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Services at Sinai Temple are rooted in tradition, but are always turning outward to establish a link with the modern world. This underscores the relevance of living a Jewish life in today's society.

Services are held each Friday night throughout the year. In order to be sure about the service time on a given Friday night, we recommend that you check the monthly Temple Bulletin for which there is a link on our home page. We pride ourselves on creating services that are joyful and highly participatory. We also offer a variety of worship styles which speak to the varying needs and interests of our congregation. We hope each of our services is also “family friendly;” i.e. young people are welcome!

We have an adult choir that sings several times a year. Children are invited to join “Shir Fun,” which is the young people’s choir that performs just about monthly.
 
Fridays and Saturdays at Sinai:

Friday Evening Service Times

Although we do sometimes vary our service times (for holidays or special events), the September – June schedule for services is as follows.

*First Friday of every month, our service begins at 6 p.m. This “early” service is called Kabbalat Shabbat, which means “greeting Shabbat.” The service is preceded by snacks at 5:30 p.m.

*On the other Fridays of the month, we begin our service at 7:30 p.m. These services are followed by an Oneg Shabbat reception – fruit cookies, coffee and tea for socializing.

*The exception is during January and February, when Friday evening services usually begin at 6:00 p.m.

Since our services run from one hour to 1 ¼ hours, we hope young families can feel comfortable at any service. On the other hand, we do have some services that are specifically designed with young children in mind. (See below.)

During the summer, Friday evening services usually begin at 7:30 p.m.

For the exact description of any one Friday evening, please consult the most recent Temple bulletin or weekly e-mailing. You can also telephone our office. 413-736-3619.

Services for Young Families

Although any child is welcome at our Friday evening services, we also know that children often get the most out of an experience that is tailored to their needs. For that reason, we offer two special services for the youngest members of our community along with their grownups.

Tot Shabbat is a service designed for families with children from Birth to Five Years of Age. The service takes place at 6 p.m. on several Friday nights during the year. The best way to describe this service is to imagine twenty smiling minutes of Shabbat songs & stories making a very “joyful noise.” We often follow the service with a simple dinner. This service is the perfect introduction to Jewish prayer and Shabbat.

Kidz Kabbalat is a service for families with children in Kindergarten, First, and Second Grade. It takes place at 6 p.m. on four Friday nights during the year. To understand this service imagine taking “a step up” as children begin to read. The great music and stories continue as we introduce an age appropriate prayerbook. We apply what our youngest students are learning in Religious School to the “real” Jewish world of Shabbat. Snacks precede each 40 minute service.

For Tot Shabbat and Kidz Kabbalat dates, please consult our Temple bulletin or call the Temple office.

We encourage children from Third Grade and onward to attend any of the congregational Friday evening services described above.

Saturday Morning Services

Every Saturday morning at 10:15 a.m.

Sinai has a regular weekly Shabbat morning service from September through June.  Even when there isn’t a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, there is a Saturday morning service (complete with the Yahrzeit list) starting at 10:30 a.m. The Shabbat service with a Bar/Bat Mitzvah takes place in the sanctuary. The Shabbat service when there is no Bar/Bat Mitzvah takes place in the Oneg Shabbat Room.

Come try us out. 
Friday night is always a good Sinai night.
Saturday morning is always a good Sinai morning.

 

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