This page explains how to gain automatic permission to reprint excerpts from The Book of Blessings and The Days Between for liturgical use.
Automatic permission does not apply to books or other media. Editors of books and anthologies, visual artists, and composers should see below.
Dear Reader,
I get many requests from rabbis, educators, congregants, and others for permission to reproduce selections of The Book of Blessings and The Days Between for liturgical purposes. Of course, I'm delighted that the work is reaching you, and I have no objections to your use of it in whatever ways you find meaningful. If you are producing a photocopied booklet in an edition of fewer than 100 copies, please see the guidelines for automatic permission spelled out below. If you are producing a bound prayer book, or a handout of 100 copies or more, read the guidelines below and see further instructions under Editors. First, though, I ask you to consider the following thoughts.
Though most people do not realize it, there is an unfortunate hidden cost behind making multiple photocopies of writers' work: the artists, who may have spent years composing the work (be it blessings, poetry, songs, etc.), are not supported in their livelihood. Jewish artists need your financial support; otherwise, we cannot afford to pursue our work for you to enjoy. The ideal way to support artists is to buy the original work.
Rabbis may have discretionary funds and congregations sometimes have "angels" or special funds to use for such purchases. Why not consider having multiple copies of The Book of Blessings and The Days Between available in the pews, alongside other texts (siddur, humash, commentaries), for use during services? Chances are that if you enjoy individual blessings and prayers from The Book of Blessings, you—or others in your congregation—will find a variety of passages that speak to you as you use the book over time. This can only happen if the book is readily at hand. For instructions how to purchase these books, please see the Books page of this website.
There are also aesthetic reasons to use the book rather than photocopied pages. The Book of Blessings and The Days Between were created to be organic wholes, not just collections of individual prayers, and they were conceived, designed, and painstakingly typeset for that purpose. My hope was to create works of art that would bear repeated use over time, wholes that would be greater than the sum of their parts. When The Book of Blessings or The Days Between are"cut-and-pasted" into booklets and handouts, the aesthetic and theological integrity of the work is compromised or lost. As Nina Gelman-Gans put it, "In the same way that it is better to study a Torah passage directly from a printed Torah, it is best to read these blessings within their context."
If buying a quantity of books isn't feasible for your community at this time, I don't ask that you refrain from using excerpts, but I do ask that you follow the guidelines below:
1. TO PREVENT INTRODUCING ERRORS, PLEASE PHOTOCOPY DIRECTLY FROM THE BOOK RATHER THAN RETYPING THE TEXT. If this is not feasible, please proofread your typed texts carefully and send them to me, preferably as an editable Word doc. Allow time for me to proofread and send them back to you with my approval.
2. Include the following note on the first page of your handout (or where other credit lines appear, if you are using other people's work as well):
"The passages by Marcia Falk are excerpted from The Book of Blessings: New Jewish Prayers for Daily Life, the Sabbath, and the New Moon Festival (CCAR Press, 2017). Copyright © 1996, 2017 by Marcia Lee Falk," and/or "The passages by Marcia Falk are excerpted from The Days Between: Blessings, Poems, and Directions of the Heart for the Jewish High Holiday Season (University Press of New England/Brandeis University Press, 2014), copyright © 2014 by Marcia Lee Falk." Used by permission.
Also include the following credit line on each page where the work occurs:
"From The Book of Blessings: New Jewish Prayers for Daily Life, the Sabbath, and the New Moon Festival and/or The Days Between: Blessings, Poems, and Directions of the Heart for the Jewish High Holiday Season by Marcia Falk."
3. Make sure that it is clear in your handout what portions of your service are from The Book of Blessings and/or The Days Between: Blessings, Poems, and Directions of the Heart for the Jewish High Holiday Season. Please do not blend the passages from these books with other texts.
4. Please have at least a few copies of The Book of Blessings and The Days Between available at your service for people to see.
5. Please send a copy of your booklet, prayer book, or handout, when it is printed, to Sue Trowbridge, P.O. Box 6031, Alameda, CA 94501. In addition, if you wish to make a donation for the use of these blessings, it will help support the creation of more liturgy and will, of course, be greatly appreciated. Checks may be made out to Marcia Falk and sent to Sue Trowbridge.
If at some point you find that you are using these excerpts on an ongoing basis, please reconsider purchasing multiple copies of the book. Keep in mind that only if the book is purchased will it be kept in print and continue to be available to all. Many thanks for your interest in my work.
Bivrakhah l'vavit—with a heartfelt blessing,
Marcia Falk
For Editors, Artists and Composers:
Editors
Editors who wish to reprint excerpts from Marcia Falk's writings in journals, anthologies, and other books (including prayer books) should e-mail their requests. Include in your request the title of the anthology or book, author or editor's name, publisher, projected date of publication, size of the edition, price, and any other relevant information. Please attach a copy of the text you are seeking permission to use.
Visual Artists and Craftspeople:
Please read this page for specific information.
Composers, Songwriters, and Musicians:
Please send e-mail with as much information as you have concerning your project.
© Marcia Lee Falk.