I don't enjoy exercise. On a list of 100 things to do, exercise would probably rank somewhere in the 80s or 90s for me. But the sad truth is that if I do not exercise, I will gain weight and my body will become inflexible. So I joined a gym last month and have begun a regular program to stay fit. The odd thing is, it felt good even from the first day. I don't just mean that it feels good in my head to think of how I am doing what I need to to stay healthy. I mean that it actually feels good (surprise, surprise!) to be active and to use my body. It's relaxing; 20 minutes on the elliptical machine takes pent-up stress out of my muscles, and another half-hour or so of using the various weight contraptions stretches out muscle groups that don't get used much when I'm at my desk in the shul office.

The gym that I joined markets itself as a "no judgement zone," meaning that no one there will look askance at a beginner like me or make a big fuss over the weights that they can lift but I can't. Most of the machines have photos on them that show how to use them. The gym has a trainer who is available to help clients chart their own paths for growth (or the opposite!). And each client is in a way responsible for the upkeep of the place: after using a machine, we're supposed to wipe it clean ourselves with the materials located throughout the room.

Our shul is in some respects like the gym, and we are the clients. Some of us are regulars here - but the fact is, many of the people who read these words come only rarely. For some of us, the thought of joining the community of pray-ers here, whether on Shabbat or on weekdays, is no less daunting than the thought of starting an exercise program. If we're beginners, we may be afraid that someone will look askance at us for not knowing the prayers or not knowing Hebrew or when to stand and when to sit. If we're veterans but have not come in a long time, we may be afraid that if we suddenly start showing up, someone will look askance at us for not having been here for months or even for years, or that our rustiness will show.

But our shul is, like the gym, a "no judgement zone" in this respect. In our prayer services, and in our many adult education classes (currently six different classes every week!), all of us who take part know that we are growing and becoming more flexible as a result of our learning and growth. And far from lording over those in our community who have not yet started praying and learning and growing with us, we only wish that you might try joining us on a regular basis - for your sake, as well as for ours. Because just as a program of Jewish exercise is necessary for adults to stay Jewishly healthy and flexible - that's where you benefit - your adding to our numbers will benefit us, too, because we need you no less than you need us. You can add to this community by flexing your Jewish muscles and bringing your own insights and perspectives to our prayer services and to our classes.

Like the gym with its instructions on how to use the machines, we are now embarking on a project to make our prayer services not only beautiful and inspiring and traditional, but also more accessible to everyone. We are raising funds to purchase a new siddur that has commentary and instructions on every page. (See details and an order form inside this bulletin, or click here to download.) I believe that this prayer book can add new layers of depth and meaning to our services, enhancing not only our intellectual understanding of the prayers, but also our spiritual connection to them.

Jewish prayer is not something for a select few, the "heavyweights" wearing a tallis made out of Spandex, to mix a crazy metaphor. It's for all of us. We're hoping you will join us in growing through prayer, and in learning about the prayers, here at Beth Israel. You'll feel good about yourself, and you'll feel good about being an integral part of this community.

Rabbi Steven Schwarzman