Shabbat

Important Information regarding upcoming services

Typically, our Friday evening Shabbat services, led by our Rabbi, Cantor, and Rabbinic Intern, begin at 6:30 pm in the simple beauty of our Jerusalem stone and pear-wood Sanctuary.

We welcome you to join us for a robust calendar of worship, learning, celebration, and programming on Zoom and in person.


Our worship reflects and respects the diversity of practice that exists in both current and historic expressions of Jewish religious life. We value the variety of backgrounds from which our members come, and the diversity of practice that is part of their day-to-day lives.  Our worship services attempt to welcome and engage the newcomer and old-timer and everyone in between.

Our egalitarian worship services, led by our Rabbis, Cantor, and Rabbinic Interns, are conducted in both Hebrew and English; transliterations are part of our prayerbook.  Our worship is inclusive, participatory, musical, and uplifting. Visitors invariably comment that they hope to join us again for worship.

Every Friday evening at BHS Erev Shabbat Services—prior to chanting the Aleinu—we sing a version of the Mi Shebeirach for Refuah – the Prayer for emotional and/or physical Healing. Rabbi Lippe, or the service leader, reads the names of people whose loved ones want them called to mind during this powerful prayer. If you would like to include your own name or the name of a loved one, please email or call the synagogue office and let us know by the Thursday before Shabbat. It is our custom to read aloud a person’s English and/or Hebrew name, the latter providing a level of both tradition and anonymity for those who desire. To respect the privacy of others, we request that you ask permission before submitting someone else’s name to be announced. Names will be maintained on our Healing Prayers List for six weeks. If you would like the name taken off the list earlier, or maintained for an additional number of weeks, please email or call Isabel Benebgui-Montilla at clergyassistant@bhsbrooklyn.org or 718-522-2070 ext. 138.

Live Stream Services

Click here to watch our live-streaming services. BHS broadcasts Shabbat Services every Friday evening at 6:30pm and beginning in 2014 offers streaming for all of our High Holy Days services at Plymouth Church.

To enjoy our live-streaming services, use Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or another browser that supports Flash Version 9.0 or greater.

Shabbat Services

Each week, we gather for Friday evening services in our sanctuary, and Saturday morning Torah Study (Chavurah) in our library. Bar and Bat Mitzvahs are celebrated at Shabbat morning Torah services in our Sanctuary on many Saturdays. Several times each year the Rabbi leads informal Shabbat morning services geared especially to 4th-6th graders and their families. Festival services are held in our sanctuary throughout the year. More information on our Family Shabbats can be found on our Religious School Shabbat page or Parenting Center page for Tot Shabbat and events for our youngest members.

Erev Shabbat Services
Friday Evenings, 6:30 pm

Our egalitarian Friday evening Shabbat services, led by our Rabbi, Cantor, and Student Rabbi, begin at 6:30 p.m. in the simple beauty of our Jerusalem stone and pear-wood Sanctuary.

First Shabbat: The 1st Friday of each month during the school year. Shabbat B’Yachad (Shabbat Together)- a family-oriented service led, in part, by our Religious School classes. Worship is followed by a potluck dinner open to the community.

Childcare is provided from 6:30pm to the end of services year-round.

Second Shabbat/Sermon Series: Our annual sermons series from Rabbi Lippe on select second Shabbats.

Shir Shabbat with Simcha Blessings: Share your joys (birthdays, anniversaries, retirements, graduations, new jobs) with the community on the third Friday of most months. Cantor Porzecanski leads the BHS Band and Choir in a joyful musical service.
Shir Shabbat dates:

  • October 20
  • November 17
  • December 8 (Chanukah)
  • January 12 (special date for MLK)
  • February 16
  • March 15
  • April 19
  • May 17

The Other Friday Night: A Shabbat experience for young professionals. 6:45pm wine, beer, tea, and appetizers. 7:00pm organically inspired musical Shabbat service #theotherfridaynight

TOFN’s 2023-2024 / 5784 dates:

October 27th, November 10th, December 15th

January 26th, February 9th, March 15th, April 12th, May 10th

 

 

 

 

 

During the summer months, Friday evening Shabbat services are often lay-led.  Our members are encouraged to sign up to lead summer services.  The Rabbi and Cantor are available to help you prepare to be a summer service leader.  Recent B’nai Mitzvah and Confirmands are strongly encouraged to sign up.

Chavurah (Torah Study)
Saturday Mornings, 9:30 am

Check out our calendar to see who is leading each week.

Shabbat morning Chavurah meets over zoom, led by Rabbi Bailey Romano, Rabbi Lippe, or one of several local rabbis.  A brief prayer service is followed by an extended and spirited discussion of the weekly Torah portion.  Coffee, juice, bagels and pastries are served.

The weekly Torah portion (parasha) is read in English, paragraph by paragraph, with many pauses for discussion.  Everyone present is welcome to contribute questions, ideas, reflections, concerns.  Discussion is varied and is driven entirely by those present.   From the scholarly–the way a word is written in the plural when it seems as if it should be singular, a rabbinic commentator’s thoughts—to the political, including the power of contemporary political events to bring new meaning to an ancient text—to the personal— all discussion expands on the parasha’s theme.  The atmosphere is one of camaraderie with everyone learning from Torah, and from each other. Bring your own favorite chumash (English Torah translation and commentary), or use one of ours, including the recently published URJ Torah: A Women’s Commentary.

Shabbat Morning Services
Saturday, 10:30 am

On many Saturday mornings from September through June, we celebrate the coming of age of a  Bar or Bat Mitzvah, at Shabbat morning services, including Torah reading in our Sanctuary beginning at 10:30 a.m.

Welcoming Shabbat
Friday Mornings, 11:00 am (during the school year)

Rabbi Lippe, Fred the Frog, and Nod the Dragon lead a half-hour of song and blessings to welcome Shabbat including table blessings on grape juice, and challah, on most Friday mornings from September through June. Welcoming Shabbat is appropriate for infants and toddlers accompanied by a parent, grandparent or care-giver.

Join us anytime!

 

Tot Shabbat
First Saturday of each month, 9:30 am (during the school year)
Join Mandy Sigale for a fun-filled hour of song, prayer, storytelling, activities and noshing. For 2-5 year olds and their families.  Concludes by 10:30 am with a kiddush of grape juice, challah and cookies.

Check out our wonderful Ark Designer, Alex Gruss’ website  www.studiogruss.com