Shabbat

We welcome all to attend our Shabbat worship services. Shabbat is a time of rest, a time to refocus ourselves spiritually, to distance ourselves from the stresses of the work week. We hope you find peace in our prayer and joy in our music.

Our Shabbat evening services begin promptly at 6:00 pm in the Sanctuary with songs and prayers which help set the mood for our worship. We are a “singing congregation”. All are invited to sing or hum along with the melodies. We use the Union for Reform Judaism’s Mishkan T’filah Prayerbook. Copies for use during the service are available in the Sanctuary. Our custom is for all the readings to be done in unison – feel free to read along out loud or to follow silently – whichever makes you more comfortable. All of the prayers are printed in Hebrew and English transliteration with an accompanying translation. Words to the songs are found in the prayer book as well

After the service, we all join in blessings over wine and challah (braided egg bread) and on special occasions cookies, pastries and/or fruit and beverages are served to make an Oneg Shabbat, a joyous reception.

Each Shabbat morning at 9:00 am in the Library or Social Hall, approximately twenty to thirty individuals gather to discuss the weekly Torah portion with the rabbi or a lay leader.

The text is read in English and various ancient and modern commentaries are added to the discussion. Light refreshments are served.

Our Shabbat morning service begins promptly at 10:30 am in the Sanctuary. The Torah is read during this service so it is appropriate for adults to wear a tallit (prayer shawl) and kippah (head covering).

During the Torah reading, adult Jews are given the honor of being called up for an aliyah, that is, “going up” to the Torah lectern to chant the blessings before and after the reading of a number of Torah verses.

Bar/Bat Mitzvah students in attendance at these services may be asked to lead certain prayers to help them prepare for their special day.

After the service, we all join in blessings over wine and challah (braided egg bread). These acts give thanks to God for our many blessings and are a symbol of our strong sense of community.

Yahrzeit

You are invited and encouraged to let us know the name and yahrzeit of your beloved ones who have departed from us. We will honor their memory by announcing their name at our synagogue during services. May you be comforted among all the mourners of Israel.

In Jewish tradition, when the year of mourning is over, mourners are expected to return to a fully normal life. There are several occasions each year when our loved ones who have passed on are memorialized. The most significant of these is yahrzeit, the anniversary of the death, which is observed according to the Hebrew calendar.

As is the case in all Jewish holy days, yahrzeit observance begins at night. A 24-hour candle is lit and one may attend synagogue to recite the Kaddish [the memorial prayer]. It is traditional to avoid attending any celebrations or parties on the day of yahrzeit, and some people fast on that day.

Mourner’s Kaddish

Yit-ga-dal v’yit-ka-dash sh’mei ra-ba, b’al-ma di-v’ra chi-ru-tei, v’yam-lich mal-chu-tei b’chai-yei-chon uv’yo-mei-chon uv’chai-yei d’chol-beit Yis-ra-eil, ba-a-ga-la u-viz-man ka-riv, v’im’ru: Amen. Y’hei sh’mei ra-ba m’va-rach l’a-lam ul’al-mei al-ma-ya. Yit-ba-rach v’yish-ta-bach, v’yit-pa-ar v’yit-ro-mam v’yit-na-sei, v’yit-ha-dar v’yit-a-leh v’yit-ha-lal, sh’mei d’ku-d’sha, b’rich hu, l’ei-la min kol bir-cha-ta v’shi-ra-ta, tush-b’cha-ta v’ne-che-ma-ta, da-a-mi-ran b’al-ma, v’im’ru: Amen. Y’hei sh’la-ma ra-ba min sh’ma-ya, v’cha-yim, a-lei-nu v’al kol-Yis-ra-eil, v’im’ru: Amen.. O-seh sha-lom bim-ro-mav, hu ya-a-seh sha-lom a-lei-nu v’al kol-Yis-ra-eil, v’im’ru: Amen.

An English Translation:
Exalted and hallowed be God’s great name, in the world which God has created, according to plan. May God’s majesty be revealed in the days of our lifetime and the life of all Israel – speedily, imminently. To which we say: Amen.

Blessed be God’s great name to all eternity.

Blessed, praised, honored, exalted, extolled, glorified, adored and lauded be the name of the Holy Blessed One, beyond all earthly words and songs of blessing, praise, and comfort. To which we say: Amen.