About Us

WHAT DOES EAJL DO?
The European Academy for Jewish Liturgy – EAJL - is a facility that provides competent lay individuals and groups with dedicated professional coaching and mentoring in leadership of Jewish prayer. It links student to teacher/mentor wherever in the world they may be, with the use of SKYPE or similar technology, the application of which costs very little or nothing. It creates seminars where needed and seeks to continuously develop resources.

The effect of EAJL is positive and can be quick as it is possible for each service module to be learned in a few weeks. Certification is given for each module mastered.

WHO IS THE IDEAL LEADER OF JEWISH PRAYER?
Because leadership of prayer is a highly charged role and carries huge responsibility, the leader of prayer can inspire a community or leave it cold. Therefore, the leader of prayer is ideally involved in the study of Hebrew liturgical texts, their meaning and the spirit behind them, the structure and flow of each service. He/she is a sensitive person with a love of God, Jewish teaching and community, responsible for transmitting the beautiful and profound musical traditions of nusach (liturgical chant), cantillations, ancient melodies, motifs and songs that make up the Jewish people’s prayer heritage and the spiritual intentions behind them - and is always searching for freshness in expression of prayer and music! Beyond all else, the leader of Jewish prayer is continually soul-searching and hungry to learn, enabling congregants to share his/her devotions in a way that will touch their hearts, inspiring in them a deep love of God, their heritage and their community.

LEARNING IS NEEDS LED, DETERMINED BY THE STUDENT.
The inspired student decides which prayer modules he/she wishes to learn, in what tradition and language and at what pace. Priorities are different from person to person and community to community.

STUDENTS MUST HAVE A REFERENCE FROM THEIR RABBI OR COMMUNITY LEADER(S)
This should indicate the suitability of the student as a leader of prayer and acceptability of the student as such by the community.

WHO ARE EAJL’S PARTNERS?
EAJL works together with the Cantors Assembly the largest organisation of professional chazanim in the world. The Cantors Assembly, through its global network, finds suitable professional chazanim who are also devoted teachers and spiritual mentors, whose credentials are exemplary. EAJL and the Cantors Assembly monitors standards and awards certification for each module learned.

EAJL works with cultural and professional organisations such as the Jewish Music Institute in the structure and content of seminars wherever they are needed.
EAJL works with Masorti Olami and the World Zionist Orginization in the development and nurturing of Jewish spiritual life all over the world.

WHERE LESSONS ARE HELD
With virtually free technology, such as SKYPE once the introduction has been made, student and mentor can meet at any time arranged between them in the comfort of their own homes wherever in the world they live. All they need is a PC, a microphone and webcam - and broadband internet connection.

THE EUROPEAN ACADEMY FOR JEWISH LITURGY DOES NOT PURPORT TO BE, NEITHER DOES IT REPLACE, FULL-TIME STUDY FOR THE PROFESSIONAL CANTORATE. WHILE STUDENTS WILL BE AWARDED CERTIFICATION FOR MODULES LEARNED, THIS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE CANTORIAL ORDINATION OR INVESTITURE.

HOWEVER, ENGAGEMENT IN PRAYER LEADERSHIP AND LEARNING THROUGH EAJL IS PART OF LIFE-LONG LEARNING AND CAN LEAD TO A CAREER IN THE CANTORATE.

 

 

 

EAJL's designed image is a bird carried on wings of music. Its font is tall, strong, clear and is a colour of peace. The site colours are calm and inspirational. The 'eagle' quotations that head our pages are from Hebrew sacred texts. Each one is different and reflects EAJL's purpose of inspiring, carrying on its wings the spirit of the mentors, their students and everyone they touch as they engage in teaching and learning the beauty of our Jewish liturgical tradition.