Prayer & Jewish Life - Shabbat | Temple Sinai of Oakland, CA

This committee, led by Rabbi Mates- Muchin, Dan Fendel, and Valerie Sopher, plus 19 interested congregants, was formed in response to Rabbi Eric Yoffie’s challenge at the December 2007 URJ Biennial. He asked the Reform movement to examine how we can make Shabbat morning worship a more vital part of our congregational life and how we can make the broad notion of Shabbat, as a day of rest and revitalization, more meaningful in our lives.

For over a year, the Committee studied together, attended Shabbat morning services both at our own congregation and at other local synagogues, and celebrated Shabbat from its start on Friday night to its close with havdalah on Saturday evening, in order to appreciate and understand the meaning of the day. To learn about our findings, please click on the following links:

The main report addresses the issue of Shabbat morning worship.
The chavurah report addresses other aspects of Shabbat observance.

Please contact Dan Fendel if you are interested in learning more.