַן לָֽנוּ תּוֹרַת אֱמֶת 
.וְחַיֵּי עוֹלָם נָטַע בְּתוֹכֵֽנוּ. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְ-יָ, נוֹתֵן הַתּוֹרָה 
Baruch Adonai ham’vo-rach l’o-lam va-ed Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-o-lam,
asher natan lanu Toraht emet, v'chayei olam, nata b'tochaynu, 
Baruch Atah Adonai, no-tein ha-Torah.
We praise You, Eternal God, Sovereign of the universe, You have given us a Torah of truth, 
implanting within us eternal life. We praise You, O God, Giver of the Torah.

Steps 5 through 9 are explained in this audio file.

PDF RESOURCES 

Seder Avodah

One of the unique aspects of Congregation Adath Jeshurun is our Seder Avodah prayer books which were originally arranged and edited by Rabbi Max D. Klein, and now revised extensively by Rabbi Seymour Rosenbloom. Now you can download them to your iPad or iPhone or similar device and have the Seder Avodah at your fingertips at any time. There are three volumes in the series. The first to be published in their new format is the Mahzor Seder Avodah for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, published in 2004. The second is the Seder Avodah Siddur for Shabbat, Yom Tov and Weekdays, which was published in 2008. The most recent is the Seder Avodah for a House of Shiva, published in 2013.

Mahzor Seder Avodah for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur
Seder Avodah for Shabbat, Yom Tov, and Weekdays
Seder Avodah for a House of Shiva

Prayers

Cemetery Service for the High Holy Days
Healing Prayers
Prayer After the Death of a Loved One
Prayer for Lighting a Yahrzeit Candle
Shiva Prayers for Beginning and Ending
Unveiling Service
Vidui, Confession Prayer for the Gravely Ill
Blessing of the Children (.mp3)

PDFs of Rabbi BARRY Kenter's Sermons from the 5779 High Holy Days
Erev Rosh Hashanah 5779
Rosh Hashanah 5779, Day I
Rosh Hashanah 5779, Day II

VIDEO RESOURCES

Final Comments from Retiring Rabbi Rosenbloom 

On Saturday, June 28, 2014, Rabbi Seymour Rosenbloom led his final Shabbat service. You can hear his final comments below. For someone who is not familiar with AJ, Rabbi Rosenbloom provides information about AJ's liturgy.

On Gun Violence

Rabbi Seymour Rosenbloom presented this sermon on gun violence on December 15, 2012, one day after a gunman massacred 20 first-graders and 6 adults in an elementary school in Sandy Hook, CT. Unfortunately, the prevalence of gun violence in the United States has not abated, so his sermon remains relevant.