Kabbalat Shabbat Services

B’nai El offers a variety of Kabbalat Shabbat Services to welcome Shabbat on Friday night through the course of the month. (not all services occur every month)

Our Kabbalat Shabbat Service is a contemporary, modern service, using the new, gender neutral Gates of Prayer for Shabbat and Weekdays. It includes Rabbi Plotkin playing contemporary and classic melodies on guitar along with Bob Meinz on piano, and Dan Brodsky leading us in singing. Generally we will read Torah and have an opportunity for learning through either a sermon, discussion or and “ask the Rabbi” session.

Nashir Ladonai - Sing Unto God Musical Service is our chance to celebrate Shabbat in the spirit of song and joy. We sing our way through the service using contemporary melodies, varied instrumentations, and a creative service. Rabbi Plotkin includes a story or short D'var Torah as we celebrate Shabbat together.

The first Friday of each month at 7pm we hold an Intergenerational Service designed for individuals and families of all ages. Join Rabbi Plotkin in the main sanctuary  as we sing songs, hear a story and give children an opportunity to lead parts of the service.

Early Kabbalat Shabbat Services  - Every few months B'nai El comes together for a Kabbalat Shabbat service at 6:30pm, with our Oneg Shabbat preceeding the service (begins at 6:00 - come when you can).  This service is meant to be an opportunity to be casual.  Come as you are, from wherever you are.  By having an early service families and friends can meet at B'nai El and then continue on thier own with an evening together for a relaxing Shabbat dinner, or whatever else you may desire.  This service will always feature a story or brief D'var Torah by Rabbi Plotkin.

Shabbat Dinners 
Every other month the B’nai El community gathers for Shabbat dinner before services. Either a pot-luck or a catered dinner (alternating) is sure to satisfy your stomach and your soul.

Shabbat Morning is a special time at B'nai El. We have a number of different services that occur almost every month:

Check our Calendar to see when your favorite serive will occur

Torah Study and Service: We gather together at B’nai El for a Torah study session of the weekly portion followed by an abbreviated Shabbat Morning service in the contemporary Reform mold. The Study begins at 9:45 and the service at about 11am.

Tot Shabbat:  A fun, engaging service for chilren 2-8 years old, and the adults who bring them!  Songs and stories are just a part of what makes Tot shabbat so special at B'nai el.

Other Shabbat Morning Opportunities:  Approximately once every other month we have a chance to try something completely different for our Shabbat Morning Service.  We've done meditiation, a walking service at Forest Park, and a drumming service.  Some of these opportunites will repeat, others will be added.  Suggestions are welcome.

B'nai El Celebrates the Holidays as a Family.

Our holiday celebrations are as unique and varied as our Shabbat Celebrations.

The High Holy Days feature beautiful music led by a choir in the evenings and our Music Director, Dan Brodsky, in the Mornings.

On Rosh HaShanah, in addition to our Evening and Morning Services, we continue into the Afternoon with our Family service and Tashlich (weather permitting) at Creve Coeur Park.  The Second day of Rosh HaShanah also includes an opportunity for meditative prayer and study for those who wish to partake.

On Yom Kippur, we continue after our morning services with a unique selection of selection of services.  Our Afternoon Service is written by Rabbi Plotkin and is a journey through the covenants between God and the Jewish People.  Music and Meditation, a special performance from members of the St. louis Symphony and sponsored by the Goldberg Family, is a wonderful way to prepare for the Yizkor and Concluding services.

On Sukkot, we have as many of our services in our Sukkah as the weather permits.  Our first night service includes a chance for everyone to take up the Lulav and Etrog.  When Shabbat falls in the middle of Sukkot, the Shabbat service includes Yizkor as well.

For Simchat Torah we dance all trough and around our building as we explore the entire Torah picking up one of our five scrolls at each stop.  This day gives us the opportunity to unroll one of the scorlls entirely and welcome new students into our religious school.

Chanukah is always a great time, from the sisterhood sponsored dinner that is either on the Shabbat of Chanukah or on a shabbat close to it, to opportunities for the congregation to come together for lighting the menorah.

Purim brings our annual Purim carnival and service.  Who will the Rabbi be this year as he tells the story of brave Esther and Mordechai.

The Passover Seder at B'nai El is a highlight of the year.  The seder includes discussion, kids activities, and occasionally a magic trick or two from the Rabbi. As on Sukkot, the Shabbat service duirng Passover gives us the opportunity to say Yizkor for our loved ones.

Shavuot gives us the oppportunity to wish our oldest religious school studnets a mazal tov for a job well done along with participating in the community Tikkun (study) for the night of Shavuot, as well as the fourth opportunity each year to say Yizkor.

Our Holiday year comes to a close with Tisha B'av, a solemn service as we remember the loss of the Temple in Jerusalem and an opportunity in some years, to lay to rest books that are sacred, but no longer usable.  In 2009 on Tisha B'av we intend to lay to rest two Torah Scrolls that have served our congregation well.

We begin again each year with a program and service for Selichot preceeding Rosh HaShanah.