Shabbat at Temple Beth Shalom
Shabbat at Temple Beth Shalom is a time for spirited song, prayer, and sharing as a community. We invite you to celebrate with us each week as together we seek rest, renewal and inspiration.
Weekly Shabbat Options
Shabbat Evening Services
Our Erev Shabbat evening services are warm, participatory, and rich with beautiful music. Services feature instruments and voices raised together in song. The prayer book’s poetry and a thought-provoking weekly D’var Torah (Torah teaching) inspire reflection and provide timely insight as we consider how Jewish wisdom might inform our own life journeys. To learn more about our clergy click here.
Fridays | 6:15pm | in person and online
Lay-Led Shabbat Morning Services & Torah Study
Most Shabbat mornings, we gather for a beautiful service led by members of our community. Torah Study sessions take the place of a formal Torah reading and center around lively group discussion and thoughtful conversation with clergy.
Saturdays | 8:30-9:00 AM Service
9:00-10:00 AM Torah Study | in person
Shabbat Reimagined
This year, we invite you to experience Shabbat on Friday evenings in exciting and reimagined ways that provide even more opportunity for engagement, connection, celebration and joy. In addition to the special programs designed to meet the needs of our diverse and vibrant community, every Friday will also feature a light nosh before services and a sweet Oneg afterward.
Community Dinners | 7:30-8:30pm
Join us after services for delicious food and community connection brought to you by Member Relations and sponsored by he wonderful lay-led groups of our congregation. Open to all.
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To register for a community dinner, click on the dates linked below.
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Dates:
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September 29 | Erev Sukkot “Etrog” Dinner
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October 27 | NY Deli-Style Menu
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November 17 | Scholar-in-Residence
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December 8 | Chanukah Celebration
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January 26 | Sisterhood Honored by the Archives Committee
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February 23
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March 8
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April 12 | ConNEXTionsPLUS
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May 3 | Celebrating Community & The Perlman Family
House Band
We will regularly be joined on Shabbat by our amazing house band that will feature multiple instruments, talented members of our community, and special guests.
Upcoming Services
Shabbat Frequently Asked Questions
What is the dress for Shabbat Evening Services?
Dressy casual is perfectly fine for Shabbat. However, if at the last minute, the spirit moves you to come to services and you do not have time to change, please come as you are. We want you to be with us!
What if it is difficult for me to arrive at temple by 6:15 pm?
Not to worry. A number of our members come to services directly from the end of their work day. Please feel comfortable arriving any time after the service begins. It is wonderful to see our Sanctuary gradually fill as more and more people arrive to join their loved ones and friends for Shabbat.
What are services like? Do I need to know Hebrew to appreciate the experience?
All of our services feature song, warmth, and spirit and are accessible to everyone. Our prayer book, “Mishkan T’filah” is transliterated for those who do not read Hebrew. Our rabbis and musical leaders guide us through the service thoughtfully with explanations and teachings to ensure that everyone is sharing in a meaningful way. For more information about “Mishkan T’filah” please go to www.ccarpress.org and search for “Mishkan T’filah.”
How can I celebrate a life moment with a special blessing during services?
If you are interested in celebrating a life moment (birth, anniversary, special life change) with a blessing during our Shabbat services, please contact either Rabbi Perlman (jperlman@tbsneedham.org) or Rabbi Markley (tmarkley@tbsneedham.org). They will be happy to help!
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Is it possible to purchase my own copy of our prayer book “Mishkan T’filah”?
Of course. To order your own copy of “Mishkan T’filah” (and/or a number of other Jewish books and resources) please go to www.ccarpress.org.