Religion/Education

Creative Tefillot

a-ME-dah- personalizing the Amidah
Alternative translation to Amidah (Courtesy of old USY Program Bank, an “oldie but goodie.”
Alternative Torah Reading (Courtesy of SWUSY Region)
Animal Masquerade Shacharit (Courtesy of SWUSY Region)
Apples to Apples Minyan (Courtesy of Andy Weissfeld, International Rel/ed VP 2013) *You will need the Green adjective cards from the Apples to Apples game to run this minyan
Back2Basics (courtesy of EPA Region USY)
Banana-grams Shacharit (courtesy of Hagesher Region USY)
Baseball Tefillah (courtesy of Hanegev Region USY)
Birkot Hashachar Body Art- (weekday use) Paint your interpretation of each bracha, courtesy of Hagalil USY, recommended for Kadima
Birkot Hashachar Drama Exercsie
Body Language and Movement in Tefilah
Candy Service
Candy Service 2
CandyLand Human Board Game- Courtesy of SWUSY USY, this creative service is great for Kadima, USYers may enjoy connecting Shacharit to this classic children’s game as well.
Children’s Book Shacharit
Create Your Own Tefillah- Courtesy of CHUSY
Creative Service: Toys
Creative Tefillah
Creative Tefillah 2
Creative Tefillah 3
Creative Tefillah 4
Creative Tefillah Options 2011- Courtesy of Seaboard USY
Creative Writing Tefillah - Courtesy of CHUSY
*New* Davening in the Dark- created by Rafi Mark
Design Your Own Tefillah (Courtesy of CHUSY Region)
Discussion Service
Disney Shacharit (both weekday and Shabbat friendly versions available, please contact Amy Dorsch for more)
Dr. Suess Shacharit- utilizes Dr. Suess passages to connect to various Tefillot (Courtesy of SWUSY Region)
Earth Day (Environment) Shacharit (Courtesy of Hanegev USY, written by 2012-13 Hanegev regional rel/ed VP, Elyssa Ronik)
Facebook Shacharit- (Courtesy of Hanegev USY)
Finger Painting Shacharit – perfect for a Sunday Morning with Kadima, but USYers can get creative using this format as well! (Courtesy of SWUSY Region)
Five Art Projects to Enhance Your Minyan Experience
God in Prayer
Guide to Creative Tefillot
Harry Potter Shacharit (courtesy of SWUSY Region)
Havdalah Service- a Havdalah service on the themes of friendship and community
Havdalah Ceremony with readings- (Courtesy of old USY Program Bank)
High Holy Day Facebook- do T’shuva online before the New Year begins! (SWUSY)
Human Body Service (courtesy of METNY Region USY)
I Am My Prayer (courtesy of Rakevet Division, METNY Region USY)
Improv Shacharit
iPod Shacharit: Broadway (courtesy of NERUSY Region)
iPod Shacharit: IC09 (courtesy of Jesse Olitzky)
iPod Shacharit: Sesame Street (courtesy of NERUSY Region)
iPod Shuffle Shacharit (Courtesy of SWUSY Region)
LEGO Shacharit (Courtesy of Hanegev Region)
Learners’ Minyanim Guide for staff- quick creative ways to teach the meaning of the individual Tefillot (weekday friendly, excellent for Congregational schools)
Learners Minyan 2
Mad Libs Shacharit- Courtesy of JYDA 2012
Meditation for Mincha- a reflection and meditation exercise for Friday afternoon Mincha
Meditation Shacharit- created for IC 2012
Meditation and Imagery
Meditation Shacharit- Courtesy of CHUSY Region
Mitzvah Bingo Board
Multiple Intelligences in Tefillah
Nature Service
Nature Servie 2 (Courtesy of SWUSY Region)
Paper Bag Dramatics Shacharit (Courtesy of Andy Weissfeld, International Rel/ed VP 2013)
Poetry and Prayer
Poetry Shacharit
Pop Song Shacharit (courtesy of Hanegev Region USY)
Readngs for Kabbalat SHabbat and Maariv (Courtesy of the Old USY Prorgam Bank, note that page numbers indicated reference the Silverman Siddur, not Sim Shalom)
Resources to Inspire Creative Tefillah
*NEW* Sandwhich Shoppe Shacharit (Courtesy of Hanegev Region USY)
Shacharit Live (courtesy of CHUSY Region, adapted from material originally created by Seaboard USY)
*NEW* Shacharit on the Farm (Courtesy of Hanegev USY)
Siddur Challenge Tefillah Games- better suited for Kadima- (Courtesy of SWUSY)
Siddur Scavenger Hunt 1 (courtesy of CHUSY Region)
Siddur Scavenger Hunt 2
So You Think You Can Daven (Courtesy of Seaboard Region)
Songbook- a Sample of popular Israeli and ”Ruach” songs
Staff Guide to running a Creative Learner’s Minyan
Sfatai Tiftach
Stories for Shacharit
Superhero Shacharit- (Created for CRUSY Kadima but can also be used for USY)
Team Building Tefillah- Connect to various Tefillot through active games (Courtesy of SWUSY Region)
Tefillah Yoga
Tefillah Enhancement Ideas (courtesy of Hagalil Region USY)
Tefillin Instructions
Towards a Theory of Practice: Conducting Services for and with Children and Teens in Jewish Day Schools (courtesy of Solomon Schechter Day School Association)
TV Parsha Combos- What happens when Homer Simpson meets Noah? (Courtesy of SWUSY)
Tweet Your Prayer- This Twitter Tefillah, courtesy of SWUSY Region, is meant to be used on a weekday. You will need various cell phones with access to Twitter, as well as a projector and screen connected to a central Twitter account.
Using Multiple Intelligences for Creative Tefillah Experiences
Viral Video Shacharit- Courtesy of CRUSY Region
What Does Prayer Mean to You?
Why and How We Pray
Women’s Minyan
“Wordles” Minyan- Courtesy of CHUSY Region. Use this website to see what Wordles are (This will have to be adapted to be done on Shabbat. You will otherwise need Internet Access to create the Wordles)
Zumba Shacharit- *Weekday only* Created by Abby Kerbel, Youth Director at Cong. Beth Emeth in Herndon, VA

Creative Tefillah Guides:

Use these ideas to spice up your service through individual Tefillot. These guides are fantastic resources for “Junior Congregation” or Shabbat morning programming.

USY is pleased to work with the Solomon Schechter Day School Association to provide additional Tefllah resources on our website.

For additional information or to share your Creative T’fillot information, please e-mail reled@usy.org.