D'var Tefilot (Words about Prayers): Aleinu

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What?	A call for a more humane world, in which all of our highest ideals are realized. In classical Reform tradition, this prayer is called "The Adoration."
When?	Recited towards the end of the service, after the Amidah and before the Mourner's Kaddish.
How the Prayer Is Recited:	The first two paragraphs of the prayer are chanted by the entire congregation. The entire congregation bends the knees at the beginning of the second paragraph. Many congregations also chant the third paragraph, although some do not. The fourth paragraph is usually read silently, or replaced by a responsive reading of an English reading. The last two lines of the prayer are then chanted by the entire congregation.
Background and History:	The Aleinu has long been a part of Jewish liturgy. Throughout, it contains a message of hope that good will triumph over evil and that righteousness will prevail. In doing so, however, the traditional text sometimes can be interpreted to imply that other people are inferior. As a result, some denominations have changed the Hebrew and English to reflect our modern views of equality among people.