shiva minyan

[cellio]

I led a shiva minyan tonight. Two liturgically-competent Conservative Jews thought I was a rabbi, which I'll take as a compliment. :-) (My rabbi had clued me in that the family was a mix of Reform, Conservative and Reconstructionist, several very involved in their congregations, so I did more Hebrew than I would have otherwise and watched/listened for people having trouble. Sometimes families aren't that comfortable and since the whole point of the service is to help the family in mourning, you adapt to their needs.)

I feel bad about one thing. Even though I allowed extra time as insurance against this, I had a lot of trouble finding the building -- well-hidden behind trees and in an area largely lacking in posted numbers (and street signs for that matter). I ended up being about five minutes late, after calling the house and asking for guidance. That meant a few things: first, I walked into a room full of people sitting patiently waiting to daven (embarrassing); second, I didn't get to speak to the family beforehand to offer condolences (just the person who ushered me in); third, I didn't get to double-check a couple things in the special siddur for a house of mourning before we started (and they only had the smaller-print edition).

I need to remember that Google Maps offers a satellite view and this can provide useful information. In this case, it would have given me a gas station as a landmark. I'm too used to the idea that maps are line art, but they're a lot more now.

The family didn't seem to be miffed and I apologized to each of them. But it shouldn't have happened; it looked unprofessional.

I should also get myself a (larger-print) copy of that siddur -- so that I'll always have it available, and so that I can paste in two versions of E- Malei Rachamim, one for each gender, instead of messing around with the parenthesized alternate words. That's just too hard to read.

Comments

[indigodove.livejournal.com]

I understand your wanting things to be perfect (as far as showing up a little early, etc), but I think you are doing them a real and much appeciated service.

I really think it's wonderful that you do this for people. I know it is something you love, and it's great that you've found so many ways to use that love to enrich the lives of others.

[baron-steffan.livejournal.com]

What lorimelton said. I am indescribably proud of you.

[cellio]

Thank you. That means a lot to me!