Here at Congregation Beth El, we love celebrating Shabbat together as a community. Every Friday night, we gather together in prayer to connect with God and the very best within ourselves. It is an opportunity to break away from the stresses of the workweek and recharge. It is the perfect way to end the week!

Cantor Renee Waghalter leads the congregation in worship, occasionally joined by our Shir Shabbat Singers, a volunteer musical group. Depending on the week, we either read from the Torah or have a discussion based on the weekly portion. To guide our prayers, we are proud to use Mishkan Tefillah as our siddur (prayer book), as it contains traditional prayers said thousands of years ago, along with modern readings that bring out the meaning of our ancient words. At the end of the service, we have a festive oneg, with cookies, cakes, and fruit, which is always so wonderful thanks to our Oneg Committee.

At Beth El, we love celebrating simchas together! On the first Friday of the month, we invite those celebrating a birthday or anniversary to come forward to receive a special blessing. And, during the oneg, there is always a beautiful sheet cake for us to enjoy!

Also on the first Friday of the month (excluding July and August), we have a special Shabbat service known as “Shir Shabbat.” These services feature a guitar player and the melodies are similar to what one might find in a Jewish camp. The clergy tells a fun Shabbat story and the service is a bit shorter than a regular Friday night service. Families particularly love this service, but it is great for all ages!

Shabbat services begin at 7:00 pm. Come check it out!

On select Saturday mornings, we offer Torah Study, which begins at 10:30 am. This interactive, free-flowing discussion about Jewish thought and practice is such a wonderful way to begin the day. Cantor Waghalter and members of the congregation lead these sessions and the conversation is always very interesting! No prior knowledge of Hebrew is necessary. Just come with enthusiasm for learning and be ready to dive right in! Please check the calendar for the dates!

Learn more about Shabbat!