Meaningful, engaging, joyful worship is our goal.

About a year ago our congregation embarked on an exploration of who we are and where we are as a community in relation to our Friday night Shabbat services.  A large and diverse committee composed and analyzed surveys, visited other congregations, and discussed our needs and desires so that we can make sure that our Shabbat services reflect Oak Park Temple’s creativity and diversity while still remaining true to our Jewish tradition.
There are two primary changes that we will be trying.  The first will be our “Fourth Friday” Shabbat service, beginning February 25, 2011 and continuing every “Fourth Friday” throughout the year.  On these Friday nights our community will join together in the rotunda at 6:00pm for wine and cheese, juice and cookies and social time prior to our 6:30 service. At 6:30 we will join in either the sanctuary or chapel for a musical Shabbat service featuring classically trained guitarist Aaron Burnstein. The time of the service should allow those with small children to join us following a quick dinner at home and those who have more scheduling flexibility to have a leisurely dinner with family or friends following the service.  Ideally worship should allow us private time for reflection, time for joyful communal singing, moments of restfulness and moments of exaltation.  Those elements were at the forefront as this service was being planned.

The second change that we will be trying is to our “family services” which we have  re-envisioned as “Shabbat Kehillah,” Shabbat of Community.  Beginning in May 2011 these 7:00 Shabbat services, lead with the participation of our congregation’s band, Tsimmis,  will be preceded by a catered dinner at 6:00 pm for everyone in the community. 

I am proud of the work of our worship initiative committee and I believe that they have created wonderful communal Shabbat opportunities for us. I hope you will join Cantor Green and  me in these new Shabbat experiences. 

Rabbi Max Weiss

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