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Shabbat at Beth Emet


Friday evening worship
As the day ends on Friday, we greet the Shabbat with great oneg (joy) as we enter the period of k’dusha (holiness) that will last until the end of the day on Saturday. Though in our worship on Shabbat evening we focus on oneg (joy), we already anticipate the opportunity for much needed m’nucha (rest) that will come at our Shabbat dinner table and in our time with family and friends.

At 6:30 p.m. most Fridays (on the 2nd Friday of each month we worship at 8:00 p.m.), we welcome Shabbat with the liturgy of Kabbalat Shabbat. This hour-long service features a collection of Psalms and the liturgical poem L’cha Dodi, as compiled by the mystics of Sefad, which help us express our joy at the coming of Shabbat. We sing the Psalms and L’cha Dodi with much energy and joy as we welcome the Sabbath bride. We acknowledge the holiness of Shabbat with Shabbat’s anthem, V’shamru, and then provide time with the silent Amidah for personal prayer and the beginning of Shabbat rest.

Shabbat morning worship
As Shabbat morning begins, we enter the synagogue for the main worship experience of Shabbat, where we honor the k’dush (holiness) of Shabbat through extended prayer , the reading of the Torah, and the study of the week’s Torah portion. Our worship sets us up for the enjoyment of an afternoon of Shabbat m’nucha (Shabbat rest).

Kahal
Kahal meets at 9:30 a.m. in the Weiner Room for a full Shacharit, or morning, service. This service incorporates the joy of congregational singing with the holiness of the Torah service. Imagine 100 voices singing, praying, and studying together each week! Kahal participants lead parts of the liturgy, are called to the Torah for the aliyot, and chant or read Torah and Haftarah. Each week, a thought-provoking discussion of the Torah portion is led by a Kahal volunteer, or by Rabbi Knobel or Rabbi London, while children engage in separate, age-appropriate Torah study. Children are encouraged to join Kahal for as much or as little as they would like, with babysitting always available whenever they need a break. On the final Shabbat of the month, Kahal enjoys some Shabbat rest together by gathering for a potluck lunch and a chance to socialize after services.

Minyan
At 9:30 a.m. Minyan gathers in the Minyan Room for a traditional, lay-led service. First introduced at Beth Emet in the 1960’s, this service emphasizes a participatory approach to prayer and study. The weekly parasha is read in full with much spirited discussion. Periodically, Rabbi Knobel or Rabbi London leads the Torah discussion. The service is always followed by Kiddush.

B’nai Mitzvah Shabbat Morning Service
The community gathers to celebrate in the Sanctuary at 10:30 a.m. when a young person is called to the Torah as a Bar/Bat Mitzvah. Our young people lead us in prayer, chant from the Torah, and offer their own teachings. All are welcome to worship with us at this service. Check the website or bulletin for a calendar of B’nai Mitzvah dates.

Tot Shabbat
A lively half-hour Tot Shabbat service is held on the second Shabbat of each month at 9 a.m. in the Weiner Room. Geared toward 2 to 5 year-olds and their parents or grandparents, participant sing songs, recite Sh’ma, march in a Torah parade, and listen to a story from one of the rabbis. Everyone then joins for Kiddush and Motzi, the blessing over wine and challah!

Spiritual Practice
Once a month on Shabbat afternoons from 3:30-5:30, congregants interested in exploring Jewish spiritual practices meet for seuda shlishit (the third meal of Shabbat). Everyone brings food to share and spends the afternoon together meditating, studying spiritual texts, and discussing how to deepen our spiritual lives. This relaxing and reinvigorating session concludes by bidding farewell to Shabbat with Havdala. Check the website for a list of dates when the group will meet.

Shabbat afternoon is an opportunity to spend time with loved ones, enjoy the outdoors, curl up with a good book, or take a much-deserved nap, all in the name of m’nucha (rest). We encourage you to linger over a long Shabbat lunch and then enjoy the afternoon hours in whatever way makes you feel most refreshed! At sundown, say goodbye to Shabbat and its holiness with Havdala, a short ritual, easily performed at home, that marks the transition from k’dusha (holiness) to chol (everyday). For assistance in gathering the appropriate materials, singing or reciting the blessings, and performing the ritual, contact the Cantor’s office.