Shabbat Services

Currently, our Shabbat services are a mixture of in-person, hybrid, and online events. Check out our calendar or our newsletter for specific details about upcoming services. 

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First and Third Fridays

The first and third Fridays of each month feature creative worship, study and community engagement. Each service is unique. Services can include discussion or an interactive program focused on a lesson from the week’s Torah portion.

At times, our singers, dancers, or actors will share a beautiful and artistic approach to Shabbat worship. Sometimes Rabbi Weiner-Kaplow reads from the Torah and offers an exciting way of reading from the scroll in Hebrew with a running English translation and his own creative commentary. At other times, religious school classes will assist in leading this service. Services run from 7:30 until about 9 p.m. Children are always welcome in the service.

Second Fridays

On the second Friday of each month we encourage one member family to host the rabbi and a few Shir Hadash families for a “pot-luck” Shabbat dinner and evening of study and community.  If you would like to host a dinner, please call the Shir Hadash office (847) 498-8218.

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Fourth Fridays

We hold no gatherings on the fourth Friday of each month. We encourage Shir Hadash households to join together and share a Shabbat meal along with study and children’s activities in each other’s homes.

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Fifth Fridays

When there is a fifth Friday of the month, Shir Hadash holds a Learner’s Service. This is a wonderful opportunity to ask Rabbi Weiner-Kaplow questions about the meanings of the prayers, the flow of the service, the themes of the weekly Torah portion, and virtually anything about Judaism and Jewish civilization that comes to mind. Services run from 7:30 p.m. until about 9 p.m. Children are always welcome in the service.

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“Hava Nashira” Services

A few times a year, we hold “Hava Nashira/Let’s All Sing” Friday Shabbat services. Words are often not enough to tap into the spiritual joy of prayer. That’s when singing and musical instrument add the extra dimension to let the spirit soar! All those present become a huge choir singing from start to finish.  Through the music, all share in the spirit of Shabbat and are swept away by a special connection to our Jewish heritage and spirituality. Clapping, holding hands, tapping feet, swaying, and even dancing to the joyous melodies are all part of the prayer and celebration.

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Shabbat Mornings

Shabbat morning services are scheduled when we are celebrating a bar/bat mitzvah service. Please know that all Shabbat morning b’nai mitzvah services are open to the community be it a bar/bat mitzvah service held at a hotel or one of our regular locations. All are most welcome to attend. Check our worship calendar for times and locations of all Shabbat morning services.

Shabbat Morning Torah Study & Healing Services

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On selected Shabbat mornings, calendar permitting, we hold Shabbat morning Torah Study & Healing Services not connected with a bar/bat mitzvah service. These informal and relaxed gatherings present a unique time for fellowship, prayer, reflection, torah reading, and discussion. Special time is taken to offer special prayers of healing and recovery for friends and family members. We wrap up the morning with a pot-luck Kiddush, a few “L’chaim” toasts, and, occasionally, serve a Shabbat lunch feast.