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A Guide to Our Shabbat Morning Service

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A Guide to Our Shabbat Morning Service Torah Crown – Kiev – 1809 Courtesy of Temple Beth Sholom Judaica Museum Rabbi Alan B. Lucas Assistant Rabbi Cantor Cecelia Beyer Ofer S. Barnoy Ritual Director Executive Director Rabbi Sidney Solomon Donna Bartolomeo Director of Lifelong Learning Religious School Director Gila Hadani Ward Sharon Solomon Early Childhood Center Camp Director Dir.Helayne Cohen Ginger Bloom a guide to our Endowment Director Museum Curator Bernice Cohen Bat Sheva Slavin shabbat morning service 401 Roslyn Road Roslyn Heights, NY 11577 Phone 516-621-2288 FAX 516- 621- 0417 e-mail – [email protected] www.tbsroslyn.org a member of united synagogue of conservative judaism ברוכים הבאים Welcome welcome to Temple Beth Sholom and our Shabbat And they came, every morning services. The purpose of this pamphlet is to provide those one whose heart was who are not acquainted with our synagogue or with our services with a brief introduction to both. Included in this booklet are a history stirred, and every one of Temple Beth Sholom, a description of the art and symbols in whose spirit was will- our sanctuary, and an explanation of the different sections of our ing; and they brought Saturday morning service. an offering to Adonai. We hope this booklet helps you feel more comfortable during our service, enables you to have a better understanding of the service, and introduces you to the joy of communal worship. While this booklet Exodus 35:21 will attempt to answer some of the most frequently asked questions about the synagogue and service, it cannot possibly anticipate all your questions. Please do not hesitate to approach our clergy or regular worshipers with your questions following our services. Please Do Not Remove this booklet from the To help us create the special spirit that is Shabbat, please make sanctuary so others may enjoy sure all beepers and cell phones are silenced. 1 Temple Beth Sholom | www.tbsroslyn.org 2 HISTORY OF TEMPLE BETH SHOLOM youngsters. On the High School level our own Hebrew High School, Machon Beth Sholom has In June of 1951, 35 families joined to been a tremendous success since it began in organize a Conservative Synagogue. The 1999. We offer formal and informal educational principles of Conservative Judaism, adherence programs for students in grades 7 – 12. Our to Jewish Law and tradition adapted to a Summer Program for children 3-15 gives changing world and a program of intensive hundreds of boys and girls a most active and Jewish education for children, answered their productive summer. need for a dynamic and spiritually rich Judaism. Over the years, we have developed other A search was instituted for land upon Shabbat programs for adults and children. In which to build an all-purpose building. Fourteen addition to our Shabbat morning service here in acres became available which were immediately the Sanctuary, we have a Havurah Service, an purchased. At the first High Holiday services, award winning Torah Reading Program for held at the Roslyn Theatre, 200 families pledged teenagers and adults as well as a wonderful funds for the new building. In 1961, our Junior Congregation program for our children Sanctuary was dedicated as the center of our that meets weekly in the library or chapel. There Shabbat experiences. It is here that we gather to is a Tot-Shabbat Program for young children worship as a community. Through the words of under five years of age in one of our Nursery the prayer book or our own spontaneous rooms. We offer many other programs throughout history ofthoughts, this beautiful Sanctuary inspires us to the week for adults and children along with our be part of the Jewish people through prayer. Sisterhood, Men’s Club and PTA that add new Three outstanding Rabbis Ario S. Hyams, areas of participation for all. temple bethDr. Joseph P. Sternstein and our current Rabbi, History is ongoing at Temple Beth Sholom. Alan B. Lucas, each of whom has made Consider joining us and being a part of the distinctive contributions to our growth, have excitement. For more information about our sholom served this congregation. We have been complete programs, feel free to stop by our office fortunate to have world-renowned Cantors serve or call during the week – 621-2288. this congregation, each of whom has introduced new melodies to our service; Cantors Morton Kula, Ralph Schlossberg, Seymour In June of 1951, 35 families joinedSchwartzman, to organize Aaron a BensoussanConservative and synagogue. presently In addition to Shabbat morning Cantor Ofer Barnoy. The principles of Conservative Judaism,Since 1951,with itsTemple adherence Beth toSholom Jewish has law services held here in the main grown to a membership of nearly 1,000 families. and tradition adapted to a changingThe Religious world, School and hasa program almost 400of intensivestudents sanctuary, there are frequently Jewish education for children,and answered is considered their a needmodel for for aother dynamic afternoon and services being led in other parts schools throughout North America. Our award- spiritually rich Judaism. winning Nursery School serves hundreds of of the building, including our bi- monthly Mishpachah Minyan for A search was instituted for land upon which to build an all-purpose building. school aged children and their families, Minyan Yeladeinu for our 8-12 year Fourteen acres became available which were immediately purchased. At olds, Mini-Minyan for children ages 3-7, and Shabbateeny for our littlest the first High Holiday services, held at the Roslyn Theatre, 200 families worshipers age 3 and under. There is a vast and varied array of services, pledged funds for the new building. In 1961, our sanctuary was dedicated classes, and programming each Shabbat. For more information please as the center of our Shabbat experiences. It is here that we gather to worship check the weekly Shabbat pamphlet, or ask an usher for more information. as a community. Through the words of the prayer book as well as our own spontaneous thoughts, this beautiful sanctuary inspires us to be part of the History is ongoing at Temple Beth Sholom. Consider joining us Jewish people through prayer. and being a part of the excitement! For more information about our complete programs, stop by our office or give us a call during the week: Three outstanding rabbis, Ario S. Hyams(z”l), Dr. Joseph P. Sternstein(z”l), (516) 621-2288 or visit our website at www.tbsroslyn.org and our current rabbi, Alan B. Lucas, each of whom has made distinctive contributions to our growth, have served this congregation. We have been fortunate to have world-renowned cantors serve this congregation and infuse our prayer with meaning through music: Cantors Morton Kula, Ralph Schlossberg, Seymour Schwartzman, Aaron Bensoussan and presently Cantor Ofer Barnoy. 3 Temple Beth Sholom | www.tbsroslyn.org 4 THE ART AND SYMBOLS IN OUR SANCTUARY Directly in front of you is the Aron HaKodesh (Holy Ark), within which are kept the For years we have been building with wise Sifrei Torah (Torah scrolls). Each scroll contains hearts and loving hands. First, a House of the five books of Moses written as tradition has Study, then a House of Meeting and eventually commanded for thousand of years. These Torah we have built our House of Worship. As the scrolls are our most sacred possessions as a Torah says, “The places where the Ark congregation and community. The scrolls are previously rested were only temporary places of taken from the Ark during the Shabbat service worship until the permanent Sanctuary was when the weekly portion is read. The cycle of erected on the chosen site.” For us, like our readings is so arranged that during the course of ancestors, the resting place for the Ark had to be one year we read, study, and discuss the entire an edifice of beauty, a tabernacle worthy of scroll. Each scroll is meticulously hand-written in housing the Sacred Scrolls, a sanctum for the Hebrew, on parchment, without vowels or musical Shekhinah, the spiritual presence of the Lord. notes (making the cantillation of the Torah a true Percival Goodman, a recognized world art). Each Torah is covered with a decorative expert for Synagogue development, designed our mantle, silver breastplate and a yad (pointer) to Sanctuary. The large cedar arches overhead help the reader keep his place without touching were chosen to give the impression of support of the scroll by hand. A Keter Torah (silver crown) or a tent. Asthe you enter ourart Sanctuary, and the colors of Rimonim (finials) decorate the top of each Torah. scarlet, blue and gold warm you. The carved The art in our Sanctuary includes a rosewood Ark seems to fill the Bimah with its Menorah and Ner Tamid (eternal light) designed by broad, symbolscarpeted stairs. Reaching highin to ourthe artist Irwin Touster, an expert in bronze creation. cedar arches, it glows, dominates the room, The Ner Tamid, mounted on the Ark, is the light riveting sanctuaryyour eyes upon it. As you sit back and that symbolizes the keeping of God’s law. The as the sweet, muted music reaches your ears, a Menorah, to the left of the Ark, has six branches quiet peace envelops you. coming off of a center stem. It was conceived as the Tree of Life planted deep and secure in the earth. Near the memorial tablets at the entrance For years we have beento building the Sanctuary with is a small illuminatedour most memorialsacred possessions as a congregation and community. The scrolls wise hearts and loving hands.to the First,six million a Jews who areperished taken from in thethe ark during the Shabbat service when the weekly portion Holocaust. When we remember our own departed, house of study, then a housethe ofsix meeting million are also includedis read.
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