The title Avodat HaLev means “service of the heart,” and that’s what prayer is meant to be. The Rabbinical Council of America recently published Avodat HaLev , the new Orthodox siddur (prayerbook).

This siddur was a labor of love for Chicago’s Rabbi Leonard Matanky, the RCA’s former president. The dean of the Ida Crown Jewish Academy and rabbi of Congregation KINS of West Rogers Park, Matanky also serves on the boards of the Religious Zionists of Chicago and Camp Moshava, and co-chairs JUF’s Rabbinic Action Committee.

Matanky was still president of the RCA while the siddur was being created, a bit less than halfway through the process, working on it for nearly six years. He wrote its introduction and some of the commentary, and did much of the editing.

“I’m very pleased to have been involved in such a major endeavor,” he said.

Conceived to be used both every day and on Shabbat and holidays, Avodat HaLev was designed to become the standard siddur used in English-speaking Orthodox communities. It’s already on its way, said Matanky, adding, “I am glad to see that people have taken to it quickly.”

“A siddur ,” mused Matanky, “is a work that reflects the needs of the community and its society. Some pieces never change. But the ways it accesses the translations and the commentary does. It’s a once-in-a-generation work-and it reflects its generation.”

Rabbi Basil Herring, an expert in Hebrew liturgy and grammar, served as the siddur’s editor-in-chief, and Rabbi Herschel Schaechter was its halachic (Jewish normative) consultant.

The RCA had worked on the siddur standard to many Orthodox congregations, published by ArtScroll some 30 years ago. The new edition is published by Koren publishing.

Avodat HaLev is a project some nine years in the making, Matanky said. The research delved into the history and origins of the prayers. It sought the input of rabbinic and academic experts, as well as linguists and grammarians. Even the punctuation was debated.

“It has a new translation, commentary, and halachic guidelines and guidelines for how to lead services,” Matanky said. The publication also contains new translations of all 150 Tehilim (Psalms). The siddur includes practices that have been sanctioned by recognized sources, but also well-respected customs.

Practicality and ease-of-use were major considerations. Overall, the siddur’s translation favors contemporary syntax while keeping the meaning and poetry of the Hebrew wording. Instructional notes are given, regarding both the prayers themselves and the etiquette of public prayer. There is even a section about praying during long airplane flights.

“This siddur is for a different, better-educated audience,” Matanky explained, “capable of deeper understanding and new opportunities in prayer.”

The siddur draws on scholarship from the early Medieval period up through today, and pulls from Talmudic, Midrashic, Kabbalistic, and Hasidic sources. Further, relevant information from biology, physics, and psychology are also included, as well as references to classic literature.

Additionally, the prayerbook contains liturgies for Israeli holidays, as well as prayers for the state of Israel and its defense forces. Several Israeli sources are cited, and there are many mentions of the significance of Jerusalem and aliyah (immigrating to Israel). Avodat HaLev also discusses the Holocaust and includes a Yom Hashoah (Holocaust Memorial Day) service, and celebrates the milestones in American Jewish history.

The siddur was designed with women in mind. For instance, the prayer for the U.S. government provides for the possibility of a woman president. There are many prayers for women regarding lifecycle events. There is commentary on Jewish women like Hanna and Esther who influenced prayers, and on the necessity of a woman’s study of Torah. Another essay, “Achieving Kavanah: Praying from the Heart,” was written by Rabbanit Rookie Billet.

All of these factors taken into account are meant to help bring people together in prayer. According to the publisher, “the commentary emphasizes the virtues of Jewish harmony, unity, love, and mutual responsibility.” Worthy things to pray for, indeed.

The Avodat HaLev siddur is available from Koren Publishing at korenpub.com or by calling (203) 830-8508.