What Is Siddur?

A siddur (סדור, plural siddurim סדורים) is a Jewish prayer book, containing a set order of daily prayers. The word siddur comes from the Hebrew root ס־ד־ר meaning “order”.

History

The earliest parts of Jewish prayer book are the Shema Yisrael (“Hear O Israel”) (Deuteronomy 6:4 et seq), and the Priestly Blessing (Numbers 6:24-26), which are in the Torah. A set of eighteen (currently nineteen) blessings called the Shemoneh Esreh or the Amidah (Hebrew, “standing [prayer]”), is traditionally ascribed to the Great Assembly in the time of Ezra, at the end of the Biblical period.

The name Shemoneh Esreh, literally “eighteen”, is a historical anachronism, since it now contains nineteen blessings. It was only near the end of the Second Temple period that the eighteen prayers of the weekday Amidah became standardized. Even at that time their precise wording and order was not yet fixed, and varied from locale to locale. Many modern scholars believe that parts of the Amidah came from the Hebrew apocryphal work Ben Sira.

According to the Talmud, soon after the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem a formal version of the Amidah was adopted at a rabbinical council in Yavne, under the leadership of Rabban Gamaliel II and his colleagues. However, the precise wording was still left open. The order, general ideas, opening and closing lines were fixed. Most of the wording was left to the individual reader. It was not until several centuries later that the prayers began to be formally fixed. By the Middle Ages the texts of the prayers were nearly fixed, and in the form in which they are still used today.

The siddur was printed by Soncino in Italy as early as 1486, though a siddur was first mass-distributed only in 1865. The siddur began appearing in the vernacular as early as 1538. The first English translation was published in London in 1738 by an author writing under the pseudonym Gamaliel ben Pedahzur; a different translation was released in the United States in 1837.

Creating the siddur

Readings from the Torah (five books of Moses) and the Nevi’im (“Prophets”) form part of the prayer services. To this framework various Jewish sages added, from time to time, various prayers, and, for festivals especially, numerous hymns.

The earliest existing codification of the prayerbook was drawn up by Rav Amram Gaon of Sura, Babylon, about 850 CE. Half a century later Rav Saadia Gaon, also of Sura, composed a siddur, in which the rubrical matter is in Arabic. These were the basis of Simcha ben Samuel’s Machzor Vitry (11th century France), which was based on the ideas of his teacher, Rashi. Another formulation of the prayers was that appended by Maimonides to the laws of prayer in his Mishneh Torah: this forms the basis of the Yemenite liturgy, and has had some influence on other rites. From this point forward all Jewish prayerbooks had the same basic order and contents.

Two authoritative versions of the Ashkenazi siddur were those of Shabbetai Sofer in the 16th century and Seligman Baer in the 19th century; siddurim have also been published reflecting the views of Jacob Emden and the Vilna Gaon.

Different Jewish rites

There are differences among, amongst others, the Sephardic (including Spanish and Portuguese and Mizrachim), Teimani (Yemenite), Chasidic, Ashkenazic (divided into German, Polish and other European and eastern-European rites), Bené Roma or Italkim, Romaniote (Greek, once extending to Turkey, Crimea and the southern Italian peninsula) and also Persian-, Kurdish-, Bukharian-, Georgian-, Mountain Jewish-, Ethiopian- and Cochin-Jewish liturgies. Most of these are slight differences in the wording of the prayers; for instance, Oriental Sephardic and some Hasidic prayer books state “חננו מאתך חכמה בינה ודעת”, “Graciously bestow upon us from You wisdom (ḥochmah), understanding (binah) and knowledge (daat)”, in allusion to the Kabbalistic sefirot of those names, while the Nusach Ashkenaz, as well as Western Sephardic and other Hasidic versions retain the older wording “חננו מאתך דעה בינה והשכל”, “Graciously bestow upon us from You knowledge, understanding, and reason”. In some cases, however, the order of the preparation for the Amidah is drastically different, reflecting the different halakhic and kabbalistic formulae that the various scholars relied on in assembling their siddurim, as well as the minhagim, or customs, or their locales.

Some forms of the Sephardi rite are considered to be very overtly kabbalistic, depending on how far they reflect the ritual of Isaac Luria. This is partly because the Tetragrammaton frequently appears with varying vowel points beneath the letters (unpronounced, but to be meditated upon) and different Names of God appear in small print within the final hei (ה) of the Tetragrammaton. In some editions, there is a Psalm in the preparations for the Amidah that is printed in the outline of a menorah, and the worshipper meditates on this shape as he recites the psalm.

The Ashkenazi rite is more common than the Sephardi rite in America. While Nusach Ashkenaz does contain some kabbalistic elements, such as acrostics and allusions to the sefirot (“To You, God, is the greatness [gedullah], and the might [gevurah], and the glory [tiferet], longevity [netzach],…” etc.), these are not easily seen unless the reader is already initiated. It is notable that although many other traditions avoid using the poem Anim Zemiroth on the Sabbath, for fear that its holiness would be less appreciated due to the frequency of the Sabbath, the poem is usually sung by Ashkenazi congregations before concluding the Sabbath Musaf service with the daily psalm. The ark is opened for the duration of the song.

Hasidim, though usually ethnically Ashkenazi, usually use liturgies with varying degrees of Sephardic influence, such as Nusach Sefard and Nusach Ari, in order to follow the order of the prayers set by Rabbi Isaac Luria, often called “Ari HaKadosh”, or “The Holy Lion”. Although the Ari himself was born Ashkenazi, he borrowed many elements from Sephardi and other traditions, since he felt that they followed Kabbalah and Halacha more faithfully. The Ari did not publish any siddur, but orally transmitted his particular usages to his students with interpretations and certain meditations.^[2] Many siddurim containing some form of the Sephardic rite together with the usages of the Ari were published, both by actual Sephardic communities and for the use of Hasidim and other Ashkenazim interested in Kabbalah. In 1803, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi compiled an authoritative siddur from the sixty siddurim that he checked for compliance with Hebrew grammar, Jewish law, and Kabbalah: this is what is known today as the “Nusach Ari”, and is used by Lubavitch Hasidim. Those that use Nusach HaAri claim that it is an all-encompassing nusach that is valid for any Jew, no matter what his ancestral tribe or identity, a view attributed to the Maggid of Mezeritch.

The Mahzor of each rite is distinguished by hymns (piyyutim) composed by authors (payyetanim). The most important writers are Yose ben Yoseh, probably in the 6th century, chiefly known for his compositions for Yom Kippur; Eleazar Kalir, the founder of the payyetanic style, perhaps in the 7th century; Saadia Gaon; and the Spanish school, consisting of Joseph ibn Abitur (died in 970), ibn Gabirol, Isaac Gayyath, Moses ibn Ezra, Abraham ibn Ezra and Judah ha-Levi, Moses ben Nahman (Nahmanides) and Isaac Luria. In the case of Nusach HaAri, however, many of these High Holiday piyyutim are absent: the older piyyutim were not present in the Sephardic rite, on which Nusach HaAri was based, and the followers of the Ari removed the piyyutim composed by the Spanish school.

Complete and weekday siddurim

Some siddurim have only prayers for weekdays; others have prayers for weekdays and Shabbat. Many have prayers for weekdays, Shabbat, and the three Biblical festivals, Sukkot (the feast of Tabernacles), Shavuot (the feast of weeks) and Pesach (Passover). The latter are referred to as a Siddur Shalem (“complete siddur”).

Variations and additions on holidays

• There are many additional liturgical variations and additions to the siddur for the Yamim Noraim (The “Days of Awe”; High Holy Days, i.e. Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur). As such, a special siddur has developed for just this period, known as a mahzor (also: machzor). The mahzor contains not only the basic liturgy, but also many piyutim, Hebrew liturgical poems. Sometimes the term mahzor is also used for the prayer books for the three pilgrim festivals, Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot.
• On Tisha b’Av, a special siddur is used that includes the text of the Book of Lamentations, the Torah and Haftarah readings for that day, and Kinot or special mournful piyyutim for that day. This siddur is usually called “Kinot” as well. Traditionally, every year many Jews hope that the Messiah will come and the Third Temple will be rebuilt, so Tisha b’Av will not happen again. So after the fast ends, many traditions place their Kinot siddurim in a geniza, or a burial place for sacred texts.

Popular siddurim

Below are listed many popular siddurim used by religious Jews. This list mostly excludes prayer books specifically for the High Holidays; see Machzor (Popular versions).

Ashkenazi Orthodox

Main articles: Ashkenazi Jews and Orthodox Judaism

• The Authorised Daily Prayer Book (a.k.a. the “Hertz Siddur”), ed. Joseph Hertz. NY, Block Publ’g Co., rev. ed. 1948. (an annotated edition of “Singer’s Prayer Book” of 1890)(Hebrew-English)
• Siddur Ha-Shalem (a.k.a. the Birnbaum Siddur) Ed. Philip Birnbaum. The Hebrew Publishing Company. ISBN 0-88482-054-8 (Hebrew-English)
• The Metsudah Siddur: A New Linear Prayer Book Ziontalis. (Hebrew-English)
• The Authorised Daily Prayer Book of the British Commonwealth, translation by Chief Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks (the new version of “Singer’s Prayer Book”) (Hebrew-English)
• The Artscroll Siddur, Mesorah Publications (In a number of versions including an interlinear translation and fairly popular today.) (Hebrew, Hebrew-English, Hebrew-Russian, Hebrew-Spanish, Hebrew-French) The ” great innovation” of the Artscroll was that it was the first siddur ” made it possible for even a neophyte ba’al teshuvah (returnee to the faith) to function gracefully in the act of prayer, bowing at the correct junctures, standing, sitting and stepping back” at the correct place in the service. “
• Siddur Rinat Yisrael, Hotsa’at Moreshet, Bnei Brak, Israel. (In a number of versions, popular in Israel.) (Hebrew)
• Siddur Siach Yitzchak (Hebrew and Dutch), Nederlands-Israelitisch Kerkgenootschap, Amsterdam 1975 (in a number of editions since 1975) ISBN 978-90-71727-04-7
• Siddur Tefilas Kol Peh (Hebrew)
• Siddur Tefilas Sh’ai, Feldheim Publishers : Israel/NewYork (Hebrew)
• Siddur HaGra (reflecting views of the Vilna Gaon)
• Siddur Aliyos Eliyahu (Popular among followers of the Vilna Gaon who live in Israel and abroad) (Hebrew)
• Siddur Kol Bo (Hebrew)
• Koren Sacks Siddur (Hebrew-English), Koren Publishers Jerusalem: based on latest Singer’s prayer book, above (described as the first siddur to “pose a fresh challenge to the ArtScroll dominance.”)
• Siddur Nehalel beShabbat, the complete Shabbat siddur in the projected siddur Nehalel series (Nevarech Press, Hebrew and English), in which photographs juxtaposed with the texts portray their meanings. The purpose of this innovation is to direct the user’s attention to the meanings of the traditional prayers, thus contributing to the achieving of kavanah, a central requirement of authentic prayer.
• A rendering of both the siddur and the entire High Holyday prayer book into English rhymed verse has been made by Rabbi Dr. Jeffrey M Cohen. The Siddur in Poetry (London, Gnesia Publications, 2012) and The Machzor in Poetry (London, Gnesia Publications, 2012).

Hasidic Siddurim

• “Siddur Tefilah Yesharah,” first published circa 1800, was later reprinted with the early Hasidic commentary “Keser Nehora” by Rabbi Aharon Hakohen (Katz) of Zhelichov. This became known as the “Berditchever Siddur.” (The commentary received approbations from early Hasidic luminaries Rabbi Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev, the Maggid of Kozhnitz, the Seer of Lublin, and the non-Hasidic Chief Rabbi of Lublin.) The Berditchever Siddur has been reprinted many times, more recently by Rabbi Meir Yechezkel Weiner (Jerusalem 2011) and Pe’er (Kiryas Joel 2015).
• Beis Aharon V’Yisrael is the second published siddur ever produced by Karliner Chassidim. It superseded Siddur Beis Aharon V’Yisrael published by Rebbe Yochanan Perlow (1900–1956).
• The Breslov Siddur published in a 2014 hardcover edition (828 pages in length) is one of the few Hasidic siddurim available in an English language translation (and contains the original text). Translated by Avraham Sutton and Chaim Kramer. Y. Hall is the editor. ISBN 978-1928822-83-7
• Siddur Tehillat HaShem (the version currently used by Chabad-Lubavitch), available in a Hebrew-English version.
• Siddur Torah Or (original edition of the siddur redacted by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, known as the “Alter Rebbe” of Chabad).
• Siddur Tefillah La-El Chayi (Hebrew-English siddur released in 2014 with commentary based on the teachings of Breslov)
• In general, a Nusach Sefard siddur can be a good substitute for a specific Hasidic siddur. Many publishing houses have Nusach Sefard versions of the siddur, including (among others) ArtScroll, Tefillat Kol Peh, Koren-Sacks and Rinat Yisrael. However, a number of Hasidic groups have published their own variations of Nusach Sefard, including the communities of Spinka, Bobov, Munkatch, Slonim, Vizhnitz, Biala and Boston (who follow the nusach of the Berditchever Siddur with a few minor variations).

Italian Rite

• The Complete Italian Rite Machazor (3 vols.)
• Mahzor Ke-Minhag Roma, ed. Robert Bonfil, Jerusalem 2012, ISBN 978-965-493-621-7

Romaniote Rite

• The Romaniote Rite, 2017/18 (a series containing the Siddur, Piyyutim, the Haftarot readings and a Haggadah according to the old Romaniote Rite
• “Mekor Chayim: A Reform Liturgy for Erev Shabbat Based on the Romaniote Rite”, Greenberg, Yonatan, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Cincinnati, 236 pages, 2018.

Sephardic

Israel and diaspora

• Siddur Rinat YisraelSephardic and Edot ha-Mizrach Nusach edited by Rabbi Amram Aburbeh. (Hebrew, big clear modern Hebrew fonts)

Israeli, following Rabbi Ovadia Yosef

These siddurim follow the halakha of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef (1920–2013) a Talmudic scholar, and authority on Jewish religious law, and spiritual leader of Israel’s ultra-orthodox Shas party. Yosef believed that the Sephardic halakhic tradition favoured leniency, and these principles are reflected in his siddurim. please note, these siddurim are also for the Edot Ha-mizrach communities.

• Ohr V’Derech Sephardic Siddur
• Siddur Yeḥavveh Daat
• Siddur Avodat Ha-shem
• Siddur Ḥazon Ovadia
• Siddur L’maan Shmo
• Siddur Ha-Miforash Kavanat Halev

Sephardic Women’s Siddur

please note: there are siddurim for “women only” that are labeled “L’bat Yisrael” – these are not considered feminist. the rabbis (rabbi ovadia yosef, etc. ) created a siddur specifically for women’s use only. because women in some cases, it is said, women do not have to pray or say G-ds name in tefillah so a special siddur was created for their use. the prayers are shortened, and more emphasis is put on things women do . men’s prayers are missing, (although you can follow the prayer service.) and the tefillah is changed to suite a woman’s way of speech. and it also has the book of psalms, or “tehillim” included in it. some notable siddurim are:

• Avodat Hashem -l’bat yisrael- with psalms
• Ha-Siddur Ha-Meforash Kavanat Halev -l’bat yisrael- with psalms
• Avodah Shebalev- L’bat yisrael- with psalm

Spanish and Portuguese Jews

(Characterised by relative absence of Kabbalistic elements:)

• Book of Prayer: According to the Custom of the Spanish and Portuguese Jews David de Sola Pool, New York: Union of Sephardic Congregations, 1979
• Book of Prayer of the Spanish and Portuguese Jews’ Congregation, London. Volume One: Daily and occasional prayers. Oxford (Oxford Univ. Press, Vivian Ridler), 5725 – 1965.

Greek, Turkish and Balkan Sephardim

(Usually characterised by presence of Kabbalistic elements:)

• Mahzor LeYom Kippur-Proseuchologion tes hemeras tou Exilasmou (Hebrew-Greek) According to the Sephardic Rite of Thessalonike, Athens 1969
• Siddur Sha’arei Tefillah-Ai Pylai ton Proseuchon (Hebrew-Greek) Prayerbook for the whole year, Athens 1974
• Siddur Zehut Yosef (Daily and Shabbat) According to the Rhodes and Turkish Traditions, Hazzan Isaac Azose, Seattle, Washington: Sephardic Traditions Foundation, 2002

North African Jews

(Usually characterised by presence of Kabbalistic elements:)

• Siddur Od Abinu Ḥai ed. Levi Nahum: Jerusalem (Hebrew only, Livorno text, Libyan tradition)
• Mahzor Od Abinu Ḥai ed. Levi Nahum (5 vols.): Jerusalem (Hebrew only, Livorno text, Libyan tradition)
• Siddur Vezaraḥ Hashemesh, ed. Messas: Jerusalem (Hebrew only, Meknes tradition)
• Siddur Ish Matzliaḥ, ed. Mazuz, Machon ha-Rav Matzliah: B’nei Brak (Hebrew only, Djerba tradition)
• Siddur Farḥi (Hebrew with Arabic translation, Egypt)
• Siddur Tefillat ha-Ḥodesh, ed. David Levi, Erez : Jerusalem (Hebrew only, Livorno text, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian traditions)
• Siddur Patah Eliyahou, ed. Joseph Charbit, Colbo: Paris (Hebrew and French, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian traditions)[2]
• Mahzor Zechor le-Avraham, Yarid ha-Sefarim : Jerusalem (Based on the original Zechor le-Abraham: Livorno 1926, Hebrew only, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian traditions, days of awe only)
• Siddur Darchei Avot (Moroccan)
• Siddur Oro shel Olam

Middle Eastern Mizrachim (Sephardim)

(Usually characterised by presence of Kabbalistic elements:)

Edot Ha-mizrach (Iraqi)

• Tefillat Yesharim: Jerusalem, Manṣur (Hebrew only)
• Siddur Od Yosef Ḥai
• Kol Eliyahu, ed. Mordechai Eliyahu
• Siddur Rinat Yisrael – (Edot Hamizrach edition), Hotsa’at Moreshet, Bnei Brak, Israel. (Hebrew)

Syrian

• The Aram Soba Siddur: According to the Sephardic Custom of Aleppo Syria Rabbi Moshe Antebi, Jerusalem: Aram Soba Foundation, 1993
• Siddur Abodat Haleb / Prayers from the Heart Rabbi Moshe Antebi, Lakewood, New Jersey: Israel Book Shop, 2002
• Kol Yaacob: Sephardic Heritage Foundation, New York, 1990.
• Bet Yosef ve-Ohel Abraham: Jerusalem, Manṣur (Hebrew only, based on Baghdadi text)
• Orḥot Ḥayim, ed. Yedid: Jerusalem 1995 (Hebrew only)
• Siddur Kol Mordechai, ed. Faham bros: Jerusalem 1984 (minhah and arbit only)
• Abir Yaakob, ed. Haber: Sephardic Press (Hebrew and English, Shabbat only)
• Orot Sephardic Siddur, Eliezer Toledano: Lakewood, New Jersey, Orot Inc. (Hebrew and English: Baghdadi text, Syrian variants shown in square brackets)
• Maḥzor Shelom Yerushalayim, ed. Albeg: New York, Sephardic Heritage Foundation 1982

Yemenite Jews (Teimanim)

Baladi

The Baladi Jews (from Arabic balad, country) follow the legal rulings of the Rambam (Maimonides) as codified in his work the Mishneh Torah. Rabbi Yiḥye Tsalaḥ (Maharits) revised this liturgy to end friction between traditionalists (who followed Rambam’s rulings and the siddur as it developed in Yemen) and Kabbalists who followed the innovations of the Ari. This siddur makes very few additions or changes and substantially follows the older Yemenite tradition as it had existed prior to this conflict.

• Siddur Tiklal, Yiḥyah Salaḥ ben Yehuda, 1800
• Siddur Shivat Tzion, Rabbi Yosef Qafih, 1950s
• Siddur Siaḥ Yerushalayim, Rabbi Yosef Qafih (5th edition, Jerusalem 2003)
• Siddur Tiklal: Torath Avoth
• Tiklal Ha-Mefoar (Maharits) Nosaḥ Baladi, Meyusad Al Pi Ha-Tiklal Im Etz Hayim Ha-Shalem Arukh K’Minhag Yahaduth Teiman: Bene Berak : Or Neriyah ben Mosheh Ozeri, [2001 or 2002]

Shami

The Shami Jews (from Arabic ash-Sham, the north, referring to Palestine or Damascus) represent those who accepted the Sephardic rite, after being exposed to new inexpensive, typeset siddurs brought from Israel and the Sephardic diaspora by envoys and merchants in the late 17th century and 18th century. The “local rabbinic leadership resisted the new versions….Nevertheless, the new prayer books were widely accepted.” As part of that process, the Shami modified their rites to accommodate the usages of the Ari to the maximum extent. The text of the Shami siddur now largely follows the Sephardic tradition, though the pronunciation, chant and customs are still Yemenite in flavour.

• Siddur Tefillat HaḤodesh – Beit Yaakov, Nusaḥ Sepharadim, Teiman, and Edoth Mizraḥ
• Siddur Kavanot HaRashash, Shalom Sharabi, Publisher: Yeshivat HaChaim Ve’Hashalom

Minhagei Eretz Yisrael

• Siddur Nusach Eretz Yisrael edited by Rabbi David Bar-Hayim (Machon Shilo, “Shilo Institute”) Jerusalem, Israel. (Hebrew, Minhagei Eretz Yisrael), an attempted reconstruction of the ancient Palestinian minhag from the Jerusalem Talmud, the Cairo Geniza documents and other sources.

Conservative Judaism

Main article: Conservative Judaism

• Sabbath and Festival Prayer Book Ed. Morris Silverman with Robert Gordis, 1946. USCJ and RA
• Weekday Prayer Book Ed. Morris Silverman, 1956. USCJ
• Weekday Prayer Book Ed. Gershon Hadas with Jules Harlow, 1961, RA.
• Siddur Sim Shalom Ed. Jules Harlow. 1985, 980 pages, RA and USCJ.
• Siddur Sim Shalom for Shabbat and Festivals Ed. Lawrence Cahan, 1998, 816 pages. RA and USCJ.
• Siddur Sim Shalom for Weekdays Ed. Avram Israel Reisner, 2003, 576 pages. RA and USCJ.
• Siddur Va’ani Tefilati Ed. Simchah Roth, 1998, 744 pages. Israeli Masorti Movement and Rabbinical Assembly of Israel. Hebrew.
• Va’ani Tefilati: Siddur Yisre’eli Ed. Ze’ev Kenan, 2009, 375 pages. Israeli Masorti Movement and Rabbinical Assembly of Israel. Hebrew.
• Siddur Lev Yisrael Ed. Cheryl Magen, 1998, 432 pages. Camp Ramah. Hebrew.
• Siddur Lev Shalem for Shabbat and Festivals Ed. Edward Feld, 2016, 466 double pages, RA.

Progressive and Reform Judaism

Main article: Reform Judaism

• Ha-Avodah Shebalev, The prayer book of The Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism, Ed. The Council of Israel Progressive Rabbis (MARAM), 1982
• The Companion to Ha-Avodah Shebalev published by Congregation Har-El Jerusalem in 1992 to help English-speaking immigrants and visitors; Hebrew pages from the original Ha-Avodah Shebalev, English translations from Gates of Prayer: The New Union Prayer Book with additional translations by Adina Ben-Chorin.
• Seder ha-Tefillot: Forms of Prayer: Movement for Reform Judaism, London 2008, ISBN 0-947884-13-0; ISBN 978-0-947884-13-0 Official prayer book of the Reform movement in Britain
• Liberal Jewish Prayer Book: Vol. 1 (Services for Weekdays, Sabbaths, Etc.), 1926, 1937; Vol. 2 (Services for The Day of Memorial {Rosh Hashanah} and The Day of Atonement), 1923, 1937; Vol. 3 (Services for Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles), 1926; all published by the Liberal Jewish Synagogue, London, U.K.
• Service of the Heart: Weekday Sabbath and Festival Services and Prayers for Home and Synagogue, Union of Liberal and Progressive Synagogues, London, 1967
• Vetaher Libenu: Purify Our Hearts, Congregation Beth El, Sudbury, MA 1980
• Siddur Lev Chadash, Union of Liberal and Progressive Synagogues, UK, 1995.
• Olat Tamid: Book of Prayers for Jewish Congregations
• The English speaking Reform Jewish movement primarily uses Mishkan T’Filah as its prayer book. This book also features a companion machzor and electronic supplements.
• All of the following are published by the Central Conference of American Rabbis:
  • Union Prayer Book, vol. 1 (Sabbath, Festivals, and Weekdays), 1892, 1895, 1918, 1940; vol. 2 (High Holidays), 1894, 1922, 1945
  • Weekday Afternoon and Evening Services for Use in the Synagogue and the House of Mourning, 1957
  • Gates of Prayer: The New Union Prayer Book, 1975
  • Gates of Prayer for Weekdays and at a House of Mourning, 1975
  • Gates of Prayer: Afternoon and Evening Services and Prayers for the House of Mourning, 1978
  • Gates of Prayer for Shabbat: A Gender Sensitive Prayerbook, 1992
  • Gates of Prayer for Weekdays and at a House of Mourning: A Gender Sensitive Prayerbook, 1992
  • Gates of Prayer for Weekdays: A Gender Sensitive Prayerbook, 1993
  • Gates of Prayer for Assemblies, 1993
  • Gates of Prayer for Shabbat and Weekdays: A Gender Sensitive Prayerbook, 1994
  • Mishkan T’filah [Tabernacle of Prayer]: A Reform Siddur: Weekdays, Shabbat, Festivals, and Other Occasions of Public Worship, 2007; ISBN0-881231-04-5; ISBN978-0-881231-03-8
  • Mishkan T’filah for Gatherings: A Reform Siddur, 2009
  • Mishkan T’filah for Travelers: A Reform Siddur, 2009
  • Mishkan T’filah for the House of Mourning, 2010
  • Mishkan T’filah Journal Edition, 2010
  • Mishkan T’filah for Children, 2013
  • Mishkan T’filah for Youth, 2014
  • Divrei Mishkan T’filah — Delving into the Siddur, 2018
• Chaveirim Kol Yisrae2018il, a Siddur for Chavurot, 2000 a Project of The Progressive Chavurah Siddur Committee of Boston
• Seder ha-Tefillot: Forms of Prayer: Movement for Reform Judaism, London 2008, ISBN 0-947884-13-0; ISBN 978-0-947884-13-0 Official prayer book of the Reform movement in Britain
• Congregation Beit Simchat Torah’s Siddur B’chol L’vav’cha, (With All Your Heart) for Friday night services; Publisher: Congregation Beth Simchat Torah (2008); ISBN 0-979400-90-2; ISBN 978-0-979400-90-2
• Siddur Sha’ar Zahav, the first complete prayer book to address the lives and needs of LGBTQ as well as straight Jews; Publisher: J Levine Judaica & Sha’ar Zahav (2009); ISBN 0-982197-91-8; ISBN 978-0982197-91-2
• Seder Tov Lehodot: Teksten, gebeden en diensten voor weekdagen, Sjabbat en andere gelegenheden, Amsterdam 2000, Verbond van Liberaal-Religieuze Joden in Nederland now Nederlands Verbond voor Progressief Jodendom; ISBN 90-805603-1-6

Reconstructionist Judaism

Main article: Reconstructionist Judaism

• Prayer Books edited by Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan and others:
  • Sabbath Prayer Book, Jewish Reconstructionist Foundation, 1945
  • High Holiday Prayer Book (Vol. 1, Prayers for Rosh Hashanah; Vol. 2, Prayers for Yom Kippur), Jewish Reconstructionist Foundation, 1948
  • Supplementary Prayers and Readings for the High Holidays, Jewish Reconstructionist Foundation, 1960
  • Festival Prayer Book, Jewish Reconstructionist Foundation, 1958
  • Daily Prayer Book, Jewish Reconstructionist Foundation, 1963
• Hadesh Yameinu (Renew our days): a book of Jewish prayer and meditation, edited and translated by Rabbi Ronald Aigen. Montreal (Cong. Dorshei Emet), 1996.
• Kol Haneshamah Prayerbook series, ed. David Teutsch:
  • Erev Shabbat: Shabbat Eve, Reconstructionist Press, 1989; 2nd edition, 1993
  • Shirim Uvrahot: Songs, Blessings and Rituals for the Home, Reconstructionist Press, 1991, 1998
  • Shabbat Vehagim: Sabbath and Festivals, Reconstructionist Press, 1994; 3rd edition (August 1, 1998)
  • Limot Hol: Daily Prayerbook, Reconstructionist Press, 1996; Reprint edition (September 1, 1998)
  • Mahzor Leyamim Nora’im: Prayerbook for the Days of Awe, Reconstructionist Press, 1999; Fordham University Press; Bilingual edition (May 1, 2000)
  • T’filot L’veit HaEvel: Prayers for a House of Mourning, Reconstructionist Press, 2001; Jewish Reconstructionist Federation (October 10, 2001)

Jewish Renewal

Main article: Jewish Renewal

• Sh’ma’: A Concise Weekday Siddur For Praying in English by Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2010.

Feminist siddurim

Siddur Nashim was the first Sabbath prayer book to refer to God using female pronouns and imagery; it was self-published in 1976 by Naomi Janowitz and Margaret Wenig.

Reconstructionist Rabbi Rebecca Alpert (Reform Judaism, Winter 1991) commented:

“The experience of praying with Siddur Nashim… transformed my relationship with God. For the first time, I understood what it meant to be made in God’s image. To think of God as a woman like myself, to see Her as both powerful and nurturing, to see Her imaged with a woman’s body, with womb, with breasts – this was an experience of ultimate significance. Was this the relationship that men have had with God for all these millennia? How wonderful to gain access to those feelings and perceptions.”

Liberal prayerbooks tend increasingly to avoid male-specific words and pronouns, seeking that all references to God in translations be made in gender-neutral language. For example, the UK Liberal movement’s Siddur Lev Chadash (1995) does so, as does the UK Reform Movement’s Forms of Prayer (2008). In Mishkan T’filah, the American Reform Jewish prayer book released in 2007, references to God as “He” have been removed, and whenever Jewish patriarchs are named (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob), so also are the matriarchs (Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah.)

Atheist or humanistic siddurim

• “Celebration: A Ceremonial and Philosophic Guide for Humanists and Humanistic Jews” by Sherwin T. Wine; Prometheus Books, 1988
• “A Humanistic Siddur of Spirituality and Meaning” by David Rabeeya; Xlibris Corporation, 2005
• “Liturgical Experiments: A Siddur for the Sceptical” in Hebrew, by Tzemah Yoreh (2010?)

Yoreh writes about his work: “I think prayer is communal and private expression of hopes, fears, an appreciation of aesthetic beauty, good attributes. But that has nothing to do with God.”

Other siddurim

There are also some Karaite, Samaritan and Sabbatean prayer books.

Adapted from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia