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Guide to Services
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The Hebrew Congregation offers a sacred space filled with history, beauty, and a contemporary approach to Jewish worship. Experience our warm and family-friendly atmosphere. Explore the richness of our evolving tradition. Lift your voice as your spirit resonates to the sound of our musical and liturgical heritage. And celebrate the diversity we call family. Children are welcome at every service.
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INTRO TO THE
SIDDUR
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INTRO TO THE SIDDUR
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INTRO TO THE
SIDDUR
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SERVICE
OUTLINE
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SERVICE OUTLINE
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SERVICE
OUTLINE
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LANGUAGE &
PARTICIPATION
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LANGUAGE & PARTICIPATION
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LANGUAGE &
PARTICIPATION
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RITUAL
ATTIRE
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RITUAL ATTIRE
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RITUAL
ATTIRE
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Whether you are a familiar face in our congregation, or are with us for the first time, our goal as a spiritual community is the same: to create a place of warmth and friendship, to balance comfort and challenge, to touch your heart, to make you think – and to foster a loving sense of connection to our Jewish tradition and the Jewish people. These words of welcome are meant to help you become more comfortable with our service and more familiar with our congregation.
There are a number of customs and traditions of both Jewish services in general, and our congregation in particular, that it might be helpful to share.
Most of our services use a siddur (a prayerbook), and many use a TaNaKh (a Bible, the Hebrew Scriptures) as well. The prayerbooks are available at the entrance to the Sanctuary. The Bibles are (usually) next to the prayerbooks during services when they are needed. It is customary to allow neither a prayerbook nor a Bible to touch the ground; should it happen that either one does fall on the floor it is customary to kiss the book as a sign of respect.
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Introduction to the Siddur (prayerbook)
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A prayerbook, in Hebrew, is called a siddur. It is the same root as the more widely known word, “Seder” (the Passover meal). The root means “order.” Both in a prayerbook and at Passover, things happen in a particular order.
On most Friday nights, most Saturday mornings, and many holidays other than Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, our synagogue uses the Reform movement siddur, Mishkan T’filah This loosely translates as “Sanctuary of the Spirit” or “Tabernacle of Prayer.”
There are two versions of Mishkan T’filah: most of the copies we provide are dark blue, and have full transliteration (transcription into English characters) of all of the Hebrew prayers. Those who are comfortable reading Hebrew – and our students, who are learning the language — should take the light blue edition, which contains no transliteration.
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Mishkan T’filah is a tool, and represents a “concept” in prayer services. Its format expects – almost demands – increased involvement on the part of the worshipper. There are two main important things to know about this prayerbook. The first is that all English is an open invitation for full participation, unless otherwise indicated or requested by the leader of the service.
The second innovative feature of Mishkan T’filah is that much of the liturgy is laid out in the format of a two-page spread, with the same prayer presented in four different formulations. The top of the even-numbered page is the traditional Hebrew of the prayer (with side-by-side transliteration in the dark blue edition.) Below that is a reasonably accurate translation of the prayer, ending in the exact same Hebrew sentence as the prayer above it. This blessing at the end of a prayer is called a chatimah (plural: chatimot) or “seal,” as it “seals” the theme and allows us to move on.
On the odd-numbered side of the page are two alternative translations, inspired by the theme of the prayer but often quite poetic or representing different theological ideas inspired by the original Hebrew. Both of these alternative versions also end with the same chatimah, the same “seal.”
It is almost always the case that only one of these four versions of the prayer will be read, and then the service will continue – perhaps even without a page number being announced – on the next two page spread.
The other goal in this prayerbook is to allow worshippers to “explore,” on their own. So if the leader and most of the congregation are reading one version of the prayer, any individual may, at the same time, “take in” a different approach, or glance at the commentary at the bottom or on the side. The “signal” to turn the page, to come together again, is the fact that the chatimah is the same, in each of the four versions. Join in with everyone else, or “wander off” on your own, and come together again with the conclusion held in common with each rendition of the prayer.
On certain family-oriented services we use a colorful siddur called Gates of Prayer for Young People. In that prayerbook, italics in English indicate the place for congregational reading. And there are occasions when we use different books, or creative services compiled for particular occasions.
Our intent, always, is to balance the authentic experience of a living liturgical tradition with a sense of welcome and warmth in every worship experience, which will embrace and include those less familiar with these customs and prayers.
Each year, usually in the fall, one of our congregants leads a throw-back service using the old Union Prayer Book siddur with which many of our members grew up. For both those who grew up with that siddur, and those interested in experiencing Reform Judaism as it used be, this is a unique experience.
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Outline of a typical service
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The Jewish prayerbook, as indicated above, is called a “siddur.” The word siddur (related to the more familiar term for the Passover meal, the “seder”) means “order.” Our services contain patterns of units of prayers, combining a fixed liturgy with spontaneous teaching and learning and interaction.
At an Erev Shabbat (Friday night) service, we either enter or begin with singing, followed by the kindling of candles to mark the beginning of Shabbat. We greet one another and may share some of the joys or challenges of the week that was.
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The opening setting of the service is followed by a unit of prayers referred to as Kabbalat Shabbat (welcoming the Sabbath). This is a series of Psalms (from the Hebrew Bible) and medieval liturgical compositions. For many services at Temple Shalom, a high percentage of this part of the service is sung, and is in Hebrew. It is meant to set the tone, and mood, of the service, and convey the joyous celebration of Shabbat. Even those who do not know Hebrew can feel the spirituality and mood through the music and usually pick up the prayerful songs after several services.
Beginning with a “call to worship” knows as the Bar’chu, the next section of the service, the Shema and its blessings, we rehearse through our prayers the basic Jewish view of history: Creation, Revelation (for Jews this means the giving of the Torah) and Redemption (achieving freedom, and shaping the world the way it is meant to be). This unit contains the Shema, the central declaration of the Jewish faith: “Hear, O Israel, the Eternal is our God, the Eternal God is One.” Of interest to many is the idea that the “law” of Israel (the Torah) is given by God as an act of love – and is followed as an act of love on our part.
The next major section of the service is called either the Amida (the Standing Prayers), the Tefilah (“the Prayer”) or the Shemonah Esrei (the Eighteen Benedictions – even though there are 19 on weekdays, and only seven on Shabbat). These prayers connect us with the merit of our ancestors (Avot v’Imahot), the power and holiness of God (Gevurot and Kedusha), a reference to the specific aspects of the day we are celebrating (including the song Yis’mechu on Shabbat), and a concluding section dealing with Prayer, Thanksgiving and Peace. This section ends with the familiar song Oseh Shalom.
An important part of our tradition is the Mi Shebeirach — a prayer for healing of mind, body, and soul. During this prayer, the Rabbi will typically look around the room and invite congregants to say the names of those in need of healing. Our program also contains a list of names added by congregants.
Reform congregations once included a Torah reading during Friday night services. (In Conservative and Orthodox congregations this only took place during morning services.) Most of the movement — including our congregation — has moved away from the Friday night ritual reading – although the weekly Torah portion is often the inspiration for or featured in the sermon.
The Torah reading, and the ritual surrounding it, including the removal of the scroll from the Ark, a processional with the scroll, an explanation of the portion and the reading from the scroll itself are all referred to as Seder Keriyat HaTorah, the Service for the Reading of Torah.
Often a formal sermon or an interactive discussion follows the Amida before our concluding services.
The Concluding Section of the service includes the Aleinu prayer (our vision of the world the way it can be), and the Mourner’s Kaddish. In our congregation we ask mourner’s to rise (if they are comfortable doing so) as we call the name of a loved one listed in the service program; then, in keeping with general Reform Jewish tradition, the congregation as a whole rises for the Mourner’s Kaddish itself.
We begin the transition from the service to the celebration of the service with the recitation of a blessing through the wine (Kiddush) and the blessing through the bread (Motzi). This takes place either in the outdoor courtyard at the entrance to the synagogue, or in our Lilienfeld Community House, across the street. We then come together for an Oneg Shabbat (a “celebration” of Shabbat), in the form of dessert and interaction.
On Shabbat morning….
Please feel free to speak with our rabbi if you have any questions about our services, traditions, and the meaning of the various parts of the Shabbat service.
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Language and Participation
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Hebrew is read from right to left. Because of this, Jewish prayerbooks and Hebrew Bibles open in the Hebrew direction. If you are used to only English-opening books, it will therefore seem like the table of contents are in the back of the book, instead of the front.
A Jewish service is meant to be participatory and inclusive. The whole idea of a rabbi or cantor “leading” the service is a fairly new development in Jewish history. Please join in with the reading, chanting or singing, as best you can. If you do not know Hebrew, remember that the dark blue prayerbooks have full transliteration to the left of the Hebrew itself.
If you are interested in learning Hebrew as an adult or brushing up on Hebrew that you may have forgotten, our congregation is dedicated to finding ways to break down the language barrier for all congregants. Please let the rabbi know; we will make arrangements for Adult Hebrew classes in a variety of possible formats.
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Ritual Attire
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The Kippah and Tallit
Customary Jewish ritual garb is available for those who enter our Sanctuary. Traditionally, the head is covered as a sign of respect, and awareness that God is always above us. The head covering is called a kippah in Hebrew, or a yarmulke in Yiddish. A kippah may be worn by anyone, and at any service.
There are also prayer shawls available. This garment is called a tallit (sometimes also pronounced as tallis. The plural is tallitot or talleisim.) The tallit goes back to a Biblical mandate. It is meant as a symbol, a reminder of identity, a commitment to the commandments of Jewish life. Tallitot are worn by Jewish worshippers during morning services (and occasionally by those who lead the congregation in prayer at an evening service).
Once reserved only for men, the kippah and tallit are today available to men and women equally. As a Reform synagogue, the Hebrew Congregation views the wearing of these traditional ritual items as optional.
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Children Are Always Welcome
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We are a “family-friendly” congregation.
Children are welcome in our Sanctuary at all times, and for all services. We believe that children feeling wanted and welcome increases their sense of connection to our tradition and their feeling of comfort with Jewish identity. Many a young child over the years has wandered around the Sanctuary during services to the concern of his or her parents or others, only to find that our clergy takes the child’s hand and continues — with a little help from our youngest member — with the prayer or song, after which the child usually wanders back to his or her seat.
Unique to our congregation, though, is one additional factor. The sand on our floor poses a particular attraction and distraction for young children. While it was not the original purpose of the sand on the floor to serve in this capacity, this is fine — within limits. If children begin playing in the sand as if it is the beach, or throwing it, obviously we ask parents to help them refocus a bit. Otherwise, we simply want those of all ages to feel a sense of connection and joy at being in our beautiful Sanctuary.
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Other Customs and Courtesies
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Please turn off all cell phones (or set them to vibrate if they must be on) before you enter the Sanctuary.
Pictures are permitted during a service by advance arrangement and under certain conditions, so as not to take away from the service itself. We do allow photography before the beginning of a service, by prior arrangement. Also with advanced permission videotaping a service may be allowed, but using only natural light, and from a stationary and fixed position.
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JOIN OUR COMMUNITY
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Over 3000 families, from all of the world, maintain a connection with this historic Caribbean outpost of Judaism by becoming “Chai” members of our Congregation. “Chai” means “life,” and this support is, in many ways, our lifeline, and life blood. Be a part of this spiritual community, become a member today!
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