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Stained glass window depicting the book (Torah), two candles, a cup (kiddush) and a loaf of bread (challah)

Shabbat at Temple Israel is a meaningful, joyful and musical experience.

We meet most Saturday mornings or afternoons to pray, to hear Torah, to learn, and to connect with Judaism and with each other. Alternatively, we welcome Shabbat with a Friday evening Kabbalat Shabbat service.

Throughout the year, we celebrate special ‘themed’ Shabbats. Examples include our song-filled Shabbat Shirah, as well as services featuring students from the Temple Israel Religious School, our adult learners, and members who share stories about growing up Jewish in communities throughout Canada and around the globe.  

Our Shabbat services are egalitarian and held in Hebrew and English. We encourage participation and invite members to lead a reading, open / close the Aron Kodesh, carry the Torah, lift the Torah (Hagbah) dress the Torah (Glilah), and chant the Aliyah blessings or the haftarah.

We love to sing, and the Temple Israel choir leads us in melodies that are both traditional and modern. We also love good food, and gather for kiddush to which everyone is invited.  

Please check our  Calendar for the dates and times of upcoming Services.  

If you’d like the opportunity to deliver a sermon, d’var torah, lein torah or chant a haftarah – or if you have a suggestion – please contact Josh Dubitsky, Ritual Chair, at josh@templeisraellondon.ca

If you’d like to sponsor a kiddush, please contact the office at office@templeisraellondon.ca

18 Little Things You Can Do For Shabbat

  1. Invite friends.
  2. Ask guests to prepare a Shabbat blessing, song, or story
  3. Set a special table for Shabbat dinner.
  4. Use a special tablecloth.
  5. Arrange fresh flowers in your home.
  6. Polish the silver.
  7. Pour a nice wine.
  8. Bake or buy a challah.
  9. Give thanks for the blessings of the week.
  10. Light special candles.
  11. Read a Shabbat prayer…then read it again.
  12. Say blessings over the wine and challah.
  13. Sing some nice songs.
  14. Listen to the quiet peace of a dinner at home…without phone, TV, or radio.
  15. Take a Shabbat walk.
  16. Be open to moments of wonder, of soulful encounter.
  17. Pause for a moment as Shabbat ends on Saturday night. Sing havdalah!
  18. Look forward to the next week’s Shabbat celebration
     

Content provided by URJ

Thu, 28 March 2024 18 Adar II 5784