Neighbors in Religion: Miami Beach synagogue to offer 90-minute High Holiday services

For those Jews who look forward to the High Holiday season, but not to traditional, lengthy services, Rabbi Sam Intrator has come up with what he calls “a Rosh Hashanah Revolution.” Rosh Hashana begins sundown Sunday and ends sundown Tuesday. Yom Kippur begins sundown Sept. 22 and ends sundown Sept. 23.

This is the first year that the Carlebach Kavanah Life Minyan in Miami Beach, where Intrator has served as the spiritual leader for the past decade, will offer 90-minute High Holiday services for the “21st century Jew,” alongside traditional Orthodox High Holiday services, he said.

“The unique aspect of the 90-minute service is the participatory singing and dancing, and short commentaries interspersed with the prayers, which will explain to congregants their meaning and application in today’s modern world,” Intrator said. “The service will be followed by a brief question-and-answer session. It is not hard to see why a slow-moving service with a poetic mystical liturgy, which is not always easily understood will often not resonate to a generation whose attention span is formed by short tweets and 30-second soundbytes. Today’s 21st century generation is no longer content at simply consuming; they need to also be actively participating as well.”

According to Intrator, a study made by the Pew Research Center on the Jewish population’s synagogue attendance showed about 35 percent of U.S. Jews only attend High Holiday services. “With synagogue attendance across the country on the decline, this once-a-year ritual, which ... draws the largest synagogue crowds should be seized as a means to try to introduce people to a spiritual experience that they can relate to rather than a ‘lofty’ end of packing the sanctuary once a year.”

Intrator said that he, personally, likes the longer service. And those who attend synagogue more regularly or anyone inspired by the longer service should continue praying at the full-length service. He said the shorter service is meant to provide a meaningful option to those who wold not be attending any services at all.

“I don’t have the answers to solving the challenges of declining synagogue attendance,” Intrator said. “But I am hoping this approach to [the High Holiday] services will begin a national Jewish conversation about whether synagogues are not missing an amazing opportunity during the High Holidays to inspire a larger segment of the Jewish population.

The Carebach Kavanah Life Minyan services will be at 5005 Collins Ave. For more information, visit www.getkavanah.com or call Intrator at 786-201-1677.

Chabad services at Coral Gables Country Club

Rabbi A. Stolik of Chabad of Coral Gables will conduct free High Holiday services at the Coral Gables Country Club, 900 Alhambra Circle.

The Rosh Hashanah schedule is as follows:

▪ 7 p.m. services Sunday, welcoming the Jewish New Year, followed by a Rosh Hashanah dinner (RSVP only).

▪ 10 a.m. services Monday and Tuesday, which include the sounding of the Shofar, followed by a kiddush luncheon buffet.

For Yom Kippur:

▪ Kol Nidre and holiday opening at 7 p.m. Sept. 22. Yom Kippur services begin 10 a.m. Sept. 23, followed by Yizkor (remembering the departed) at 12:30 p.m.. At 6:30 p.m., Ne’ila closing service will be followed by a deluxe “break-fast” buffet.

For more information and to make reservations, visit www.ChabadGables.com/JWC or call Chany at 305-301-9460.

Temple Beth Tov Ahavat Shalom of Miami

Temple Beth Tov Ahavat Shalom, a traditionally Conservative synagogue which blends traditional features within the “cozy warmth” of a small American synagogue, invites the community to its High Holiday services, 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 13 and 15, and at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 22 and 23.

According to a press release from the synagogue at 6438 SW Eighth St., the prayer books and sequence of prayers are Conservative, along with the policy of mixed seating. Services are in Hebrew, with individually silent and group recitations, and individual participation with English/Spanish readings and guiding comments by Rabbi Manuel Armon. The choir is directed by Cantor Irving Resnick.

Temple Judea of Coral Gables

The theme of Temple Judea’s High Holiday services this year is “Torah.” The temple, 5500 Granada Blvd. in Coral Gables, is working toward restoring all nine of its Sifrei Torah (Torah Scrolls) over the next two years.

The Reform synagogue will have Rosh Hashanah services 8 p.m. Sunday and 10 a.m. Monday and Tuesday.

Yom Kippur Eve services will start 8 p.m. Sept. 22 and Yom Kippur services will start 10 a.m. Sept. 23.

The activities to take place during Rosh Hashanah will include the ceremonial “blowing of the Shofar during services with adults and children blowing the Shofar; congregants reading from the holy Torah, the prayer book, and eating “Good Omen” foods, such as apples and honey, so that one should be granted a good and sweet New Year, and the customary dipping of the challah bread in honey.

Spirit Sunday in Coral Gables

You are invited to Coral Gables Congregational United Church of Christ at 11 a.m. Sunday when the congregation celebrates one of its greatest traditions, Spirit Sunday.

The service will be in the sanctuary and is designed to “invite, ignite and illumine who Gables UCC is as a congregation.”

Included will be festive music, meaningful reflections, and spirit-filled fellowship as the congregation celebrates the theme, “We Are the Church Alive.”

The worship service will be followed with a potluck luncheon in the Fellowship Hall of the historic church. The community is invited to be a part of the lively, joyous celebration.

The church is at 3010 De Soto Blvd. in Coral Gables.

Universal Truth Center

The Universal Truth Center for Better Living invites the community to its annual Adventures in Faith (A.I.F.) Campaign, which started Aug. 29 with a prayer vigil, and will be held through Oct. 25 at the Center, 21310 NW 37th Ave. in Miami Gardens.

The campaign focuses on helping individuals commit to the exploration and growth of their spiritual mental/emotional, physical, relational, social, vocational, aspects as well as providing an opportunity to make a financial commitment to the church. Each week will be defined by a different color, according to a church news release.

The schedule through Sept. 30:

▪ Sunday: Color, yellow; topic, “Mental/Emotiional Unfoldment”; sermon, “Your Heart Knows.”

▪ Wednesday: Topic: “How to Use Your Heart’s Power” featuring Maia Johnson.

▪ Sept. 20: Color, red; topic: “Physical Unfoldment”; sermon: “The Heart of Health.”

▪ Sept. 23: Topic: “How to Heal Your Body with Your Heart”.

▪ Sept. 26: Topic: “Lets Get Physical.” The program will also include a 5K run/walk/bike event from 7 a.m. to noon. Participants will accept pledges of a minimum of $1 per mile. All funds raised will benefit the American Heart Association.

▪ Sept. 27: Color, pink; topic “Relational Unfoldment”; sermon: Relationships of the Heart.

▪ Sept. 30: Topic: “How to Love your partner spiritually” featuring Edgar Wright.

All activities are free and will be held at or near the church. For more information and to register for the 5K walk/run/bike event, call the church at 305-624-4991.

Christian Homes for Children

Christian Homes for Children (CHFC) invites the community to join in the 20th annual Extra Mile Walkathon from 8:30 a.m. to noon Sept. 19 at the CHFC corporate office, Sunset Church of Christ, 12001 SW 72nd St.

Participants in the walkathon will be “going the extra mile” for the less fortunate by walking hand-in-hand with the children the walk helps. If you can’t participate physically, the organizations asks you to consider supporting a walker who will walk to honor the memory of someone special. If you can’t join the walkers at the corporate office, consider joining committed walkers at a walkathon location near you.

For a list of the locations and for more information call Mary Menzies at 305-825-0517 or email Christian Homes for Children at snzm2@qol.com. You may also download the event flyer and sponsor a pledge from at www.christianhomesforchildren.com. Donations are welcome.

‘Exploring the Supernatural’

“Exploring the Supernatural: Fact or Fiction?” will be the topic of the fall sermon series jointly sponsored by South Miami Lutheran Church and St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Coral Gables, Sept. 20 through Oct. 11.

The series will be offered 9 a.m. Sundays at South Miami Lutheran, 7190 Sunset Dr., and 11 a.m. Sundays at St. Marks’, 3930 S. LeJeune Rd. in Coral Gables. Sept. 20: “Angels in our Midst?”; Sept. 27: “The Ocult: Dangerous or Deluded?”; Oct. 4,: “Demon: Superstitious Fraud or Spiritual Reality?, and Oct. 11: “Miracles: “Wishful Thinking or God’s Intervention” .

The Rev. Dr. Kevin Goodrich is the interim pastor for both South Miami Lutheran and St. Marks. Both congregations will begin the 100-day Bible Challenge on Sunday and everyone in the congregations will be encouraged to read the book, Plugging into God’s Story: A Practical Introduction to Reading and Understanding the Bible. This 100 Bible Challenge continues through Dec. 22.

On Sept. 20, the teachers of South Miami Preschool will be installed and honored at a brunch following the morning service.

The church is also inviting vendors to consider participating in its annual Community Fall Flea Market on Oct. 31.

For more information call Elaine Mills at 305-235-3036.

This story was originally published September 8, 2015 at 3:13 PM with the headline "Neighbors in Religion: Miami Beach synagogue to offer 90-minute High Holiday services."