Beth Judea is an egalitarian congregation which means that women and men are encouraged to grow in religious practices and observances of Mitzvot, Tefillin and Tefillah. Women are equal constituents of the minyan and participate equally with respect to the Torah and its Aliyot. We use the Siddur Sim Shalom and are following the triennial reading cycle of the United Synagogue. For the High Holidays, each member brings their copy of the Mahzor edited by Rabbi Jules Harlow. It can be purchased by contacting the synagogue office.

A Kippa should be worn by all males while in the building. Married women are invited to wear a kippa or lace head covering as well.

Sunday Mornings 9:00 A.M. Services

Led normally by one of our members, this 45 minute service is usually held in the main sanctuary. Tallit and Tefillin are encouraged. If Sunday is Rosh Chodesh or a holiday, it will be somewhat longer.

Monday Mornings 6:15 A.M. Services

Services are held in the lower level Beit Hamidrash. The Torah is read and Tallit and Tefillin are encouraged to be worn. Approximately 45 minutes if not a holiday.

Daily Evening Minyan 7:30 P.M. Services

Evening minyan (Monday through Thursday) is at 7:30 P.M. in the lower level Beit Hamidrash. Mincha (Page 164 of the Siddur) and Maariv (Page 200 of the Siddur) are davened during Daylight Savings Time in late Spring thru about Labor Day. In the other months of the year, only Maariv is davened. Members and clergy lead the service. The service lasts approximately 12 Minutes for Maariv and 15 minutes for Mincha. On secular holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day, the service begins at 10:00 A.M. if on a weekday and not a Jewish Holiday or a Bar/Bat Mitzvah. See "The Word" for specific times.

Shabbat

Our Friday evening service, which includes Kabbalat Shabbat and Maariv, begins at 7:30 pm Bar/Bat Mitzvahs sometimes occur on Friday evenings (see "The Word"). Responsive English readings are incorporated as part of the Friday night service. This service usually is less than an hour in length.

Shabbat morning services begin at 9:30 A.M. and last about 2 hours.

B'nai Mitzvahs usually occur from August through June at Beth Judea. We also have Havdallah services when there is a Bar or Bat Mitzvah on a Saturday evening. (Check "The Word".) A Kiddish always follows Saturday morning Shabbat services.

Shabbat...a gift to yourself
The experience of Shabbat is an experience of and for a lifetime. You don't need to change your lifestyle to make it work. You can build slowly, taking on a little at a time, so that the commitment will be a natural and lasting one. It is a gift you will give yourself and one which you will want to share.

What is Shabbat...and why is it observed?
The mitzvah (commandment) of Shabbat is unique among the Ten Commandments, encompassing ritual, outlook and transcendent experience. Two reasons are given for the observance of Shabbat: that on this day God rested from the work of Creation (Exodus 20:11) and the remembrance of the redemption from slavery and the exodus from Egypt (Deuteronomy 5:15). What do these tell us about the observance of Shabbat? That we are to be God-like in our behavior, stepping back from our labors to appreciate the world around us. That the observance of Shabbat recalls the freedom from slavery, our interconnectedness with the Divine, and the luxury of living a Jewish life.

What does it mean to observe Shabbat? How can you bring these experiences to fruition?

Make it different
The Torah tells us that the seventh day is set aside; special because on it God rested from the labors of Creation (see Genesis 2:2). Created in God's image, we are enjoined to set aside Shabbat as different as well. How? By spending time with community and friends, by shifting our focus from the mundane to the sublime; by remembering on this day that we are part of creation rather than creators ourselves.

Try to set aside Shabbat as a day without the cares of everyday. Try to make Shabbat special by using it for spiritual and non-academic pursuits, by carving out this time in the week to be peaceful and restorative.

Thinking Shabbat
From the moment on Friday night when we light the candles which signify that Shabbat has begun, Shabbat is a day for community. We welcome the arrival of Shabbat in community through prayer, we recite the Kiddush together, we share a festive meal, and we sing songs of celebration. On Shabbat day this theme continues with Tefilah (prayer) and Torah (reading and studying) and more song. Shabbat is a wonderful time to read, take walks and visit with friends (and nap, though this is not a community activity!). It can be challenging to set aside this time during your busy college career, but it is well worth it.

Doing Shabbat
Part of how we make Shabbat special comes from the things we don't do - like leaving the computer off, keeping our wallets stowed away and eating foods we have prepared in advance. The types of work from which we refrain are derived from the 39 types of work which were halted on Shabbat during the construction of the Mishkan, the portable sanctuary in the desert. This frees us up to appreciate the wonders of creation and links us with the experiences of our ancestors. It is the combination of the things we do with the things we don't do which sets aside Shabbat and gives it holiness.

7 Entry Steps to Enriching Shabbat
(Not in hierarchical order)

• Light candles every Friday evening.
  This action delineates the official beginning of Shabbat. Even if one lights the candles and does nothing else, there is a recognition that a special day has started.

• Have a Shabbat meal with family / friends.
  Traditionally, one difference Between Shabbat and the rest of the week has been the additional meal. In the Talmud (Bavli, Shabbat 11 7b) we find that although other days have two meals, Shabbat is to have three: Friday night, Saturday Kiddush, or lunch, and Seudah Shlishit, the third meal. This is different from eating three times in one day. Each meal adds a different dimension to Shabbat. Friday night revolves around the evening meal. Saturday afternoon's meal starts the afternoon period of enjoyment and relaxation. Seudah Shlishit reminds us of the special "something extra" nature of Shabbat Sharing a Shabbat meal with family and/or friends and increases the 'specialness" of each meal.

• Include a table ritual at your Shabbat meal (kiddush, motzi, birkat hamazon, z'mirot, Torah talk)
  Like all Jewish holidays, Shabbat starts in the home. As important as community is, we rightfully place ourselves and our loved ones as most important. Therefore it makes sense that the Shabbat meal as a Shabbat experience in our home should be a high priority. Each table ritual one does at a Shabbat meal adds meaning to the meal and reminds us that the meal itself is an important part of Shabbat

• Go to services Friday night and/or Saturday morning.
  Judaism is a communal religion. Although our holidays all start in the home, Jews pray to together, and 10 Jewish adults, a minyan, are necessary for certain prayers and reading of the Torah. The synagogue is the Jewish community's center for prayer, study and social activities, providing a communal identity and spirit that carries over into our prayers. When we pray in a communal setting we derive strength and support from each other.

• Study Torah at home on Shabbat with family or friends.
  Rabbi Meir says, "Everyone who studies Torah lishmah [Torah for its own sake] earns many rewards. Moreover, the entire world is made worthy on his account." [Pirke Avot 6:1] As opposed to other subjects, studying Torah is uniquely Jewish, giving us both an historical perspective of Judaism and a basis for mitzvot, sacred deeds. It is study and engaging in interpretation of Torah that gives us a greater clarity in our own understanding, thereby making Judaism more meaningful.

• Sing z'mirot, Shabbat songs, at the Shabbat table.
  Z'mirot is actually short for "z'mirot shell Shabbat," the Ashkenazic term referring to religious songs sung during and directly after Shabbat meals. Most of them were written between the 10th and 17th centuries in Hebrew or Aramaic. The Sephardim refer to these songs as pizmonim. The practice of singing z'mirot has been an established part of Shabbat observance since the Middle Ages. It remains one of the most important spiritual components of the Shabbat home experience. Singing adds a special joy to our meals, adding to the joy of Shabbat.

• Give tzedakah just before Shabbat and set the Shabbat evening table in a special way. Friday, before Shabbat, we move into our separate world of Shabbat - a world of rest, relaxation and appreciation for God's creations. We show our appreciation by helping others who are in need. We therefore are sure to deposit some of our money into the tzedakah box before lighting the candles. We set the Shabbat table in a special way in order to bring extra beauty, to the table, emphasizing that exceptional and distinctive feeling that only Shabbat can bring. These actions also represent our final preparation for Shabbat- putting aside our physical and financial possessions, and concentrating on the beauty of Shabbat.