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services

 

Beth El offers a variety of different services and worship-related activities.
These include:

 

Service and Activity Offerings

Daily Morning and Evening Minyan
Morning and evening minyan is held in the Chapel on each weekday. The morning minyan is held at 7:00 a.m. Monday through Friday, and at 8:45 a.m. on Sunday. The evening minyan is held at 7:30 PM Sunday through Thursday.
Minyan incorporates some English readings and includes Kaddish for those in mourning and those observing yahrzeit. We read Torah on Monday and Thursday mornings, as well as on Rosh Chodesh and Fast Days. At each service we read a list of names of those loved ones for whom yahrzeit is being observed.

Friday Evening Services
Our Friday evening service begins at 6:00 p.m. It is held in the Chapel every week, even when other special programming such as Shabbat Live! or Shabbat Under the Stars takes place. Periodically throughout the year there are also services at 7:30 p.m. that include programming or special music, such as Veteran's Shabbat, speakers or forums.

Shabbat Morning Services
A traditional service is held each Shabbat morning from 9:30 a.m. until noon. We are an egalitarian congregation and invite broad participation. Congregants frequently read Torah and, when there is no Bar or Bat Mitzvah, Haftarah. If you would like to participate in our services, please contact Rabbi Howard Sowalsky at 860-233-9696. Children are also encouraged to participate in the sanctuary service by reading Ashrei or leading Shir Hakavode. Please contact Rabbi Howard Rosenbaum if you would like your children to participate (860-233-9891).

What is appropriate dress for Shabbat?
For women appropriate dress would include a suit, dress, or skirt/slacks. Women and girls should refrain from wearing miniskirts and sleeveless, strapless or revealing clothes (even with a shawl). Women are not required to wear a head covering unless coming up to the Bimah (pulpit) although at Beth El many women do wear a tallit and/or kippah. There is a basket of head coverings on the table near the Sanctuary.

For men, a shirt and slacks, or a sport jacket or suit are proper (we tend to be more informal during warmer months). If you are attending an evening service, tuxedos are not considered appropriate. Men and boys will need to wear a head covering (kippah) as a sign of respect.            

If you expect to come up to the Bimah (for an aliyah for example) dressing appropriately is especially important. Men who will be on the Bimah must also wear a tallit. These are available just outside the Sanctuary.

 

Shabbat Mincha/Ma’ariv and Havdalah
Shabbat concludes each week with Mincha, Ma'ariv and a Havdalah service. Our Mincha/Ma'ariv/Havdalah service includes a brief informal teaching from one of our rabbis.Please check Temple Topics for the correct time for these services as they change depending on the time of sunset.

Services and Activities for School-Aged Children
Shabbat programs meet monthly from September through May. 

Junior Congregation, led by Rabbi Howard Rosenbaum, meets from 10:30 to 11:45 AM in the Chapel for students in grades three through six. Students have the opportunity to sign up in advance to lead parts of the service, including reading from the Torah for those who have acquired or wish to acquire this special skill. The service is geared to the students and aims to familiarize them with the content and order of the service. Students learn about the weekly Torah portion through discussion and by participation in a "Sedra Scenes" skit. Parents who wish are invited to join their children in Junior Congregation.

Shabbat Experience, led by Sidra Sperling, meets from 10:45 to 11:45 AM in Classroom #9 for students in preschool through grade 2. Students sing age-appropriate prayers from the Shabbat morning service, discuss the weekly Torah portion and participate in quiz games about Shabbat and holidays.

For more information about these programs, or to sign your children up for a part, please contact Rabbi Howard Rosenbaum at 860-233-9891.

Services and Activities for Preschool Children
Parents and their youngest children are welcome to attend our main services on both Friday night and Shabbat morning. In addition, moms and their babies can gather on Friday mornings for bebe and preschoolers and their parents can join in PJ Shabbat once-a-month on a Friday night and Tumbling with Torah twice-a-month on Shabbat morning.

  • bebe, every Friday at 11:00 a.m.:  An informal pre-Shabbat group for babies and their moms. Enjoy coffee while you meet and network with other moms and your children play with age-appropriate toys.
  • PJ Shabbat, 5:45 p.m.:  Kids age five and under experience the joy of Shabbat with dancing, singing, stories and a chicken nugget dinner.
  • Tumbling with Torah, 11:00 a.m.:  Barbara Checknoff is our Tumbling with Torah morah (teacher). Children up to age four are invited for stories, songs and special activities on our preschool tumbling mats and equipment.

 

Special Shabbat Services and Activities
Beth El offers different services and activities during the year:

  • Shabbat Live! featuring the Beth El Band: This lively service brings together people of all ages and stages of life. It’s followed by an optional dinner.
  • Shir Shabbat: We welcome Shabbat sharing melodies that have captured the hearts of generations of Jews and that currently energize minyanim such as BJ in New York and Shira Hadasha in Jerusalem. An optional dinner follows. If you are new to the Beth El community, this is a wonderful setting to meet others.  
  • Shabbat under the Stars: an outdoor service preceded by a bar-b-que  Welcome Shabbat and schmooze with friends at this fun and festive evening, under the stars.
  • Congregational Study: Each year, Beth El selects a particular study topic. Discussions are held at various times such as during the Shabbat morning service, following a Shabbat lunch, or as part of a Seudah Shlisheet, a light third meal held as Shabbat draws to a close. Temple Topics will have all the information on study dates and times.  
  • Special Adults’ Service: Once each month Beth El and our JCL (Jewish Association for Community Living) friends join together to explore the morning service through prayer and Torah, story, signs and songs. We follow with a kiddush luncheon.

 

Festival Services
Our Festival offerings range from the traditional services on Sukkot, Passover and Shavuot, to Sukkah Dinner/Services, Simchat Torah Live! with a band and Hakafot, and even a Tikkun Ley'l Shavuot each year with guest speakers and teachers. In traditional manner, we read from Kohelet at Sukkot, Shir HaShirm at Pesach, and the Book of Ruth at Shavuot.

Purim keeps us smiling and dancing. Our annual carnival is always a big hit with our families. Two Megillah readings are held on Purim eve. Our Mishpacha program, for families with children, is both a reading and shtick. Later in the evening, we offer a full Megillah reading for adults, followed by a creative and fun social program.

In a more reflective mood, Beth El participates in community-wide services for Tisha B'Av that generally take place at night with the reading of Eicha and during the day with a community Mincha service. We also participate in the community-wide Selichot service. 

What guidelines should you observe during the service?
We ask you to follow a few guidelines during all of our services:

  • When the congregation is standing or the Rabbi is speaking, please wait to be seated.
  • Please be sure to turn off all cell phones and electronic devices during the service.
  • On the Sabbath (sundown Friday until after sundown Saturday), please do not bring gifts to the synagogue. Smoking, telephoning, electronic music and games, tape recording, photographs and videos are also not permitted.
  • Beth El Temple is Fragrance Free
    • There are many people who come to Beth El who have serious allergic reactions to fragrances. As a result, we ask that you do not wear products containing perfume, cologne or fragrances to the Temple and that you advise any guests of this request. Perfumes and fragrances permeate the air and linger, they are not easily contained. Scented products are volatile substances and get into the air quickly. Once in the air, containment to a defined space is impossible. This policy is for the benefit of the entire congregation and especially those with allergic sensitivities. Your thoughtfulness and cooperation is greatly appreciated.

 

***For High Holiday Services, click here.