CALLING JEWS TO COME HOME SABBATH EVENT TO WELCOME PEOPLE BACK TO FAITH.Byline: Holly Andres Staff Writer BURBANK - ``Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.'' The words of the commandment com·mand·ment n. 1. A command; an edict. 2. Bible One of the Ten Commandments. commandment Noun a divine command, esp. , found in Exodus 20:8, will be the message for Jewish congregations participating in Shabbat Across America on Friday. ``There's a mystical saying that if every Jew in the world observed two Shabbats in a row, the Messiah would come the next weekend,'' said Rabbi Mark Sobel of Temple Beth Emet Temple Beth Emet is a reform synagogue in Cooper City, Florida. It has a current active membership of approximately 700 families, with many more individuals and families attending exclusively on the High Holidays.[1] Staff of Temple Beth Emet
Coaxing unaffiliated Jews to come to a Sabbath, or Shabbat, service has been the annual goal of the National Jewish Outreach Program The National Jewish Outreach Program, known as NJOP, is a Jewish adult education and outreach organization that was founded in 1987, by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald, a leading rabbi at the Lincoln Square Synagogue New York City. since 1987. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. the 2000 Annual Survey of American Jewish Opinion, conducted by the American Jewish Committee
``Shabbat Across America is particularly well-suited for the people we're trying to reach,'' said Ira Goldstein Ira Goldstein is a fictional character, played by Steve Mellor, who appears in television and radio commercials for New Zealand bank ASB Bank. The commercials have been screened since January 2000 and are produced by TBWA\Whybin agency. , temple president. ``Our congregation is made up of intermarried families, Jews by choice and Jews who had a secular upbringing.'' Reaching out to the Jewish community and Jews reconnecting to their roots are two other aims for holding a Shabbat Across America service. Rituals, prayers and songs will be explained during the course of the evening, which will begin with a potluck Sabbath dinner at the temple. ``Shabbat is a gift to humankind. It's a day of devotion to a higher power Higher power is a term used in a 12-step program, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, to describe "a power greater than yourself." Although many participants equate their higher power with God, a belief in God or in formal religion is not mandatory; the higher power is intended as a . It's a day to stop and take stock in what's important to you,'' Goldstein said. ``It's a time to reconnect with God and your family.'' The congregation of Temple Beth Emet, an independent congregation with Reform Judaism Reform Judaism Religious movement that has modified or abandoned many traditional Jewish beliefs and practices in an effort to adapt Judaism to the modern world. It originated in Germany in 1809 and spread to the U.S. roots, is trying to attract unaffiliated or uninterested Jews to Sabbath services. ``People work all week, and they're tired when Friday comes. They would rather stay home,'' Goldstein said. ``Sometimes I don't feel like going out on Friday night. But I do, and I always find the Shabbat service to be invigorating in·vig·or·ate tr.v. in·vig·or·at·ed, in·vig·or·at·ing, in·vig·or·ates To impart vigor, strength, or vitality to; animate: "A few whiffs of the raw, strong scent of phlox invigorated her" and refreshing.'' Goldstein said many Jews don't attend Sabbath services because they remember being forced to go to services they didn't understand when they were young. Others feel intimidated about walking into an unknown congregation. ``Some people feel that synagogues are closed societies. Some congregations don't seem to welcome those who don't fit into their norm of two parents and two children. We make a point of welcoming the new faces on Friday night,'' Sobel said. The mystical side of Judaism, a subject that Reform Judaism has soft- pedaled, is an area that Sobel believes should be introduced during Sabbath services. ``We talk about angels at Temple Beth Emet. In my experience, people are yearning for the mystical,'' he said. What is the Reform Jew's obligation? ``I tell people to light the Shabbat candles and go to a Shabbat service. It's not a time to go shopping at Sears. I urge people to make one day different from the other six,'' Sobel said. ``But if you're having the family over for dinner on Friday night, that's Shabbat. If you spend time with your family over breakfast, that's Shabbat. Shabbat is when you can find out about your kids or get to know your spouse better.'' Shabbat Across America dinner and service will begin at 6 p.m. Friday. Temple Beth Emet, 600 N. Buena Vista Ave., Burbank. Call (818) 843-4787. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Ira Goldstein, left, Esther Hamilton and Rabbi Mark Sobel of Temple Beth Emet in Burbank invite Jews who haven't been attending services to participate in Shabbat Across America. Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News |
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