Led by Rabbi Emily and/or Cantor Melissa, our services offer a grounding, uplifting, and prayerful way to celebrate Shabbat.
Our services always invite active participation from our congregation, and include both traditional as well as “reconstructed” interpretations of prayer, song, and Torah. Our services for Shabbat often feature original liturgical and exegetical compositions by WES members.
Weekly Services (September - June)
Friday evenings at 6:00/6:30pm*
Saturday mornings at 10:00am
Reduced Summer 2025 Schedule (July & August)
- Shabbat morning services on first and third Saturdays at 10:00 AM
July 5 (Zoom only); July 19; August 2; August 16 - Kabbalat Shabbat services on second and fourth Fridays at 6:30 PM:
July 11; July 25; August 8; August 22 - 5th weekend of August (Labor Day Weekend) will be Zoom only
Service Descriptions: Friday Kabbalat Shabbat Services (September through June)
A warm, musical service.
First Friday Intergenerational Shabbat - First Friday of the month
- 5:30pm Tot Shabbat (Ages 0-6 with grownups)
- 6:00/6:30pm* Intergenerational Service, potluck to follow
- Song-filled, joyful service open to all, featuring our in-house band and religious school students, and particularly welcoming to children and their families.
- A dairy/parve potluck dinner follows (October-June).
Kabbalat Shabbat - Second and fourth Fridays of the month
Shabbat Shir in the Round - Third Friday of the month
- 5:30pm Tot Shabbat (Ages 0-6 with grownups)
- Musical Kabbalat Shabbat service in the round, sometimes preceded by ShabTalk events.
HaMinyan: Fifth Friday (when applicable) (ZOOM ONLY)
- Themed Shabbat conducted by lay leaders within the WES community.
Service Descriptions: Saturday Morning Shabbat Services
All in-person Saturday services are followed by a Kiddush lunch.
First Saturday of the Month
- Saturday morning service with Torah service, d’var Torah or Torah discussion, and a mixture of contemporary and traditional prayer.
Second Saturday of the Month: Traditional Shabbat
- Shabbat morning service with extended psukei dezimra, five aliyot, haftarah reading, Torah discussion or d’var Torah and more!
Third Saturday of the Month: Intergenerational Shabbat
- Saturday Shabbat with Torah service, d’var Torah or Torah discussion, and special invitations for participation from our JFLL students and their families.
Fourth and Fifth Saturdays of the Month
- Saturday morning service with Torah service, d’var Torah or Torah discussion, and a mixture of contemporary and traditional prayer.
In Person and Streaming
- Most services are available in person and on Zoom.
- Please check our website or weekly e-newsletter to confirm each week's offerings
- Rosh Chodesh and Fifth Friday HaMinyan services are Zoom only
- You may receive the Zoom link by admin [at] westendsynagogue.org (contacting our office) or by signing up for our weekly e-newsletter
Torah Study
- Every Saturday morning from 9:00 to 9:45am
- Our Rabbi or a lay leader leads a group exploration of the weekly Torah portion. We seek to discover points of resonance between our lives and the Torah narrative, and lessons that might guide us in our daily lives and inform our efforts to repair the world.
- All are welcome, and no prior knowledge is required. Torah study is always both in-person and on Zoom on the same link as services.
*6:00pm start during Standard Time; 6:30pm start during Daylight Saving Time
Daylight Saving: Sun. March 8, 2025-Sat. Nov. 1, 2025
Standard Time: Sun. Nov. 2, 2025-Sat. March 7, 2026