Beit Gesher
Beit Gesher
The Egalitarian Minyan in Heidelberg |
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Our emergent community started out in fall 2008. In the context of the local American Jewish community, the idea was born to create a permanent egalitarian minyan in Heidelberg, that has since evolved into a small but diverse group whose members come from a variety of Jewish traditions and from several different countries, such as the U.S., France, Tunisia and Iran.
Egalitarian
We are egalitarian: this means that we believe in equal rights for men and women in religious matters. Women and men can
to participate equally in services and rituals, such as pronouncing the blessing over Shabbat candles, presenting a D'var
Torah, reciting the Kiddush, or even leading the service.
Participatory
Our community functions entirely on a voluntary basis. There are no membership fees (though you are welcome to bring kosher
wine or food for our next potluck dinner), and everything we do – from Shabbat services to Purim
parties or cultural activities – depends on our members investing their time and effort. Our goal is to create a dynamic and
inviting environment for spirited prayer, serious study and social interaction.
We also believe in empowering our members to lead the community themselves, rather than delegating the minyan leadership to a professional. Everyone is encouraged to get involved with our communal activities, to suggest changes, or introduce new initiatives, and thus play a part in determining the direction in which our community evolves.
Traditional
While we may differ from many other Jewish communities in our egalitarian values and our participatory approach, our congregation
is firmly anchored in Jewish Tradition. Our main language of prayer and ritual is Hebrew. Our members are encouraged to learn
about Jewish customs and laws, and to expand their knowledge of the Hebrew language. Whether you only have a rudimentary knowledge of Jewish Tradition and would like to explore it further and enrich your personal practice, or whether you are already knowledgeable and are willing to share your insights, we offer an environment where you can learn or teach. We aim to make Jews from a variety of traditions feel at home in our community and we are committed to creating an open and hospitable environment.
Beit means "house", and many people may think of a synagogue mainly as a beit tefillah ("house of prayer"). But it is also a beit midrash ("house of study") and a beit knesset ("house of gathering"). We try to fulfill these three functions – prayer service, communal study and social interaction – as good as we can.
Gesher means "bridge". Our community is founded upon our desire to bridge the gap between our different nationalities and between our Ashkenazic and Sephardic cultures. At the same time, we aim to build a bridge between varying degrees of religious observance and between our modern lives and our cultural and religious heritage. We perceive our diversity as an enrichment that enables us to learn from each other.
We are a welcoming and participatory community and would be delighted to have you with us!
Even if you are only visiting Heidelberg, you are welcome to drop by at our services and other events.
