The Project Begins

Welcome to The Kavana Project. Our Mission: to analyze, define, and defy the space between “knowing what the words mean” and that thing we call Kavana. Or, as we say it over here, to bridge the gap between meaning and meaningful.
To wit: Operation Birchot HaShachar. We’ve created an image for each of the fourteen Morning Brachot- a small combo of text and art to reflect and inspire what we think about (or at least, try to remember to think about) while rushing to catch up to the Chazzan. Reflecting on what we reflect on led to The Questions We Face in Our Search for Kavana.
You may not agree with some pieces. You definitely won’t sympathize with all. Hopefully, the contrast will concretize your thoughts. Please, share those thoughts with us. This is a work in, you guessed it, Project: your ideas, your comments, and your response to the images are integral. There’s a comments button for a reason. So take a leisurely scroll down and remember to ask:
"WHAT'S MY KAVANAH?"








Means?

Taking physical steps that turn Kavana potential into consistent Kavana. How?

We must break out of the tepid conservatism surrounding prayer. Do something different! Prepare a picture! Listen to music! Highlight your siddur! Daven on a fasting stomach, daven after gorging yourself, daven on the roof! Tear out the Artscroll commentary and ask why this Tefilla is important to you. Escape: escape the invented notion that davening was always the way your local Orthodox synagogue presents it. This is not about "being different" as such: it's about waking up to the self-evident truth that Kavana is private and personal. Make it yours.

Take a peek at Operation Birchot HaShachar. Let's not pretend: it looks krum. “Pictures and brachot? That's so . . . Reconstructionist.” Somewhere along the line, American Orthodox culture decided that creativity and color have no place in our religious expression. Well, it's up to us to prove them wrong.

Posted by Ben Greenfield

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