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20

September 29 2011

iN

hearing those prayers and is on our
side allows us to move forward to
creating, or allowing, that possibility
to become reality. I call that prayers
answered:'
Syma Echeandia, 68, of Shelby
Township is partial to prayer in com-
munal settings. She grew up with
a traditional background, attended
Hebrew day schools, and has lived
and worked in Israel. She has four
daughters, one of whom lives in
Israel, and seven grandchildren,
including one serving with the Israel
Defense Forces. She's now a member
of the Reconstructionist movement
and attends Congregation T'chiyah in
Oak Park.
"Communal prayer has the feelings
of warmth I associate with my child-
hood, the sense of belonging," she
says. "I don't have a particularly good
singing voice, but I love the commu-
nal singing. I don't believe in praying
for myself or for anything other than
peace and health for my loved ones
and for our global community. I think
often about the safety of my family
in Israel and pray fervently for their
well-being, particularly my grandson
in the army. They've all experienced
living in a war zone. I pray for com-
mon sense and an equitable solution
to this serious problem in the Middle
East. Lately, I've been praying for
common sense among all politicians
wherever they are:'

Healing Power
So, what is it about prayer that seem-
ingly has the power to heal or guide
us through difficult times? Numerous
scientific studies have been done to
try and answer that question. A 2011
study published in the Journal of
Behavioral Medicine links prayer to
pain relief. Research also has shown
the death rate for people who attend
regular religious services is about
30 percent lower than for those who
don't attend, but it's unclear why.
Some doctors believe taking time out
for reflection lowers levels of stress
hormones that can take a toll on the
body. But, a large, well-publicized
2006 study found prayers offered by
strangers had no effect on the recov-
ery of people who underwent heart
surgery.
No matter what scientists might
say, Elaine Greenberg, 75, of
Farmington Hills, is another fervent
believer. The wife, mother and grand-
mother of seven grandchildren is an
11-year ovarian cancer survivor.
"When someone asks me, 'What is
it that's in you? How do you believe?'
I really don't know how to explain

it," she says. "I have this very strong
belief that some force is walking with
me — something is holding me. I feel
I'm fortunate to have that relation-
ship with God. I think if I would have
met someone like me before the can-
cer I might have said, 'Lady, you don't
make any sense:"
Greenberg also
uses music as a
healing tool. For
three decades, she
conducted the
children's choir at
Temple Israel. She
and her husband,
Elaine
Sheldon, founded
Greenberg
the nonprofit cor-
poration Living For
Music, which produces uplifting CDs
for cancer patients, survivors and
caregivers. She also puts on perfor-
mances at various medical facilities
and serves as a patient advocate in
other ways.
Greenberg admits there have
been times in her life when she's
questioned her faith, like when her
mother died.
"I stopped the rabbi and said,
have a problem, I'm just reading
words here; it's just rote:" she says.
"The answer is you don't have to pray
what's in the book; you pray what's in
your heart. If the words are meaning-
less to you then use your own words.
Use it as a time to reflect:'
Temple Israel
Rabbi Marla
Hornsten believes
prayer is powerful
and works because
of a connection with
God, oneself and the
community.
"I also believe
Rabbi Marla
people
turn to
Hornsten
prayer in difficult
times because they
recognize they don't have to do every-
thing on their own:' she says. "They
give up a little control and ask for
help in whatever form:'
For people who don't pray year-
round, she says Rosh Hashanah and
Yom Kippur can be a powerful time
to reconnect.
"There's something incredibly
inspiring and awesome about the
High Holy Days:' Hornsten says. "This
is the chance many of us don't take
during the year to have a conversa-
tion with God that is real and honest
and, of course, private. This is the
moment to bare your soul, your feel-
ings, your insecurities and faults.
This is the moment to seek strength
and courage and hope." Li