Our Name

Kedem means “east,” which carries the association of facing east towards Jerusalem in prayer. Kedem also means “days of old,” as in hadeish yameinu keKedem (renew our days as of old), reminding us that our sacred prayer tradition extends back to ancient times. This meaning of Kedem is often associated with the Garden of Eden (as in the sheva berakhot, or seven marriage blessings), calling to mind the utopian vision towards which we strive. This connotation of  “before” is also invoked in the Kaddish – kodam avuhon divishmaya (before our father in heaven) – thus also reminding us of the weight and significance of our communal prayer endeavor. At the same time, Kedem means “forward” or “advancement” (cf. Psalm 139:5), a reference to the fact that our minyan is as open-minded and progressive as it is traditional.



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