Shabbat Services
Shabbat is the soul of Temple Ner Tamid. Singing and listening to words of Torah, Shabbat is our unique opportunity to draw closer to God and each other. Services take place in either our larger Sanctuary space or our more intimate Chapel space depending on the number of participants. Both spaces offer a calming, reflective, and personal atmosphere for prayer.
The following are our offerings each Shabbat. Please check the calendar for any changes or updates.
Friday Night
Erev Shabbat services begin on Friday at 6:30pm for our clergy led services. In the summer months, services are led by members of the congregation with support from our clergy.
Tot Shabbat
For families with small children, Tot services with potluck dinners on the first Friday night of each month beginning at 6 pm. Services include music, stories, and dancing. Free and open to the public.
Shabbat Morning
Before services begin, at 9am we have a host of offerings. Wake-Up Shabbat is our bi-weekly Shabbat morning gathering for Tots at 9am. This free, fun and interactive service with singing and storytelling is open to all and includes bagels and snacks. Usually held on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month.
Likewise, at 9am, we have a series of spiritual offerings to get us mindfully ready to pray. These include a chanting circle that meets on the first and third Shabbat of each month and a meditation group that gathers on the 2nd Shabbat. On certain Shabbatot we will be bringing in a Yoga instructor for a more embodied practice.
Shabbat morning worship begins at 10am and concludes by noon. This community services is where life-cycles happen (b’nei mitzvah, baby namings, aufruf blessings) and is led by our clergy.
On the third Shabbat of each month, members of the congregation gather for the Casual Minyan, a wonderfully informal and participatory service with an in-depth discussion of the weekly Torah portion.
Consult the Calendar for any changes before attending services.
B'nai Mitzah
Becoming a Bar or Bat Mitzvah is a milestone in our journey of life. Torah (Study), Avodah (Prayer), and Gimmilut Chasadim (Acts of Lovingkindness), are stepping-stones towards the realization that it’s not the day that has the highest of importance, but the lessons we learn on the journey to get to that place. Our preparation for our journey in life does not begin nor end in the seventh grade. One might think of becoming Bar or Bat Mitzvah as a rest stop, a place to share Torah and lead a group of people in prayer, as one becomes a part of a larger Jewish community.
Individual training with Rabbi Katz, Cantor Greenberg, and Clergy Associate Ronni Pressman gives our students a unique opportunity to work closely with Jewish leaders that share the vision of the continuation of Judaism for generations to come. The Bar/Bat Mitzvah year of studies is, for us at Temple Ner Tamid, one where students and their families can feel the comfort and joy in the journey of ‘becoming’ a Bar or Bat Mitzvah more than merely marking a single-day event.
Should you have any questions about that process, please reach out to Cantor Meredith Greenberg.
High Holy Days
The most uplifting and dramatic time in the Jewish calendar is the ten-day period encompassing the High Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
Below is the schedule of services in our main sanctuary. We have placed a star next to those services open to the public:
*Erev Rosh Hashanah
Rosh Hashanah, Day 1
*Tashlich – our service in nature where we cast our misdeed into the water
*Rosh Hashanah, Day 2 – Followed by congregational lunch
Kol Nidre
Yom Kippur Morning Services
*Yizkor – our memorial service
*Yom Kippur Afternoon Service
*Neilah – our close to Yom Kippur
In addition to the regular sanctuary services for these Days of Awe, there are several alternatives available for both young and not so young.
For children, babysitting is available for children ages 1-4 and our creative “B’yachad” family service is held for adults and their children who are in grades 3-6. Services for families with very small children are held on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur afternoons at 2:00 p.m. in the sanctuary. Likewise, teen services and programming is available throughout the holiday.
Temple Ner Tamid