As stated by the siddur's editors in the Introduction, the committee was inspired by Martin Buber’s I and Thou to compose liturgy that addressed God most often as "You," rather than "He" or "She," in order to encourage a more personal bond between the reader and his or her God.
•
The first edition of Vetaher Libenu was published in 1975 by the lay people serving as the Ritual Committee of Congregation Beth El of the Sudbury River Valley, Sudbury, Massachusetts, led by C. Peter R. Gossels and Nancy Lee Gossels, its editors.
•
The publication of Vetaher Libenu was recognized as a significant event by The Wall Street Journal, which announced the news on its front page.
•
The committee also introduced, for the first time, the matriarchs, Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel and Leah, into the liturgy, a practice adopted by all Reform siddurim since Vetaher Libenu's publication, as well as by some Conservative siddurim.