Kahal Shabbat Services

Kahal Shabbat services are lay-led, participatory, musical, and spirited. Worship begins at 9:30 a.m. every Saturday in the Weiner Room. We invite you to join us for a wonderful Shabbat experience.

Liturgy. We use a gender-sensitive prayer book which is based on the Reform movement's Gates of Assembly but incorporates many additional prayers. We frequently experiment with adding different prayers, readings or meditations. Our service includes some reading and much singing in both English and Hebrew. All of the Hebrew is transliterated and translated in our prayer book. Our leaders mention page numbers frequently to help people less familiar with the service follow along comfortably.

Music. Sometimes we have a guitar, sometimes we don't. Sometimes we have a drum or tambourine. We always have musical shaker "eggs" for anyone who wants to join in making joyful noise as we sing.

Participation. Our services are lay-led, with participation by our cantor and rabbis on some Shabbat mornings. We invite anyone who is interested in having an honor during the service to sign up for one on our roving clipboard.  

Tallitotand kippot. Many Kahal worshippers wear a tallit, others don't. Some wear a kippah, others don't. We have kippot and tallitot available for worshippers.  

Torah Study. Each Shabbat, we read one-third of the weekly Torah parsha (portion), following the triennial cycle. We have three aliyot - two sections are chanted in Hebrew, the remainder of the portion is read in English. Following the Torah service and Haftarah reading, we engage in a lively, in-depth discussion of each week's Torah portion. Once a month, the discussion is facilitated by one of Beth Emet's rabbis. The other discussions are led by lay volunteers.

Children. Children are welcome and encouraged to join us. Babysitting is always available for younger children who have had enough of praying. Two children's classes meet weekly for age-appropriate Torah study for about an hour, overlapping with the Torah service and adult Torah study. Children in kindergarten through grade 3 meet with one teacher; children in grades 4-7 meet with another. Many children are enrolled in these classes in lieu of Sunday School, but guests are welcome. Children, especially older ones, are always welcome to participate in the adult Torah study session. 

Food. We have a light kiddush following services each week. On the last Shabbat of every month, we have a delicious pot-luck lunch, often accompanied by spontaneous song sessions. We require that all food brought in be either vegetarian or dairy.  

Questions? Kahal Shabbat services are loosely organized by a Va'ad. The members of this lay leadership group are always happy to answer your questions or to sign you up to participate: