halacha - Does Sim Shalom use orthodox text for maariv, and, if so, is it usable for maariv?

I was in a Jewish Community Center recently for a meeting, after which a bunch of people wished to say orthodox maariv. Someone went to the JCC's chapel to borrow sidurim (prayer books), and brought back a pile, including some copies of Sim Shalom, the official sidur of the Conservative movement. I pointed out to him (quietly) that it's a Conservative sidur, to which he replied that the text is the same as orthodox sidurim's. Wikipedia disagrees, citing some differences.

1. Is its text for maariv the same as orthodox sidurim's, though?


2. If so, is there any problem using it for maariv? (I can't see why there would be.)

Answer

I have just compared the weekday ma'ariv services in the following two books:

• Siddur Sim Shalom for Weekdays, September 2003 (2nd printing)


• Expanded Artscroll Siddur, Wasserman Edition, 2010

I found the following differences:

• 
  

  Sim Shalom has two versions of the beginning of the t'filah, the usual text (page 142a) and the same text with the imahot inserted and a clear header (page 142b).

  
  


• 
  

  In re'eh, Sim Shalom inserts "na" ("re'eh na b'onyeinu..."). @msh210 reports in a comment that some other Orthodox siddurim do this too.

  
  


• 
  

  In 'al hatzaddikim, Sim Shalom has "yehemu na rachamekha" (inserts "na"). @msh210 reports in a comment that some other Orthodox siddurim do this too.

  
  
  


• 
  

  Sh'ma koleinu in Sim Shalom has an optional insert for Yom HaShoah.

  
  


• 
  

  Sh'ma koleinu in ArtScroll has optional inserts for livelihood and forgiveness.

  
  


• 
  

  R'tzei in Sim Shalom omits "v'ishei Yisrael" (as noted in this answer).

  
  



• 
  

  Shalom rav in Sim Shalom inserts "v'al kol yoshvei teivel" (after "'al yisrael amcha").

  
  


• 
  

  After 'Aleinu and before Kaddish ArtScroll has a paragraph marked "in some congregations:" beginning "Al tirah mipachad pitom".

  
  

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The question asks "if so" (if the texts are the same) is there any problem using Sim Shalom? Technically that question doesn't apply since the texts aren't the same. However, it seems possible that these changes are minor enough that, if the alternative is to not pray with a siddur at all, you might want to use this siddur anyway, especially if you'll recognize and correct for these changes. CYR, of course. See this related question.