A Wanderer No More

A Wanderer No More

Dedicated to Rabbi Marcia

 While celebrating a Winters Solstice Eve

An experience occurred I could not preconceive

For there came a moment captured in time

When a woman arose chanting so sublime

Across the floor she glided, Tai Chi hands entrancing

Unfurling scroll with ancient text and dancing

A silence descended so profound

Holding the crowd mesmerized and spellbound

My heart burst opened, tears flowed

“Who are you, I exclaimed, I must know!”

She’s Rabbi Marcia, from P’nai Or

I will follow my heart and go to explore

I attended and ascended to a place of Shalom

Her joyous devotion, angelic voice and music brought me home.

Drumming to the chanting I’m no longer alone

A wanderer has ceased to roam!

Written by Peggy Eagle

To honor the experience of Stuart Joel

A Taste of Honey

When I shook hands with you that day in 1991 as a way to say that I wanted to live in your third floor bedroom, I didn’t know that I would be gaining a friend, teacher, Rabbi, fun person to be around, sharer of good times, sharer of sad times, family naches and family tsoris.

I have watched in blessed awe your transformation from  being ‘one of the leaders’ to a leader of leaders. Your power lies not only in your accomplishments, but in your vision of a Jewish life filled with meaning that is a birthright for all who care to claim it. I have seen you bring to the fold those who had no background, and those who had the most traditional and substantial Jewish education. I have seen you mesmerize a room with your exquisite storytelling. And I have seen you sitting on your front porch with the cats being a Jew on Shabbas-resting, schmoozing, refreshing your own humanity.

One precious time with you began, as many do, at your kitchen table preparing for the High Holidays. We sat with the Mahzor, the litury for the High Holydays, and page by page, you gave me the insights into the whole arc of the davennin’. As you spoke, each song, each prayer, each word, each letter became like the sweet taste of honey on apples to me.  I felt in that moment like I had 'stolen' a secret from the Rebbe, yet knew that anyone who sits with you comes away with the same feeling.

I

The High Holiday Kitchen Minyan

So, what a delight to be with you in Elul 5771, several years later sharing those same mystical teachings with a group learning about the music of the High Holidays. We veired ever so gently into teachings about the Kaddish, and I witnessed, with your skillfull guidance, someone find a loving relationship with the soul of a parent that he had long ago given up hope on.

In the same way, you  gave me great consolation at a  time of enormous grief and spiritual dilemma as I struggled to create a meaningful shiva after my mother’s death.  Your advice helped me to create some moments of calm in a tumultuous time.


For the past 18 years, my creativity has been elevated, prodded and nurtured by your imagination and imaginings. The Mezuzah hanging, Havdalah and L'ev B'omer party in my own home was one of these times when the spark of the divine was clearly in the air.

So happy you have been there to guide the way.

Todah rabah and mazel tov

Tobie Hoffman

"The moment of change is the only poem,"

"The moment of change is the only poem," wrote Adrienne Rich.

My perception is that you are a shy person, Marcia. So the moment when you stepped up to take on what came to be known as the ALEPH Ordination Programs, was such a poem. You have shaped a training where the experience of God is primary; where students and faculty learn how holiness happens within, between and Beyond. You manifest this daily here in P'nai Or and beyond.
You are a blessing.
May the path ahead abundantly provide all you need, in all Four Worlds,

Goldie  Milgram (away on this special day, alas, due to prior commitments)

Gentleness, Graciousness & Genuine Caring

I have had Rabbi Marcia as a rabbi for approximately fifteen of her eighteen years with us -- first at P'nai Or Princeton, then at P'nai Or Philadelphia. In all sincerity I cannot laud her too highly. What stands out the most for me is that Rabbi Marcia is the very soul of gentleness, graciousness, and genuine caring. She chooses her words carefully in order to communicate complete acceptance of others and so as not to cause anyone discomfort. On those occasions when I have brought a problem or concern to her, she has always listened, with all her attention and all her concern and a complete caring. On those occasions when I have called her with a concern, not once has she said that she does not have the time. She listens with a completeness which I have rarely if ever encountered and which is an example to us all. Unfortunately we live in a society in which these qualities are in short supply and not as highly valued as some others. Sometimes they are failing even among clergy, who of all people should be expected to have them. I have always tried to remain aware of how fortunate I am in this area. There are many other of Rabbi Marcia's outstanding qualities about which I could kvell: the profoundly spiritual atmosphere she creates when she leads services, her talents in teaching spiritual practices to others, her all-encompassing commitment to a traditional Judaism which is integrated with some very up-to-date concerns. But the above is what for me stands out first and foremost. I would like to give one more example of the loving spirit of this very special lady. One Friday morning I was admitted to the hospital and was very disappointed that I would be missing that evening's Kabbalat Shabbat service. I called Rabbi Marcia and said, "It would be great if you would have have the chance to visit me sometime today, but if not, I'll understand." Marcia and Jack came by that afternoon, and they did more than just visit; they did an entire mini-service, at my hospital bed, complete with Jack's guitar accompaniment. How many rabbis and hazzans, or clergy of any kind, would have such a powerful caring for their congregants? One of the spiritual practices which has always been important for me is that of counting my blessings. Rabbi Marcia is a significant one of them. David Stone

May Your Soul Always Glow

Dear Reb Marcia:

Please accept the blessing I wrote for you on this very special occasion and milestone in your life. I give it with admiration, gratefulness, respect and love. Know that every day you touch my heart in the deepest of places and I thank the Eternal One for your presence in my life

By Deb Smith, (12 Av, 5771)

Blessing from my Heart 


May the Eternal One bless you always with good health, joy, love and infinite peace of heart and mind. 
         May G-d’s light bring rainbows of color to your world every day. 
May your faith never be diminished. 
         May you wrestle with G-d but never walk away. 
May your soul always glow with the flame of Torah. 
         May you always sing songs of praise to G-d. 
May G-d always bless the work of your hands, your mind and your heart. 
         May you travel through life in G-d’s embrace. 
May your heart beat as one with the heartbeat of G-d. 
        And may you continue to dance with G-d every day of your life.

Direct Your Hearts to Her Strength-מורתי מרשה פרגר

מורתי מרשה פרגר

From someone you touched deeply many years ago.

May the Holy Blessed One grant you Peace,

Eyal Levinson

I met Reb Marcia in 1997 when I joined The Jewish Renewal Life Center. That year changed my life. In January 2006, Reb Marcia, as the dean of the ALEPH Ordination Program, signed my rabbinic ordination certificate.Today I live in Abirim, in northern Israel, with my life-long partner Amnon our cats and dogs. I currently work on my dissertation, which focuses on medieval Jewish sexualities and masculinities.

This poem is an acrostic constructed from biblical verses.

The title of the poem is MORATI MARCIA PRAGER (My Teacher Marcia Prager).

Each letter of the title corresponds to a line in the poem respectively.

מִי–פֶתִי יָסֻר הֵנָּה חֲסַר–לֵב אָמְרָה לּוֹ:
וְיָשְׁבָה לְפֶתַח בֵּיתָהּ עַל–כִּסֵּא מְרֹמֵי קָרֶת:
רַנְּנוּ צַדִּיקִים בַּיהֹוָה לַיְשָׁרִים נָאוָה תְהִלָּה:
תְּחִלַּת חָכְמָה יִרְאַת יְהֹוָה וְדַעַת קְדֹשִׁים בִּינָה:
יְהוָה בְּחָכְמָה יָסַד–אָרֶץ כּוֹנֵן שָׁמַיִם בִּתְבוּנָה:
מְעַט שֵׁנוֹת מְעַט תְּנוּמוֹת מְעַט חִבֻּק יָדַיִם לִשְׁכָּב:
רָאוּ עֲנָוִים יִשְׂמָחוּ דֹּרְשֵׁי אֱלֹהִים וִיחִי לְבַבְכֶם:
שִׁיתוּ לִבְּכֶם לְחֵילָה פַּסְּגוּ אַרְמְנוֹתֶיהָ לְמַעַן תְּסַפְּרוּ לְדוֹר אַחֲרוֹן:
הֲלֹא–חָכְמָה תִקְרָא וּתְבוּנָה תִּתֵּן קוֹלָהּ:
פִּיהָ פָּתְחָה בְחָכְמָה וְתוֹרַת–חֶסֶד עַל–לְשׁוֹנָהּ:
רַבּוֹת בָּנוֹת עָשׂוּ חָיִל וְאַתְּ עָלִית עַל–כֻּלָּנָה:
גְּמָלַתְהוּ טוֹב וְלֹא–רָע כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיהָ:
רָנִּי בַּת–צִיּוֹן הָרִיעוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל שִׂמְחִי וְעָלְזִי בְּכָל–לֵב בַּת יְרוּשָׁלָם

חַכְמוֹת נָשִׁים בָּנְתָה בֵיתָהּ וְאִוֶּלֶת בְּיָדֶיהָ תֶהֶרְסֶנּוּ

Here is my translation of the biblical verses that make up this Hebrew acrostic.

My Teacher Marcia Prager

Whoever is gullible, let him turn in here; to him that lacks understanding, she said to him (Prov. 9, 4)

And she sat at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city: (Prov. 9, 14)

Rejoice in Yah, O you tzadikim, praise is comely for the upright (Ps. 33, 1)

The beginning of wisdom is the fear of Yah, and the knowledge of the kedoshim is understanding (Prov. 9, 10)

Yah by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding S/He established the heavens. (Prov. 3, 19)

A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to lie down (Prov. 6, 10)

The humble shall see it, and be glad; you who seek God, let your heart revive (Ps. 69, 33)

Direct your hearts to her strength, climb her palaces; that you may tell it to the following generation (Ps. 48, 14)

Does not wisdom call, and understanding raises her voice? (Prov. 8, 1)

She opens her mouth with wisdom; and the law of kindness is on her tongue (Prov. 31, 26)

Many daughters have done valiantly, but you excelled them all (Prov. 31, 29)

She does him good and not evil all the days of her life (Prov. 31, 12)

Sing, O daughter of Zion, shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. (Zeph. 3, 14)

Women’s wisdom is the foundations of her house; and evil she will destroy with her hands (Prov. 14, 1)