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Worship & Celebration

“What is service of the heart?
This is prayer.”
—Talmud

Shabbat Services

At Shir Hadash we have a variety of services, each with its own style. Shabbat services are held every Friday evening and Saturday morning. For service times, please check our online schedule of services, our monthly newsletter, The Notes, or call the office for services recording at (408) 358-1751 x6. Once a month, our Friday evening service is enhanced by the music of our Adult Choir. We are a community that values worship and treasures the meaning that community prayer brings to our lives. Friday evening services often include community celebration of life cycle events such as baby namings, aufrufs and anniversaries. Services include:

• Early Kabbalat Shabbat services the first Friday of each month. This short, musical service starts at 7:00 pm.
• Adult-oriented services on the third, fourth and occasionally fifth Fridays of the month at 8:00 pm. Typically the choir joins us the third week of the month. The Torah is read on the fourth Friday night as well as every Saturday morning.
• Family Services are usually the second Friday of each month from 7:15 - 8:15 pm. A story and birthday blessings are part of each service.
• Tot Shabbat is an opportunity for families with very young children to celebrate Shabbat with upbeat songs, simple prayers, engaging stories and taking out the Torah. These brief services take place at 10:30 am on Saturday mornings usually once a month.
• Saturday Morning Shabbat services are held on Saturdays at 10:30 am. You can choose whether to be part of the congregation for one of our many B’nai mitzvah services in the sanctuary or, between Simchat Torah and Shavuot, join “Shir Shabbat,” an informal lay-led service in the Shir Hadash Library. Torah is read at both services.

Children are welcome at all our services, but babysitting is also available. We hope that children will remain in the service for as long as they are participating, but want them to have a place to go when adult interests and children’s interest diverge.

High Holy Days

To accommodate our congregation and interested community members, Congregation Shir Hadash holds High Holy Day Services at Sacred Heart Church in Saratoga. We offer tickets at no charge to member families. Community tickets are available for a small fee, applicable toward dues if membership takes place within three months. We also exchange tickets at no charge for members of other Reform Congregations.

Childcare is available for a fee by child by reservation for all High Holy Day services at Sacred Heart.

A parallel program for students in grades K through 6 is offered at Shir Hadash on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur mornings. A family service, especially for families with children 3-8 years of age, is held on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur afternoons at Sacred Heart.

Please visit our High Holy Days page for more information about upcoming High Holy Days services.

Other Holiday Celebrations

Shir Hadash marks other events by special celebrations. For example, Tashlich, on the Sabbath between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, we gather at Vasona Park for the symbolic casting away of one’s sins. During Sukkot, congregants are invited to share dinner in the Sukkah with different guests each night. At Chanukah, each family brings a menorah and lights candles together, brightening this dark time of year. We celebrate Purim with a Purim shpiel and a family carnival. Information regarding Holiday Celebrations can be found on this website, in our monthly newsletter, The Notes, and in monthly flyers.

Life Cycle Celebrations

Families are encouraged to mark their personal milestones with the congregation, such as baby namings, bar and bat mitzvah, leaving for college, special anniversaries, retirement, 60 and 80th birthdays. Shivah minyans are arranged through the senior rabbi and sheloshim for the 30 days following shivah is available on request.