Don’t tell me what to believe –

teach me what to do.

Behind the screens of the ‘Sjabbatsidoer’

Säkulares Judentum? Henny van het Hoofd

I am not religious, but…

I feel connected to our synagogue, out of solidarity with other Jews and because I feel at home in a Jewish environment. I don’t want to be an outsider.

I would like a prayer book that enables me to participate in the service without making my hair stand up (and I am not the only one).

Don’t tell me what to believe, teach me what to do!

‘Individualisation’

No ‘heavy and holy’ book (scares me off)

Attractive and colourful (like me ;-)

No Dutch translation (does not mean anything to me)

Answers to the questions I would ask (not religious only)

Who wrote these texts, why and when?

The basics at a high level, not childish

Avoid the ‘Haägen Dasz effect

I don’t want to stand out as a beginner

‘Participation’

Phonetic tekst for what is said or sung together

What am I expected to do?

Who does what, when and why?

Explain the structure behind the service, so I can feel more part of it

Use a clear Hebrew font (my Hebrew is slow but I’d like to try)

Use icons to indicate sitting, standing, bowing, singing etc

Add illustrations (or film) on how to put on a tallith etc

Use colourcodes to distinguish between different types of information

Schematic overviews, so you know what will happen next

Welcome in shul. Relax. It is (almost) shabbat.

Icons

Structure

Sample

Sample

Sample