1. Dress Code | Temple Israel is a Reform (liberal) synagogue, so there is no official dress code. But the Sabbath is not the time to arrive in jeans and T-shirts, either! Business casual or business dress is fine. Women are not obligated to cover their heads, and non-Jews should not wear prayer shawls (even if someone offers you one!). We have some beautiful suede kippot (yarmulkes) that were made for this occasion. We would like men to wear them, but women are also welcome to wear them — you will see more kippot than hats on women at Temple. Clips will be provided.
Some members of our congregation have severe allergies to scents and perfumes. Please abide by our no-scents policy.
2. Arrival at the Synagogue | The services are Friday night at 6:15 p.m. (optional) and Saturday at 10:15 a.m. Diane and Phil will be among the ushers on Saturday morning. Please try to arrive 15 minutes early so that you have time to find a parking spot, hang up your coat, find a seat and get settled. You will be handed a prayer book (Hebrew and English), which typically includes an insert about that week’s service and other info about the Temple. If you are not Jewish, or are not comfortable following a Hebrew prayer book, we have made copies of a transliterated version of the prayer book. It has English and Hebrew on the right-hand page — so you know what the prayers mean — and transliterations on the left-hand side, so you can participate in the responsive readings and even sing along to some of the songs and prayers. If you can follow a regular siddur (prayer book), please leave the transliterated versions for those who need them.
3. Seating & Etiquette | Men and women can sit together, and you can sit anywhere. If you are having an honor, such as a Torah blessing or a reading, please sit near the front, so it’s easier to get to the bimah (altar or podium). You’ll be told when to sit and stand, so that’s all you really have to worry about. If you have to leave the sanctuary, you may have to wait to be readmitted — there are portions of the service that we don’t want to interrupt.
At many synagogues, talking is tolerated. At Temple Israel, virtually everyone there is completely focused on the service, so we’d appreciate your refraining from extraneous conversations (and please silence your phones!). If you lose your place in the service, don’t hesitate to ask your neighbour, but please do so quietly.
4. What to expect at the Service This is a very warm and welcoming congregation, and everyone is very excited to be sharing this special event with all of us!
At many synagogues, the cantor or ba’al t’filah (prayer leader or lay cantor) starts the prayers, and then people pray silently. At Temple Israel, we do fewer prayers than at Orthodox or Conservative synagogues, but we pray communally, and out loud (except for moments designated as silent prayer). There are portions of the prayers that the entire congregation says or sings, and there are others in which the congregation sings only certain portions. Listen to your neighbours, and you’ll figure it out!
We will have three rabbis leading the service on April 1st: Rabbi Philip Bregman, formerly ofTemple Sholom in Vancouver, where I started my journey to Judaism in 1997; Rabbi Steven Garten, Rabbi Emeritus of Temple Israel; and Rabbi Rob Morais, Rabbi of Temple Israel. Sue Potechin, head of the Temple Irael Religious School (and my tutor!), will be leading parts of the service. I will also lead some prayers, including some pieces with guitar accompaniment.
To become a Bat Mitzvah (literally, “Daughter of the Commandment”), I will chant from the Torah (Vayikra, the first section of what is also known as Leviticus) and the Haftarah (not “Half-Torah,” as many people erroneously call it), in this case a reading from the Book of Isaiah that is thematically connected to the Torah portion. There are blessings before and after these readings. The Torah and Haftarah portions are in a separate book, which you will be handed at the appropriate time.
Please don’t put your prayer book or Torah Commentary on the floor — if you need to leave your seat, please leave your books on your seat or on a spare seat.
I will do a short speech, called a Dvar Torah, the rabbis will (hopefully) say nice things about me and bless me, and the Temple Israel Liturgical Choir will do some lovely pieces, one of which is being done especially at my request.
The service also includes a prayer of healing, called Mi Shebeirach. Before we sing this prayer, you are welcome to say out loud the names of people you know — they don’t have to be Jewish! — who are in need of physical, spiritual or psychological healing, or you can remain silent. After we return the Torah to the Ark (not to be confused with Raiders of the Lost Ark), we have announcements and concluding prayers. The service will be about two hours long.
5. To whom do we pray | If you are used to Christian services, you will notice there is no mention of Jesus, Mary or the Holy Trinity in our service. They are not part of our belief system. Our prayers are addressed only to God — usually called Adonai, El, Elohai, Elohim or Eloheinu. But it’s the same God as you worship, so you’re not cheating or being unfaithful to your beliefs to pray with us.
6. Photographs | We have an official photographer, who will be shooting from a fixed spot to avoid disrupting the service. We would prefer that no other photos be taken — perhaps after I’ve done my Torah and Haftarah portions, and we can relax a bit, you can grab a photo on your phone.
But please do NOT move around the sanctuary to get a good shot.
This is my Bat Mitzvah, but it is also the Shabbat worship for other members of the congregation, and we need to respect the sanctity of their worship.
After the Service | Unlike many churches and synagogues, Temple Israel doesn’t have a large social hall. So once the service is over, we’ll make our way across the parking lot to the Hellenic Centre, where we’ll have a lovely lunch with members of Temple and our guests. I have it on good authority that adult beverages will be served!
Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have questions I haven’t answered. Rest assured that everyone at Temple Israel will welcome you and do everything they can to make you feel comfortable and included.
Here are a couple of links that offers more information as well:
• http://www.reformjudaism.org/what-expect-reform-shabbat-service
• https://reformjudaism.org/what-expect-b’nei-mitzvah-services
Temple Israel Shabbat Prayer Book | Hebrew and English, with transliterations | You’ll see that it’s not truly a mirror of the prayer book, because every page in the bound prayer book you have will be two pages in the transliterated version — Hebrew and English on the right, transliteration on the left. But like the prayer book, it will go from right to left — guests can follow the entire service with only one book, this one. There will be special copies available at the service, April 1st, 10:15 a.m.
PDF of Siddur transliterated edition 2016 | TEFILOT L'SHABBAT
