Timely Program Ideas

Timely Program Ideas
Department of Congregational Programming
United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
155 Fifth Avenue,
New York, NY 10010
212-533-7800 ext 2620

TPI 1: Shabbat at Home

Several years ago, the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism's 'Committee on Commitment and Observance' published a program called 'Friday Night at Home.' (Available from the Education Department of the USCJ, ext. 2500). This program encouraged congregations to designate a Shabbat for families to invite fellow congregants to their homes for a Shabbat meal. The program was designed to encourage congregants to reach out to other members and to share the joy of Shabbat with them.

Many of our congregations have taken the idea of a designated "Shabbat at Home" to the next step, making it part of an ongoing educational process to encourage Shabbat observance.

Some congregational programs focus on Friday night, while others focus on Shabbat lunch. (A Se’udah Shlishit, Saturday evening dinner can also be substituted). The goal, however, is always the same: to encourage congregants to bring guests into their houses to share the joys of Shabbat, and to encourage the guests to take the practices and rituals back to their own homes.

Shabbat Seder at Home - Temple Shalom, Greenwich, CT

In the Shabbat Seder At Home program, families learn how to conduct their own Friday evening experience. In addition, members reach out to one another for a "hamish" meal.

On the first Friday evening of each month, ten host families invite two families each to their homes for a Shabbat Seder around the family table. The ten hosts meet at the rabbi's home on the previous second Thursday of the month for a workshop to equip them to host and conduct a traditional Shabbat Seder in their homes. Copies of The Shabbat Seder, published by the Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs (available from the USCJ Book Service, ext. 2004), are distributed to each host family. To help them prepare in advance, the cantor provides each host family with a tape of blessings, songs and melodies. There is an in-depth discussion of every aspect of Friday night home observance: tzedakah, candle lighting, Shalom Aleihem, blessing of the children, Eishet Hayil, Kiddush, Motzi, z’mirot, Birkat Hamazon, the table setting and discussion topics. There are no late Friday evening services on the first Friday evening of the month. Instead, services are held from 6:30-7:00 PM and then congregants go to family dinners.

The Shabbat Seder At Home program is organized by the Sisterhood of Temple Sholom.

Hospitality Shabbat - Town and Village Synagogue, New York, NY

Approximately three times a year, volunteers are recruited to host fellow congregants for a Shabbat lunch after services. The congregation's membership list is then simply divided up, with each host receiving the names and numbers of people to invite through personal telephone calls. Although not all will accept the invitation, the result is always an excellent mixture of ages, level of knowledge, participation in synagogue life and so on. This enables congregants to get to know one another. It also draws those who have been out of touch closer to the community.

A unique feature of this program is its training in kashrut and Shabbat food preparation requirements. As the program continues, more congregants, once guests, want to host. Many of these are not Shabbat or kashrut observant. The rabbi sends all hosts a letter explaining the synagogue standards and including a list of instructions. In a special session prior to the program, the rabbi reviews these instructions and answers questions. He and the cantor also prepare the hosts to lead songs, prayers and discussions.

An interesting and unanticipated by-product has been the large number of congregants who, within a few years, decided to kasher their homes.

Designated Shabbat Hosts - Beth Israel Centerm, Madison, WI

The membership committee at Beth Israel Center combine hahnasat orhim (hospitality) and good recruitment methods. They created a cadre of members who rotate as designated Shabbat hosts. The designated host for that Shabbat prepares food for a few extra people. At services and kiddush on Friday evening and Saturday morning, the host "keeps an eye out" for newcomers. The host approaches them at the kiddush, welcomes them, chats and invites them for the Shabbat meal. If no newcomers appear, the host spontaneously invites other members instead.

This program could certainly be modified so that new members or potential new members are invited before Shabbat and meet the designated host and go into the service with them.

Suggestions for implementation:

• Identify the host families. Look for warm and friendly people who are comfortable with their Judaism and willing to share their practices with others. (It is important that the families that are picked realize that they should not self-righteously push Judaism onto their guests, but should share their Judaism and encourage others through warmth and example). Indeed, the host families themselves don't need to be 100% observant. Even if they are still moving up the "ladder of observance" they will have much to share. Don't be too ambitious; be satisfied with a few good host families. The number will grow as the "guests" become more committed and other families in the synagogue decide to become involved. People can be asked to volunteer as host families, either personally or through the synagogue bulletin. The personal approach, however, is usually the most effective.
• Train the host families. It is essential to ensure that host families understand the purpose of the programs, that is, to share (and encourage people to observe) Shabbat by example, to encourage the congregation to observe the mitzvah of hahnasat orhim (hospitality) and to create a stronger and more cohesive synagogue community. It may be useful to role-play a Shabbat dinner to help the hosts to understand how they should act and respond to their guests. Distribute copies of the Shabbat Seder, or the Friday Night at Home materials (see above). Review the prayers and the traditions of Shabbat, discussing both their meanings and observance. You may also want to provide Jewish discussion topics (e.g. the weekly torah reading) which could be used at the meal. Review prayers and songs and provide a tape so that families can practice. (Your cantor can make this type of tape. One such tape, B’kol Echad, is available from the Book Service of the USCJ. It is designed to complement the Birk-at Hamazon and songbook by the same name.) The training sessions are best led by the rabbi, cantor or knowledgeable lay-person.
• Inviting the guests. Families can be targeted (using the list found in note 3 above), or the choice can be left to the host families. In any case, however, host families should be strongly encouraged to invite at least one family that they do not know. If the synagogue holds an early evening Shabbat Service, hosts and guests should meet at the synagogue and attend the service together.