An New Israeli Siddur

Andy Sacks writes about the new Israeli siddur (Hebrew, translated) put out by the Masorti movement:

But it is one new Siddur that is creating a stir here in Israel. The Masorti Movement has just, together with Yediot Books, published V’Ani Tefilati: Siddur Yisraeli. One thousand radio spots are being broadcast to draw the attention of the Israeli public to the first Siddur intended for all to use – secular, observant, educated, Sefardi, Ashkenazi, or traditional. That Yediot is distributing a prayer book for the first time shows confidence that this can be a very big seller.

Years in preparation, this Siddur includes modern Israeli poetry alongside traditional prayer. The language is gender sensitive. One may easily include the Matriarchs along with the Patriarchs when praying. Absent is the blessing thanking God for “not creating me a woman.” It is replaced by a blessing that thanks God for “making me in the divine image.” The apologists can explain this blessing in any way they wish, deluding themselves and others into thinking it is does not offend women. They may even claim that it even shows great respect to the special role women hold in our tradition. But those sensitive to the true meaning of the words they offer will struggle with the old language and may find the new formula (which also has its origins in our liturgy) a better fit.

This holds true of those passages where the traditional  prayer formula  called for the reestablishment of the Temple and of animal sacrifice. This prayer books allows for a spiritual understanding that would not necessarily require the destruction of those buildings that stand on the spot of our Temple, or of the actual killing of animals.

I comment on the comment thread there:

FWIW, two teshuvot on including the imahot/matriachs.
http://www.schechter.edu/responsa.aspx?ID=35
http://www.rabbinicalassembly.org/teshuvot/docs/19861990/rembaum_matriarchs.pdf
It is a matter of contention in the movement.
A couple of points:  1) this is an Israeli siddur meant for Israelis, hence the Hebrew.  2) while it may not be the same as an Artscroll siddur, or any siddur from 10 or 100 years ago, that doesn’t immediately make it a “bastardization”.  The first siddurim Amram, Saadia, Rambam, etc. were all different in significant ways. Some medieval innovations like kabbalat shabbat are now common

Also see this post: The Daily Prayer: “On not making me a woman”