Shabbat Services

Shabbat Services

Our Shabbat services reflect the unique holiness of Shabbat. Our community comes together to celebrate Shabbat with a spirit of joy and peace.  Please join us in-person or on livestream for our Shabbat morning Shacharit services.     

Shabbat Service Schedule
Kabbalat Shabbat (Friday Evening) 6:00 pm
Shacharit Service (Shabbat Morning) 9:00 am
Junior Congregation (Grades 2-6) 10:30 am
Tot Shabbat (For families with children 1st grade and younger) 11:00 am
Mincha/Ma’ariv Service (Saturday Night) Please see the calendar for times and Livestream link

This Week’s Parasha Commentaries

Here is a recommended resource for commentaries on the Torah portion for this week. Simply click on a link below:

Friday Evening

Kabbalat Shabbat
Kabbalat Shabbat services are held every Friday evening at 6:00 pm in our chapel, the Sager Beit HaMidrash.  Beautiful views of Lake Michigan provide the perfect setting to usher in Shabbat with ruach (great spirit) and community.  Several times during the year we sponsor a family-focused Friday night service such as “Jeans and Jammies,” with dinner and events for children. Several times during the year we also follow Shabbat services with a dinner, sometimes for special occasions and sometimes for the joy of sharing dinner together.

Rinat Shabbat
“Rina” is Hebrew for “joy,” and this interactive experience intends to add more joy to Friday night in the following ways: we seek to create a spiritual experience; we maximize communal singing and participation; in the summer months we feature musical instruments; our clergy share brief inspirational thoughts; and we look out onto the beautiful setting sun. Click here to see videos to learn some tunes we sing at Rinat Shabbat.

Shabbat on the Lake
On Friday nights when the weather is warmer, we often celebrate “Shabbat on the Lake” and hold services on our beautiful back lawn with stunning views of Lake Michigan. Our community gathers to enjoy Kabbalat “Shabbat on the Lake” which includes a pre-Shabbat program and services. These programs typically begin at 5:00 pm with socializing, wine, and appetizers. An amazing Kabbalat Shabbat service follows led by our clergy and includes a brief d’var Torah (word of Torah). During these special services, we offer an activity for families with younger children with an age-appropriate prayer experience following.

Field Family Sanctuary Shabbat Morning Services

Every Shabbat morning, our congregation comes together for Shabbat services. Our Saturday morning service is held in the Field Family Sanctuary where we celebrate Shabbat with prayer, music, and study. Following preliminary prayers, the complete davening (prayer) service is led by our Hazzan. Clergy and congregants read Torah (The complete portion) and chant the Haftorah. Interspersed are thought-provoking commentaries and an inspiring sermon, offered by one of our Rabbis. This service also offers our members an opportunity to share in the special occasions of their fellow congregants, including B’nai Mitzvah celebrations, Aufrufs, baby namings, and other lifecycle events

All Saturday Shabbat services begin at 9:00 am. We take special pride in our summer services (mid-June thru mid-August) which are entirely lay-led, from the davening to the d’var Torah.

Additional Shabbat Services

Tot Shabbat
This professionally-led family service is held every Shabbat morning beginning at 11:00 am for families and their children in 1st grade and younger. Join us for a morning of  stories, prayers, activities, and fun!

Junior Congregation
This staff-led service is held every Shabbat morning at 10:30 am for children in 2nd thru 6th grades. It is a wonderful opportunity for children to become knowledgeable about Shabbat and services, whether they are leading or participating in the service.

Beit Hamidrash Minyan
Several times each year, members of our community gather at 9:15 am for a parallel, lay-led traditional service in our chapel, the Sager Beit Hamidrash. These services offer a unique opportunity to daven with and learn from members of our community in a smaller more intimate setting.
If you would like to…

  • Chant your first Torah reading in a small setting
  • Present  a d’var Torah
  • Chant the Haftarah again from your b’nai mitzvah
  • Lead a service… then give the Beit Midrash a try. We warmly welcome all congregants!

Summer Services
Our summer services highlight our lay community’s talents and enthusiasm: volunteers lead every part of the davening and share a Dvar Torah. See weekly Thursday emails for service leaders. 

 

Shabbat Afternoon/Havdalah

Each Shabbat afternoon (times vary so please check our calendar), we gather for Mincha, Se’udah Shlishit (the traditional third meal of Shabbat), zemirot (traditional Shabbat singing), a brief study session and Havdalah – a most beautiful time at Beth El.

We invite you to experience Shabbat at Beth El and make a connection with our warm community.

Personal Prayers

Shabbat services provide moments for personal prayers whether for healing, following an illness or a dangerous journey, in memory of a loved one or in celebration of  life’s special moments.

Mi Shebeirach (Prayers for Healing)
Praying for those in need of healing (mi shebeirach) is a part of every service when the Torah is read. It is our custom to pause during this prayer to allow members to recite names privately. Our makri (leader of the Torah reading service) has a list of names, maintained by our Ritual Director, that is read aloud on Shabbat, Festival and High Holy Day morning services. It is read privately by the makri on weekday mornings and Shabbat afternoons. Should you wish to have a name added to the Synagogue list, contact our Ritual Director, Jenna Greenberg, at jgreenberg@nssbethel.org or (847) 432-8900 x223.

Memorial Prayers
When the Torah is read on weekday mornings and on Shabbat afternoons, individuals observing Yahrzeit have the opportunity to have memorial prayers for the deceased (E-l Malei Rachamim) recited by the makri. If you are observing Yahrzeit and wish to have an Aliyah (being called up to the Torah), try to arrive early to services and let one of our clergy know, and we will do our best to accommodate you.

Prayers Following Illness and Dangerous Journeys
Birkat ha-gomel may be recited by any individual who receives an Aliyah to the Torah. It is traditionally recited by those who have recently recovered from a serious illness or surgery, who have survived a car accident or an other similar life-threatening event, or those who have returned from a dangerous journey (i.e. overseas travel). The blessing thanks G-d for rewarding us with goodness; the congregation then responds “May G-d who rewarded you with goodness reward you with all goodness forever.”

Prayers Celebrating Life’s Special Moments
At Beth El we invite you to let us know if you are celebrating a birthday or wedding anniversary. If possible, we will honor you with an Aliyah to the Torah so you may be acknowledged by the Rabbis and recite Shehecheyanu, the traditional blessing of thanksgiving for reaching this special moment in your life.