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Shabbat Services

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Song of the day!

Shabbat services at Congregation Shema Yisrael are held every Saturday from 11 a.m. to about 4 p.m. at our worship location in Meridian, Idaho.

Ministry

We ask that anyone who attends our services please donate at least one can of food or other appropriate item for our efforts to feed the hungry in the Treasure Valley. All offerings are donated to the Idaho Foodbank. Please see our ministry page for more details.

Liturgy

Our services begin with traditional Sephardic liturgy and songs starting with the blessing of putting on the tallit and Mah Tovu. We continue with prayers and songs of praise and worship and continue to the core of our worship; The Shema and Amidah prayers.

Oneg

At the end of the Amidah, the congregation breaks for Oneg ("delight") which is a communical potluck meal. Visit the Shabbat Etiquette page for details about what foods are appropriate to bring for Oneg.

The Torah Service

At the conclusion of Oneg, we gather together for a full Torah service where people are called up to read portions from the Torah, Prophets, Psalms, and Apostolic Scriptures. The specific readings from the Bible are posted on the weekly readings page.

Children's Class

After the Torah readings, the children are dismissed to their class, while the adults continue with the remainer of the readings and then proceed to the adult teaching. The children's class teaches Torah principles at a level more accessible to young people and can include preparation for a Bar or Bat Mitzvah for those approaching the proper age.

The Adult Teaching

One of the members of our leadership presents the lesson based on the Torah portion at this time. Anyone attending is free to enter into the discussion. While opinions may sometimes differ, we encourage everyone to recognize that not sharing the same point of view is no basis for conflict or hurt feelings. Often discussing different perspectives is an excellent way to teach and to learn.

After the Service

After the teachings, it is time for everyone to participate in their own personal or family rest time. We end our congregational meeting around 4 to 5 p.m. although the conversation and teaching occasionally extends beyond this time. Once we leave each other's company, it's not uncommon to go home and take a nap and continue to enjoy our day of rest and contentment, granted us by the L-rd of the Shabbat; Messiah Yeshua.

To find out more about our services and where they are held, go to the Contact Us page. We can be reached by phone, email, or postal mail. The Shabbat Etiquitte page contains more helpful information about worshiping on this set apart day.

Shalom.