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Prayer is a language that each of us speaks and hears in a different way. When we pray together, we try to find meaning within the chorus of diverse voices. With engaging sermons, stimulating teachings, and meaningful prayer intertwined with music, our clergy show us how the lessons from the past are relevant to our lives today.
Through a wide range of spiritual experiences we offer something for everyone, including weekly Shabbat evening and Shabbat morning services. In addition, special services are held throughout the year which include “Pray and Play,” “Shalom Yoga,” and so much more.
Our services are fully egalitarian (men and women participate equally). We believe we have found a healthy balance between the traditional and the creative. Services are a blend of Hebrew and English that helps everyone feel comfortable. Our prayer book, Mishkan T’filah, contains transliterations adjacent to all Hebrew prayers so that everyone, including guests, can participate easily and fully. We use both traditional and contemporary melodies. People who attend vary from those with traditional backgrounds to Jews by choice as well as guests of all faiths.
Schedule of Services:
Shabbat Evening Service
Erev Shabbat Services: Fridays, 7:30 pm (except the 1st Friday night of the month)
Kabbalat Shabbat Services: 1st Friday night of the month – 6:30 pmMorning Service
Saturdays
10:30 am, September - JuneHoliday Services & Special Events
Please see our Calendar for a full listing of services
Rock Shabbat Services
Check here for more information on our musical Shabbat services.
Rabbi's Most Recent Shabbat Greetings:
In this week’s Torah portion, Vayera (Genesis 18:1-22:24), we learn of all the continuing trials and tribulations that Abraham and Sarah had to cope with in their lives. This week’s portion is full of family conflict, sibling abuse, the banishment of Hagar and Ishmael, and the near death of Isaac by sacrifice. All of this is secondary to the destruction of Sodom and the fleeing of Lot to safety.
This is but a long, ongoing, series of tragedies. When will it end?! When will Abraham and Sarah finally know peace and tranquility in their home? The rabbis note that at the end of this sadness there is light at the end of the tunnel. The portion ends with informing us that Abraham’s brother Nahor and his wife Milcha started their family: “Milcha too has borne sons to your brother Nahor”. Their eight children were Uz, Buz, Kemuel, Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.
Why at the very end of this portion? The message apparently challenges us to see beyond the heartache of life. Cast your eyes far down the path you are traveling. You see, Nahor’s son Bethuel, will be the father of… REBECCA – the future wife of Isaac!
Everyone will have a dark period in their life. Challenges with fertility, child rearing, teenagers’ angst, spouses, siblings, financial setbacks, health fears, national elections … does the list ever end? Every road we travel in life will have its own bumps, flat tires, blown gaskets, and leaky radiators. Every trip I have taken had delays, missed connections, lost luggage, missing meals, crying babies a row away…
Abraham and Sarah never gave up. They had faith, worked hard, influenced others along the way, and endeavored to fix their broken world. These past few years have been among the most challenging of our modern Jewish experience. And yet we can be empowered by scenes of great determination and relentless devotion in the Iand of Israel. All throughout these difficult times, we are seeing young couples getting married – while serving in IDF uniforms! We read of a Bar Mitzvah boy leaving his reception hall with $10,000 worth of catered food and bringing it to hundreds of hungry soldiers! And we now know of a mother who gave birth and named her son after the young soldier, she never knew, but gave his life saving her cousin in the attack against her moshav.
Let us not obsess on the pains of birth, but rather the beauty, the blessing, the love that each baby brings into the world. Like our portion, which ends very sad stories of life with the listing of the birth of 8 children, let us likewise focus on the good and holiness that we can bring into the world as well. For truly then the darkness sown by our enemies will only result in the blessing of additional generations of committed and loving Jews. And that is great bracha (blessing) indeed.
SHABBAT SHALOM
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