Candle Of The Night
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To
SHABBAT
from page 7
bols of Havdala into her son's ser-
but we didn't care because it had
vice
a wonderful addition, as a
become second nature to all of us to
"transition from Shabbat into the
do Havdala, no matter what the cir-
rest of the week."
cumstances were. We just kept on
with our service, blocking out the
Havdala And The Arts
voices and focusing on the family we
Another attraction to Havdala comes
had created."
with the objects used in the ceremony
That growing familiarity may be
itself. Havdala sets include the candle-
what has prompted the introduction
holder, Wine•cup, spice
of Havdala into the
box, tray and sometimes
bar/bat mitzvah ceremo-
Above: Symbols
a coordinated matchbox.
ny, says Beth El's Rabbi
of Havdala in the Marcus Made from silver, hand-
Syme.
home: candlestick,
blown glass, ceramic and
When Ellen
braided
candle, hanging
gold, Havdala sets can
deMarrais and her hus-
spice box, wine and
be found for $6,000 and
band, Gilbert, were plan-
wine cup, along with
more in catalogs and
ning their son's bar mitz-
a prayer book.
art/gift galleries.
vah at Temple Israel four
Through increased
years ago, she was unfa-
sales of Havdala sets, Chaskal
miliar with Havdala.
Borenstein of Borenstein's Book and
But by the time of Brett Gifford
Music Store in Oak Park notices
deMarrais' bar mitzvah on Nov. 27,
more of an awareness of Havdala in
she had attended several Saturday
Conservative and maybe Reform,
night Havdala ceremonies. She
too, in the past five years."
found the incorporation of the sym-
"
Rabbi Syme says that new Havdala
music is another enticement for kids
and those among the uninitiated.
Singer/songwriter Debbie Friedman's
Havdala prayer melodies have had "a
profound impact on congregations in
the Reform movement." He finds it
"amusing in a wonderful way to see
how many congregations see
[Friedman's compositions] as a tradi-
tional melody."
Friedman of Los Angeles is a former
member of NFTY (the Reform move-
ment's North American Federation of
Temple Youth). She grew up compos-
ing liturgical melodies in high school.
For her work Birchot Havdala, she set
the words of the Havdala ceremony to
a stirring, poignant tune that has
become widespread, even in
Conservative synagogues.
"In learning her melody, many also
learned the liturgy of the ceremony,"
Rabbi Syme says.
"I think that the introduction of
Havdala in Reform and Conservative
homes is related to the desire to con-
nect more often and more deeply with
tradition," Friedman says. "We usher
in Shabbat with ritual, and I think that
Havdala offers us a sense of closure.
"We don't just turn off Shabbat
and jump right into chol, the 'ordi-
nary,' after three stars appear. We say
goodbye gently, lovingly and hesitant-
ly. We hold on by putting the sweet
taste of the wine, the fragrance of the
spices and the beauty of the light into
our memory bank. This serves to sus-
tain us until the next week."
Following Havdala prayers, it is cus-
tomary to wish each other Shavua tov,
or "good week," often through song.
"Eli*u Hanavi" is the traditional
song that closes the Havdala ceremony.
Learning About Havdala
In many Jewish schools, the teaching of
the Havdala ceremony has been inte-
grated into the religious programming.
"Ever since the Havdala service my
Hillel (Day School of Metropolitan
Detroit) third grade had, my family
has been doing Havdala every
Saturday night as a ritual," says 16-
year-old Jamie Iden.
"Havdala was one of my best memo-
ries of Hillel," says the West Bloomfield
High School student. "I'm so glad I'm
keeping the tradition of doing Havdala
services with my family."
Several area synagogues attempt to
keep Havdala before their members,
either by including the ceremony in
Saturday night events or by creating
special programs to teach Havdala to
families.