2025
In May 2025, ten students from across teh country completed the Ba’al tefilla course after four intensive weekends. Organised by the Levisson Institute, the course taught partilcipants how to lead services in the absence of a rabbi. The sessions covered liturgy, text interpretation, the structure of the Siddur, writing and delivering a Dvar Torah, demeanor and presentation, and much more. The lessons were provided by dr. Annette Boeckler, a specialist in Jewish luturgy, and Rabbis Marianne van Praag and Menno ten Brink.
2018
In January 2018 fifteen enthousiastic participants from different Dutch Progressive congregations started the the first Dutch ba’al tefillah training.
They learned how to lead a shabbat service in case no rabbi is present in a synagogue. Also shiwa services were part of the training.
The training consisted of five weekends during the whole year 2018 and included synaogogue services, lectures and workshops. Every service was done by the participants, combined with instructions and feedback.
Overview of the programme:
- Leading shabbat services
- Leading shiwa services
- Dvar Torah
- Kiddush
- Havdalah
- Birkat hamazon
- Read Hebrew aloud
- Progressive Judaism
- Attitude and presentation
The lessons were thaught by rabbi Menno ten Brink, rabbi Marianne van Praag, Annette Boeckler and by several occasional teachers.
See here photos of the five weekends.
Annette Boeckler wrote an article in 2016 about Dutch liberal liturgy: Dutch Liberal Liturgical History (pdf)