Shabbat Morning Service

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 service begins promptly at 10:30 a.m. 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 prayer book.   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. Bar/Bat Mitzvah students in attendance at these services may be asked to lead certain prayers to help them prepare for their special day.

The Torah is read during this service so it is appropriate for adults to wear a tallit (prayer shawl) and kippah (head covering) if they choose to do so. 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.

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.