Shabbat in the Synagogue

Return to Guide to Shabbat for Interfaith Families.

Tot Shabbat

Many InterfaithFamily.com readers report how much they enjoy structured activities for children on Shabbat. Synagogues often offer monthly Friday evening or Saturday morning intergenerational services, featuring storytelling and music for young children. It's fun in and of itself, your family can learn more about Shabbat from it and it's a good way to learn more about whether a Jewish community feels welcoming--not only to interfaith families in general, but to your specific family.

For more information about Tot Shabbat services in your area, please consult InterfaithFamily.com's Connections in Your Area.

Services

Jewish services are usually longer than most Christian services. Though the traditional liturgy for Friday night is usually brief, the Saturday morning service can stretch out to fill a day when people aren't going to work. Here's the schedule of traditional services:

Friday evening services--Kabbalat Shabbat: In the late medieval period, Jewish mystics in the northern Israel town of Safed used to go into the fields in white clothing on Friday evenings to welcome Shabbat Ha-Malkah, the Sabbath Queen, a personification of Shabbat. They called this Kabbalat Shabbat, reception of Shabbat. Ordinary Jews have taken on their custom of singing a series of psalms and hymns on Friday evenings. This is usually a short service with a lot of singing--about an hour. Some congregations offer an Oneg Shabbat--an elaborate snack with a social atmosphere--after the service.

Shabbat morning services: There's a lot of traditional liturgy to cover in a Shabbat morning service, including a long Torah reading. You may find that in some Reform and some Orthodox congregations, the service is a little shorter--in the Reform movement, because the service has been judiciously edited to include fewer prayers in Hebrew and in some Orthodox congregations, because the people pray at breakneck speed. Generally, though, it's going to be long and there's going to be at least some prayer and singing in Hebrew.

Relax and don't worry about sticking out. If you have trouble following, ask someone to be your buddy and help you track the pages, though in most congregations the service leader will announce them. People like to be experts and they will help you.

There should be a dvar torah or sermon related to the Torah portion of the week. In some congregations there is a Torah discussion.

At the end of the service, in many congregations, there is a substantial snack served with Kiddush. The service leader usually chants the Saturday morning Kiddush before the food is served.

Saturday afternoon services--Minchah In some congregations, there is a Saturday afternoon service that is shorter than the Saturday morning service. It features a shorter Torah reading of the portion for the coming Shabbat.

Havdalah: A beautiful ceremony marks the end of Shabbat--Havdalah, or differentiation. It's a lovely way to greet the new week. You can say Havdalah as part of the evening service after Shabbat in synagogue, or recite the blessings over the multi-flame candle, the spices and the wine at home. It's nice to look into the eyes of the people in your family and see the candle flame reflected in them.

The Guide to Shabbat for Interfaith Families is also available as a PDF and Word document.