Friday Evening and Saturday Morning
Shabbat Services and programs are a central part of our religious observance at Shaare Torah.  While Rabbi Blumenthal leads the service, lay leaders participate as well by leading many of the prayers, reading the Torah and haftarah, serving as the gabbai (organizer of the Torah service), and other key roles.

Key texts we use during the service include Siddur Sim Shalom for Shabbat and Festivals, the Etz Hayim Humash, a transliteration booklet, and special welcome book.

Shabbat morning services generally begin at 9:30 AM, and often include life cycle celebrations, including baby namings, aufrufen (celebrations of upcoming weddings), and b’nai mitzvah.  Friday night programs vary, including one or more of the following:  a traditional service at 6 PM, family service at 7:45 PM, Tot Shabbat Welcome service at 5:00 PM, or special study sessions or workshops.  

A kiddush (sometimes including lunch) follows every Shabbat morning service, to which all attendees are invited.  

Young children are always welcome at all of our Shabbat services.  We want them, and their families, to feel at home, and don’t mind when they make some noise or can’t sit still.  When they need a break, free drop-in babysitting is available for every Shabbat morning.  At 10:15, as the Torah service begins, young children are invited to the bimah to get a smaller Torah (various sizes for various ages!) and march with the “big” Torah around the room with the rabbi.  A story or song on the bimah with the rabbi follows.  A special Tot Shabbat (for ages 2-4) follows on the 2nd and 4th Shabbat of each month.  

Older children and teens are also welcome and are often at services.  Each week, children in our older grades participate in leading the Shema, Ashrei, Ein Keloheinu/Aleynu, and other prayers.  They also have special programs on the 2nd Shabbat of each month, including Gesher (grades K-2) and Junior Congregation (grades 3-5).  Our teens often return to read Torah and haftarah, and lead parts of the service.

Shabbat Shalom!