The Scene

Shabbat Unplugged'

New musical young-adult service will fire up Friday night.

T

SHELLI LIEBMAN DORFMAN

Staff Writer

wenty-seven-year-old Binay
Wayburn of West Bloomfield -a,
has big plans for next week-
end.
She'll be joining other young adults in
a 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10, sushi-eating,
cappuccino-drinking, live-music, video-
projecting, highly unique Shabbat serv-
ice. And she can't wait.
After attending a young adult, musi-
cal, alternative service while living in Los
Angeles, Wayburn came home to
Temple Israel and told her rabbis, "I
wish we could do that here." Rabbi Paul
Yedwab told her the idea was already
being discussed for next Friday's
"Shabbat Unplugged."
Geared toward the 20s, 30s and 40s
age groups, Rabbi Yedwab said, "We
want to give young adults a service that
will excite them and turn them on to
being here. We don't just want them to
go to services because they have a baby-
naming or a bar mitzvah. We want them
to prefer to be here, rather than at an
Arnold Schwarzenegger movie."
And Wayburn understands the feeling.
"After I had been in L.A. for just a
Warming up for "Shabbat Unplugged" are musicians Jon Gornbein, Scott Stern, David Appelman and Rabbi Paul Yedwab.
month, a friend talked me into going to
`Friday Night Live,' a young-adult serv-
ice at Sinai Temple," said Wayburn,
unplug from the cares and worries of the work week,"
scheduled to be held on the second Friday of each
chairperson of Shabbat Unplugged with Lisa Stern,
Rabbi Yedwab said. `Also, we have unplugged some of
month — Oct. 10, Nov. 14, and Dec. 12 — with the
35, of Franklin. "It was such a great feeling. There
the traditions that bog down young people in services.
hope
that
popularity
make
it
an
ongoing,
monthly
were hundreds of young adults — a lot of them single
We have a lot more singing and a lot less talking. We
service.
— and the service was amazing and fun. I really
are not going to be afraid to have fun and enjoy each
"Our Temple Israel [summer] outdoor service has
looked forward to going back the next time."
other's company while trying to make a connection
gotten
so
popular,
we
have
1,500
people
who
show
up
Not only did Wayburn return to the once-a-month
with God."
on
Friday
night
just
to
pray,"
Rabbi
Yedwab
said.
service on a regular basis, she also discovered there was
He described the service as "almost like a Reform
"Why can't we get hundreds of young people here just
a second young-adult, monthly Friday night service
version
of gospel," in its enthusiasm and participation.
to pray, too?"
near her home, held on different weeks, enabling her
The
service,
organized
by
a
60-member
committee
to attend both.
The whole feel of the service is different from any-
of young adults, will feature Temple Israel cantorial
"What was especially nice was that the services were
thing we've seen around here before," he said.
soloist
Neil
Michaels;
musical
director,
composer
and
open to everyone and you didn't have to belong to the
Even the prayer books are not traditional. "We are
pianist Scott Stern of Franklin; a choir; vocalist
synagogue to attend," she said.
going to have the words of the service beamed onto
Crystal
Wish
Webster;
and
the
Shabbat
Unplugged
"Shabbat Unplugged" will follow the same concept.
screens in front of the sanctuary," Rabbi Yedwab said,
Band, which includes Rabbi Yedwab on the guitar.
The service is sponsored by the Rosanne and Bennett
"so people can participate with a full heart."
Music will include both traditional songs and original
Fienman Family Young Adult Fund of Temple Israel
melodies composed for "Shabbat Unplugged" by
and co-sponsored by the Jewish News. Temple Israel is
Doing What Works
Stern and Rabbi Yedwab.
on Walnut Lake Road, east of Drake, in West
Planning "Shabbat Unplugged" involved some travel
Temple Israel's Rabbis Harold Loss, Joshua Bennett
Bloomfield.
by Temple Israel clergy.
and Marla Hornsten and Cantor Lori Corrsin will
"One of our members, Murray Pitt, flies into New
also
participate
with
what
Rabbi
Yedwab
calls
"inspi-
Rehearsing For The Unusual
York
sometimes just to go Congregation B'nai
rational teaching moments."
"This is going to be an I'm-gonna-have-a-good-time-
Jeshurun
services and he started us thinking," Rabbi
"Beside the obvious allusion to MTV's music con-
feel-good-when-I-leave kind of evening," Rabbi
Yedwab
said.
certs, we decided to call the service `Unplugged'
Yedwab said.
B'nai Jeshurun has standing-room-only, double-shift,
because Shabbat is when we find time to individually
Three "Shabbat Unplugged" services have been

CC

10/ 3
2003

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