Shabbat Initiative

"And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy".    Genesis 2:3

Abraham Joshua Heschel wrote: "The meaning of the Sabbath is to celebrate time rather than space ... It is a day on which we are called upon to share in what is eternal in time, to turn from the results of creation to the mystery of creation; from the world of creation to the creation of the world."

In an effort to help the Shaaray Tefila family partake in this gift of Shabbat, there will be varied programming throughout the year, encouraging our congregants of all ages to deepen their knowledge and observance of our precious legacy of Shabbat.

Shaaray Shabbat: Unlocking the Gates of Shabbat

Select Saturday mornings, 9:15 am

We find ourselves in many different prayer settings, ideally hoping to be comfortable in them all. Unfortunately, this is not always initially the case. You are cordially invited to learn about the structure of the Shabbat morning service in general, and the Temple Shaaray Tefila Shabbat Morning Minyan in particular. We intend to elucidate the entire Shabbat Morning service, the overall structure, as well as the individual prayers. We will examine the themes presented in each section, where the prayers come from, and how we put them into practice today. Best of all, the sessions, taught by Temple Shaaray Tefila clergy, take place on Saturday morning, right before the Shabbat Minyan begins. You can look forward to learning something new each morning, and then immediately be able to put it to use.

•  October 2, 2004: The Centerpiece of Jewish Prayer: Amida

•  November 6, 2004: The Ethics of Jewish Prayer: Shema

•  December 4, 2004: The Individual in Community: Kaddish

•  January 8, 2004: Divine Providence and Jewish prayer: Morning

                            Blessings

•  February 5, 2004: A Living Tradition: The Torah service

Clark Memorial Social Action Erev Shabbat Service:

Speaker: Rabbi Nellie Shulman, from Moscow

November 5, 2004, 6:15 pm

Join us for our annual Social Action Shabbat - an evening dedicated to exploring our mandate l'taken et ha-olam, to repair the world around us. Rabbi Shulman, the first female rabbi to work permanently in the Former Soviet Union, will be speaking about the various aspects of life as a Reform Jew in Russia . A native of St. Petersburg , she was ordained at the Leo Baeck Rabbinical Seminary in London . Rabbi Shulman then returned to Minsk , where she had served a 12 month internship before taking the job of rabbi. Shulman oversees a total of three Reform congregations in Minsk , including one for the deaf and hard-of-hearing where services are translated into sign language. The evening promises exciting presentations, intriguing ideas, and motivation to rededicate ourselves to deeds of social justice. .

Shabbaton :

Rabbi Jonathan Stein

Friday, December 17, 7:30 pm Erev Shabbat service in the Sanctuary

Saturday, December 18, 2004, beginning at 10:15 am in the Morse Chapel

Cost: $12 for lunch

"The Changing Nature of Reform Judaism"

A special Shabbat of study and celebration is offered yearly, beginning with an introduction to the year's topic on Friday night, then providing an intimate opportunity for extended Saturday morning and afternoon learning led by our senior rabbi. Lunch and a song session is part of this exciting day. The day will conclude with a moving Havdalah service.

To register, please call the Rabbi's Study (212-535-8008, ext. 240).

Healing and Havdalah

Led by our Cantorial Staff

Shabbat encourages us to relax and rest following a long week, bringing us a weekly occasion to recharge and refresh ourselves. Havdalah , the service which helps us bid adieu to Shabbat and re-enter the rest of the week, provides an excellent setting for prayers of healing and rejuvenation. This coming year, you will have three opportunities to join us for a light Seudat Shlisheet snack (the traditional "third meal" of Shabbat), a healing service, and then a closing Havdalah service.

•  October 16, 2004, 4:30 pm

•  December 11, 2004, 4:30 pm

•  February 26, 2005, 4:30 pm

Book Review: The Sabbath, by Abraham Joshua Heschel

Rabbi Sharon Forman

April 4, 2005, 7-8:30 pm

Join us for one of our book club events, as we delve into Heschel's profound views of Shabbat. Please refer to our book series section for more information. This event will conclude the Shabbat Initiative for the 2004-2005 year.

Watch the Messenger and this website for other programs during this celebration of Shabbat. Programs will include:

• Monthly learning sessions for Nursery School parents with the clergy, focusing on the topic of Shabbat and its prayers

• Two special Saturday morning Shabbat services geared for students in elementary school

• Monthly Religious School grade level Shabbat family dinners

• Monthly Religious School KiSS Program (Kabbalat Shabbat @Shaaray), honoring Shabbat and learning prior to the Family Service