We welcome guests and visitors to join our informal and personal worship services and holiday celebrations, where we always include time for sharing news about our lives. We have returned to in-person services and holiday celebrations, and it has been wonderful. (Visit our home page to read our Covid-19 policy.) On the other hand, we have found that Zoom actually suits some of us, so we are working on making a Zoom option available for as many of our in-person services, celebrations, and events as possible. Whether in-person or online, we strive for connection and warmth. We’d love to have you join us.
For Temple Emanu-El’s Music YouTube channel that includes songs we sing during services, click here: music.
Shabbat Services – An Overview
On the first Friday evening of each month, at 6pm, we have a brief in-person Shabbat service, followed by table blessings and potluck dinner together.
On the other Friday evenings of the month, our regular in-person Shabbat services begin at 7pm. A Zoom option is available for these services.
On the third Saturday of each month, we offer a morning in-person All Ages Family Shabbat service at 10am; young children are especially welcome.
[Photo: Temple Emanu-El’s Torah ark with member Judy Greenstein, Chair of our Steering Team. The ark was handcrafted by Julius Dorsey.]
Our next Potluck Shabbat Dinner and Service, including our Tu BiShvat seder, will be held on Friday, Feb 3, 6pm, in person in the Erdle Lounge at the JCC.
During these once-a-month early dinner/services, we welcome Shabbat with a brief service followed by “table style” blessings, songs, and readings which take place while we are seated at small tables. During this Shabbat evening, we will also incorporate a Tu BiShvat seder. Rabbi Drorah Setel will lead our service and seder with cantorial soloist Charlene Sommers. Participants are asked to bring a dish to share along with an ingredient list to help those with dietary concerns. [No meat, poultry, or shellfish, please, and vegan and gluten-free options are always welcome. Note that we have no heating facilities.] Challah and drinks, as well as our seder, will be provided. Unfortunately, Zoom is not available for the potluck Shabbat evenings.
We hope you’ll join us!
Our next Friday evening Shabbat Service will be held on Feb 10, 7pm, in person in the Erdle Lounge at the JCC. A Zoom option will be available.
Rabbi Drorah Setel will lead our service with Charlene Sommers, our cantorial soloist. We will be using our Mishkan T’filah prayerbook and Supplement1. Check back closer to the date to see if we’ll be using other handouts. To join the service by phone, call 1-929-205-6099 and use meeting ID 859 5479 0326.
Guests and visitors are warmly welcome to join us.
Our next All Ages Family Shabbat Service will be held on Saturday, Feb 18, at 10am in person in the Erdle Lounge at the JCC.
Join us for a morning of tefillah and song during our Shabbat service designed for all ages. Rabbi Drorah Setel will lead our service, with musical accompaniment provided by Rabbi Sandra Katz and our cantorial soloist, Charlene Sommers. Families with young children are especially welcome. Unfortunately, Zoom is not available for these services. [Illustration used with permission of Goldstein’s Funeral Home, Philadelphia PA]
Here’s what you need to know to join us for online services:
We use the Reform Movement’s Mishkan T’filah prayer book for our Shabbat services. Note that Temple Emanu-El members may check out a copy of the prayer book from our office – contact our Interim Office Assistant, Bernice Rayburn (585-461-2000, ext 203 or emanuelrochester@gmail.com), to make an appointment to come by and sign one out. Both Kindle and print versions of the prayerbook can be purchased from the CCAR Press website – there are several versions, eg Shabbat only, Shabbat + Weekdays and Festivals, transliterations included, no transliterations, etc..
We have also been using supplemental service handouts: Supplement1, Supplement2, Supplement3, Supplement4, Supplement5, Supplement6, Supplement7, and Supplement8. (For convenience, you may want to print these out and put them in order in a binder.) Check the service descriptions above to find out which ones we’ll be using each time.
[Photo: Temple Emanu-El’s reading desk, with member Gary Horwitz, who designed and handcrafted it. Photo by member Carl Wetzstein.]