Celebrate Shabbat

Every week, we empty ourselves of the frantic and the mundane, the busy-ness, the stresses, and the noise, in order to make room for the peace and the sanctity of Shabbat. But truly experiencing Shabbat is not feeling empty, but rather, feeling filled—filled with warmth and beauty and a sense of being in the presence of something so much greater.” – Cantor Andrew Bernard, preeminent teacher of nusach and prayer.

Shabbat is the cornerstone of community engagement and connection at KBI. In order to fill ourselves with Shabbat, we warmly welcome the community to our services spanning the Day of Rest:

  • Kabbalat Shabbat on Fridays at 6:00pm (or around sunset when it occurs before 6pm), welcoming the arrival of Shabbat. The service concludes with Ma’ariv.
  • Shabbat Morning Services beginning Saturday at 9:00 a.m. in the main sanctuary with lay-led Birchot haShachar (prayer “warm up”) and P’sukei d’Zimrah (songs and psalms), transitioning into Shacharit (morning service), the Torah service, and Musaf. These prayers are mainly led by our Cantor, along with volunteer sh’lichei tzibbur (prayer leaders, or literally, representatives of the community). About monthly, our Shabbat morning service is enhanced by the beautiful harmonies and rich choral blend of our adult and youth choir, Kol Beit Yisrael. Click here to view our Guide to Participation in Shabbat Morning Services.
  • “Kehillateinu!” (will return in September), our monthly Junior Congregation service (for grades K-6), designed by our Cantor and led by our Youth Engagement Professional, volunteer parents and teen madrichim (guides/assistants). Kehillateinu! (which means “our congregation”) meets during COVID on the first Shabbat of the month, 10:30-11:30 am in the Chapel. It includes t’filah (prayer), Torah study through skits and discussions, social and physically-active time, games, and a snack-to-go.
  • Shabbat Minchah, and Ma’ariv take place in the Chapel and are again guided by the setting of the sun-  the times are on the main page of this website.

During our Shabbat services, there is an important and carefully-considered balance among…

  • the familiar Ashkenazi nusach (the centuries-old prayer melodies and motifs of Eastern Europe);
  • vibrant congregational singing of beloved niggunim (melodies);
  • modern and “staple” choral compositions by preeminent chazzanim in the Cantors Assembly and beyond;
  • and just a hint of cantorial artsong/style reminiscent of the Golden Age of Chazzanut.

We welcome all people to our Shabbat services, and we hope that you will be filled with the joy of Shabbat!