Community
Cover Story/Spirituality
Music, dancing
and informality
invigorate the
Shabbat synagogue
experience.
Rabbi Daniel
Nevins plays the
drums at a
Shabbat Rocks
service at Adat
Shalom Synagogue.
RONELLE GRIER
T
Richard Sweet of Oak Park places the Shabbat
candles near the outdoor tree ark at
Congregation Shir Tikvah.
Y
7/13
2001
52
he basket of tie-dyed yarmulkes at
the entrance to the sanctuary is one
of the first clues that this is not
your typical Friday night service.
And if the colorful kippot don t convince
you, the singing of "Lecha Dodi" will —
accompanied by guitar, drums, clapping and,
oh yes, a lively dance procession through the
aisles, led by a tambourine-tapping Rabbi
Arnie Sleutelberg.
This "cutting-edge" service is part of a
movement among synagogues throughout the
country to become more responsive to their
congregants. Regardless of denomination,
spiritual leaders agree that people want a
more personal connection to their synagogues
than in the past.
A greater sense of community, participa-
tion and belonging are at the heart of this
Sta ff pho to by K
Special to the Jewish News
'
Cantor Lori
Corrsin and
her daughtev;
Alexandra,
9, at a
Shabbat
picnic at
Temple
Israel.