PunkTorah’s Jewish Prayer Campaign

By Elissa Strauss May 19, 2010

PunkTorah, creators of the Indie Yeshiva Pocket Siddur, have taken a do-it-yourself approach to daily prayer. The non-profit organization has just launched the website 3xdaily, which aims to explain the traditional three daily prayers (Shacharit, Mincha, Ma’ariv) along with other information related to Jewish prayer.

On the site, PunkTorah explains that they created 3xdaily in order to give unaffiliated and progressive Jews a chance to learn more about and participate in the Jewish daily prayers.

“Most of the time, when we approach Jews who may not be involved in an “orthodox” movement, they have no idea that we are called to pray three times a day. We are invited to keep this connection with G-d open and flowing throughout the day. Much as the wearing of tzitzits reminded our ancestors of the commandments, we can utilize three daily prayers to remind us of the truth behind creation, that we all have a spark of the Creator within us,” the website says.

The site also walks readers through blessings after meals, psalms, the shema, and a few others — and encourages its readers to be creative and “mix, remix, and spin prayers in any way that your heart desires.”

Elissa Strauss has written for the Forward over a number of years. She is a regular contributor to CNN, whose work has been published in a number of publications including The New York Times, Glamour, ELLE, and Longreads.

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse..

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO