is an online Jewish Renewal Community. Started by Rabbi & Hazzan Miryam Wolfson, who was ordained in 2026 from the Aleph Ordination Program. Rabbi Miryam founded Shaarei Simchah from the deep need to have a space to pour out the prayers of her heart, while aiming at Shamayim, the heavens. One week after her ordination Miryam lost her mother. The mandate to seek a minyan (a group of ten adults) to pray with created even greater urgency for the community to start. Rabbi Miryam believes that others have the deep need for a communal spiritual space as well which is why we invite all seekers who wish to create a space that serves their needs together!

Shaarei Simchah means “Gates of Joy”. It is our belief that joy is our birthright. Joy is a type of expanded consciousness. Music, gratitude, awe, love, prayers which praise, and healing are all intricately involved with joy. Spirituality of this type crosses all denominations, Jewish and beyond. All are invited to our prayer and study spaces.

Our prayer book:  Rabbi Miryam created a siddur for our use in this space.  It contains both Hebrew and English. Some translations are from Rabbi Zalman Schachter Shalomi, founder of the Renewal movement, and some are Rabbi Miryam’s. What makes it unique is the use of translations, not to explain prayers, but to pray! All the English is meant to be sung, danced, to elevate our hearts.

Miryam’s first spiritual yearnings were awakened in the natural world. She turned that inspiration into a career as teaching Biology at the community college. Spiritual yearnings led her to a synagogue where and she led a youth choir, subbed for the Rabbi and Cantor and  taught Hebrew school. In 2016, she was diagnosed with a medical condition. Understanding the fragility of life in a new way, she decided to pursue her heart’s desire through the Aleph Ordination program. The program deepened her prayer life, showed her the incredible richness and powerful tools of thousands of years available from Jewish tradition. Through her spiritual counselor she learned to be more open to the power we call G8d, and even to talk to G8d, (don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it) and found wholeness and a measure of healing. With the encouragement of Hazzan Jack Kessler (of blessed memory) she entered the Cantorial program as well. A life long environmentalist, Rabbi Arthur Waskow (also of blessed memory) encouraged Miryam.

Miryam enjoys crafting original melodies, translations/interpretations of liturgy and inspiring texts. She enjoys baking, birding and bicycling. She can also be found at soundcloud.com/miryam-margo-wolfson, & margosmidrash.com.

A note from Rabbi Miryam: Donate = Love

Every month, I spend many dozens  of hours keeping Shaarei Simchah going. It is a FREE ON LINE SHUL  ad-free, AI-free, fully human and alive thanks to patronage from FOLKS LIKE YOU. With the help of the amazing humans featured below- This is our labor of love that is also my life. If it makes your own life more livable in any way, please consider aiding its sustenance with a one-time or sustaining donation. Your support makes all the difference. Donate =Love