We welcome guests and visitors to join our informal and personal worship services, where we always include time for sharing news about our lives. We have returned to in-person services, and it has been wonderful. On the other hand, we have found that Zoom actually suits some of us, so we are trying to also include Zoom options for many of our in-person services, celebrations, and events. Whether in-person or online, we strive for connection and warmth. We’d love to have you join us.
For Temple Emanu-El’s Music YouTube channel that includes songs we sing during services, click here: music.
Friday evening Shabbat Services
Our services are generally led by Rabbi Drorah Setel with cantorial soloist Charlene Sommers and one or more accompanists including Rabbi Sandra Katz, Bob Dietch, Phyllis Clayton, and Dave Schwartz. Our fall and winter services start at 7pm; on the last Friday of the month, we generally have a combined Shabbat service and potluck dinner that begins at 6pm.
Fri, Oct 11: Our Erev Yom Kippur service will be held at 8pm in the Cafe Lobby at the JCC. (Enter the building through the portico doors that face Edgewood Avenue; park in the Wolk parking lot). It will also be accessible via Zoom.Rabbi Drorah Setel will lead our service, Charlene Sommers will be our cantorial soloist, and Bob Dietch will be our keyboardist. For complete details, see our High Holidays page.
Fri, Oct 18: Our Sukkot Celebration and Shabbat Potluck Dinner and Service will be held at 6pm. (Enter the building through the portico doors that face Edgewood Avenue; park in the Wolk parking lot). Let’s meet in the Tech Age room, and then walk together to the sukkah in the Memorial Courtyard for blessings and prayer led by Rabbi Drorah Setel, Rabbi Sandra Katz, and Charlene Sommers. Unless it is unseasonably warm, we’ll return to the Tech Age room for our potluck dinner, and end the evening with song. Participants are asked to bring a dish to share along with an ingredient list to help those with dietary concerns. [No meat, poultry, or shellfish, please, and vegan and gluten-free options are always welcome.]
Thurs, Oct 24: Temple Emanu-El will partner with Congregation Etz Chaim, Temple B’rith Kodesh, and Temple Sinai to put on a joint Morning Simchat Torah Service, 10:30am at Temple Sinai.The service will be a traditional Reform service, allowing us to connect with other Reform Jews in our community on the date that is also the Hebrew date corresponding to Oct 7, 2023.
Fri, Oct 25: Our Simchat Torah Celebration and Shabbat Service will be held at 6pm in the Erdle Lounge. (Enter the building through the portico doors that face Edgewood Avenue; park in the Wolk parking lot). Our service and celebration will be led by Rabbi Drorah Setel, accompanied by Charlene Sommers and Bob Dietch. Join with us as we celebrate completing and restarting the annual reading of the Torah. We hope our evening will be inspirational for all ages as we get up close and personal with our precious Torah scrolls. We’ll also be welcoming Jo-Ann Hussion’s grandson, Mateo Philip Hussion, into the Jewish covenant. We’ll have dancing in the lobby and a special oneg to celebrate.
[Photo: Temple Emanu-El’s Torah ark with member Judy Greenstein. The ark was handcrafted by Julius Dorsey.]
Here’s what you need to know to join services that feature Zoom:
For most services (except our High Holiday services), when we are on Zoom, you can join by phone by calling 1-929-205-6099 and using meeting ID 859 5479 0326, or by clicking on the Zoom link that follows.
We use the Reform Movement’s Mishkan T’filah prayer book for our Shabbat services. Temple Emanu-El members may check out a copy of the prayer book from our office (585-461-2000, ext 203 or emanuelrochester@gmail.com). Kindle and print versions of the prayer book can be purchased from the CCAR Press website – there are several options, eg Shabbat only, Shabbat + Weekdays and Festivals, transliterations included, no transliterations, etc.
We also sometimes use supplemental service handouts: Supplement1, Supplement2, Supplement3, Supplement4, Supplement5, Supplement6, Supplement7, and Supplement8. (For convenience, you may want to print these out and put them in order in a binder.) The service descriptions, above, will indicate if we’ll be using supplemental handouts.
[Photo: Temple Emanu-El’s reading desk with member Gary Horwitz, who designed and handcrafted it. Photo by member Carl Wetzstein.]
See Our Full Calendar of Services, Celebrations, and Events