During Shabbat and Festival Services the prayer book we use is Gates of Prayer. Our Shabbat Service begins at 8:00 pm Friday evening, during which the Torah is read and the Rabbi delivers a sermon. We have about the same amount of Hebrew and English in our Service, and we vary our music in an attempt to formulate a mix of traditional and contemporary prayers. We encourage singing and participation at Services.

We consider ourselves very fortunate to have a talented choir with an experienced director. There are times when our Shabbat Service is creative and experimental. All Shabbat Services are followed by an Oneg Shabbat, which is coordinated by the Ladies Concordia Society. Oneg means pleasure, or delight, and the sweetness of the Oneg further enhances the Shabbat by enjoying refreshments as we socialize.

Summer Services

During the summer months, the Chavurah Service is discontinued. Summer Services begin at 8:00 pm, and are followed by an Oneg Shabbat. The prayer book we use is Gates of Prayer for Shabbat and Weekdays. When the Rabbi is on leave, lay members of the congregation lead the Service.

On the 3rd Friday of each month, a Chavurah or Family Service is conducted. This Service, which begins at 7:00 pm in the Sanctuary, is preceded by a pitch-in dinner commencing at 6:00 pm in Rosenthal Hall. Throughout the year each Religious School class has the responsibility of conducting at least one Chavurah Service. In this way, the students of the Religious School combine what they have learned with the Shabbat Service.

On of our newest worship experiences is Tot Shabbat. On the first Friday of the month we hold our Tot Shabbat Celebration for our pre-schoolers and their brothers and sisters, moms and dads and grandparents. During our Tot Shabbat there will be a lot of singing and movement in prayer and celebration for our younger ones. We learn and sing and chant the Hadlakat Hanerot (Candle Lighting), Kiddush (wine) and Motzi (Challah) blessings. Often parents help create a special project with their children. Tot Shabbat is a great time for parents and younger children to learn and experience their Judaism. Tot Shabbat begins at 5:30 PM. Following our worship experience we conclude with a pot-luck dinner. Everything takes about an hour.

Holiday Services
During the High Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur the prayer book we use is Days of Awe. Participation by the congregation is at its zenith at this time, with many congregants reading Hebrew & English prayers, and chanting from the Torah and the Haftorah. We also observe the traditional festivals of Chanukah, Purim and Passover. The congregation celebrates Chanukah with a dinner, and Purim with a carnival. During Passover, there is a community Seder conducted for the congregation.

The Bar/Bat Mitzvah and Confirmation programs are richly rewarding experiences, not only for the students who participate, but also for their families and the entire congregation. Our Bar/Bat Mitzvah candidates participate fully in our Service, giving them an opportunity to lead the entire congregation in worship.

This participation gives our students a sense of deep accomplishment and also a commitment of Jewish responsibility, leading them toward maturity and adulthood. Our Confirmation, which takes place during the festival of Shavuot, is a religious ceremony conducted by those students who continue their education for two years beyond their Bar/Bat Mitzvah. Confirmation is a time when a student actually confirms his/her faith in the principles, the ideals, and the essence of Judaism and the Jewish people.