Beth Shalom Sisterhood PrayerWorks recently celebrated its 25th anniversary with a gathering at the home of PrayerWorks Facilitator Rickie Haith.
Haith has been the facilitator since its inception in November of 1997.
PrayerWorks is a group of people who believe in the power of collective prayer. It was created under Toba Maslan’s administration as the Beth Shalom Sisterhood’s president, and Elisa Pener was community service vice president.
Due to the pandemic the past two-and-a-half years, sessions were held on Zoom. Participants of the Zoom sessions were invited to the anniversary celebration. Unfortunately, those from out of the city could not attend, but they could be involved in the sessions because of the accessibility of Zoom.
Haith said that in the stressful climate we live in today, PrayerWorks helps to relieve tension and is good for your health as we get in touch with God on a spiritual level.
Rabbi David Glickman and Hazzan Tahl Ben-Yehuda believe PrayerWorks is an asset to Congregation Beth Shalom, its Sisterhood and the community. Rabbi Glickman attended the celebration as he has done in the past. He expressed the importance of a group like PrayerWorks, citing studies showing that there are health benefits from prayer and maintaining a religious life. He expressed the importance of praising God in PrayerWorks sessions for many blessings and not only asking for healing prayers.
In addition to being the PrayerWorks facilitator, Haith is a past president of Beth Shalom Sisterhood, and a former vice president of International Women’s League for Conservative Judaism. As a consultant and trainer, she has led healing services in 10 states and at a Women’s League International Convention.
PrayerWorks has been used as a model for other sisterhoods and has received awards from Women’s League for Conservative Judaism, Beth Shalom Sisterhood and N'shei Chabad.
“At PrayerWorks, we pray for others who need physical, emotional, spiritual healing, for peace and for ourselves,” Haith said. “We read psalms, discuss and study important topics. We relax and breathe deeply with guided imagery. We meditate. The power of prayer, in a strictly scientific sense, is its ability to calm an agitated spirit.”
Prayers to the Kotel
In honor of PrayerWorks’ 25th anniversary, Rabbi Glickman suggested that PrayerWorks offer to send anonymous prayers to the Kotel in Jerusalem. Michele Cole is the chair for the PrayerWorks Kotel anonymous prayer program.
The anonymous prayer opportunity allows those who can not physically go to Jerusalem to send a private prayer to the Kotel. There is no charge to send a note.
Those wanting to send a prayer can do so at docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSciyTD54gW-rlU-UXVEz9IKwSUbq2XRm7f6TdI8khBgBqpoaQ/viewform.
Questions about PrayerWorks KC or the prayer sending can be sent to .