About the World Union Edition of Mishkan T'filah

In 2010 our new Progressive Jewish Prayer Book was published.  
Based on the new book published in America a couple of years earlier, our version has over 2000 changes and revisions making it suitable for use in the Southern Hemisphere (as well as the rest of the world) - hence the name 'World Union Edition', as it can be used by any Progressive Jewish congregation around the world. All our congregations across Australia, New Zealand and South Africa are using Mishkan T'filah, which means 'A Tabernacle of Prayer'. 

The Tabernacle was the portable sanctuary that our Israelite ancestors built and carried with them through their 40 years of wandering in the desert, and subsequently took with them into the land of Canaan. Mishkan means 'dwelling' - they felt the spirit of God - sh'chinah - the 'dwelling presence' residing with them there. At that time, a key form of worship was animal sacrifices, but through the development of our religion, 'Prayer replaced Sacrifice' as the prophets teach us.  For almost 2000 years, since the destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans in 70 CE, we have not sacrificed animals, and Progressive Judaism has no wish or plan to resume doing so, or indeed to build a new Temple in Jerusalem, so you will find no references to sacrifices in its pages.   So 'Mishkan T'filah' appropriately brings together the earlier and later stages of Judaism, alluding even in its title to the way that the new is developed from the ancient.

In its 700 pages, you will find hundreds of beautiful and spiritual readings and new, faithful and meaningful translations of all the prayers - yet carefully and sensitively rendered to avoid masculine references to people or to the divinity (we mainly use the term 'Eternal One' when the four letter name of God, previously but erroneously translated as 'The Lord', occurs in the Hebrew).

Mishkan T'filah employs a novel structure - on the right hand page, you find the most traditional version of the hebrew text, alongside a transliteration into English letters for those whose Hebrew is not so great (yet)!  On that side, you also find the faithful translation of the Hebrew.  But on the facing page, you find creative alternatives, either new prayers, poems or readings.  So every time you turn to a new double-page spread, the service leader has the option of the traditional reading in Hebrew or translation, or a more creative alternative.  And even if the leader chooses one, you can still read another!  You'll also find explanatory notes at the bottom, as well as information about the original sources of the prayers and readings.  And finally, in the margin, you'll find a list of the sections of the service, highlighting the current page, so you'll know exactly where this prayer fits into the service.

You don't have to be a Progressive Jew to read, and use, this wonderful new resource.  Soon after it was published, I went along to the funeral of a Christian friend - and they used one of the prayers for mourners to be found in the book.  And recently an orthodox Jewish friend asked for our translation of one of the most popular of Jewish prayers!

You can obtain your own copy from any of our synagogues, from UPJ, from MHM at mhmpublications@dodo.com.au or from Amazon.com (if you are in the US).

This post is dated 2023 to ensure it stays at the top of the list for the next ten years!