Siddur Sim Shalom

For Shabbat and Holidays, CSI uses the original Siddur Sim Shalom edited by Rabbi Jules Harlow. Sim Shalom was the first contemporary siddur for the Conservative Movement. The siddur reflects the Conservative Movement’s diversity, its maintenance of tradition and its innovations. The English translation attempts to simultaneously portray the meaning of the Hebrew and provide a spiritual experience for those who pray in the English.

Transliterated Prayer Books

For those who are still learning and practicing their Hebrew, CSI has produced a few transliterated prayer books. The transliterated prayer books are clearly labeled and are located on the siddur cart in the sanctuary and in the small chapel. The transliterations are pasted into the Sim Shalom prayer books. We have transliterated most the prayers that we sing aloud as a congregation.

Sim Shalom for Weekdays

For weekdays, CSI uses the new Sim Shalom for Weekdays. The Siddur’s sole focus on the Weekday service makes the siddur lighter than the original Sim Shalom. Its supplemental material focuses solely on the Weekday prayer experience. The new siddur also reflects the changes and improvements in gender-neutral language.

Chumash Etz Chayim

CSI uses the new Conservative publication Chumash Etz Chayim for our Torah reading. Chumash Etz Chayim is well suited for our synagogue use. The Hebrew print is clear, the translation is modern and understandable, and the commentary insightful. The commentaries and essays in the appendix reflect our ideological view toward the Torah. The Torah is simultaneously a source of Jewish law, a source of values and a great book of literature reflective of both eternal ideas and historical context. One of the great contributions of Chumash Etz Chayim is that we have a major Torah commentary that includes the writings of women.