Celebrating Year Round

Fall

Sukkot Service and Bereshit Beginning Consecration Ceremony  

On Erev Sukkot, we honor all of our Religious School students and their teachers. New students receive a personal Torah and, in accordance with tradition, a taste
of honey to symbolize the sweetness of Torah studies.

Before Sukkot, we invite everyone to pitch in at our sukkah-raising event in the temple courtyard. We have a beautiful, easy-to-assemble sukkah, custom designed just for us. Help set it up, and share apple cider and other fall treats afterward.

Simchat Torah Service

Our festive Erev Simchat Torah service features music, singing, and dancing. We even unroll an entire Torah scroll so that our Rabbi can show us the events of the year ahead.   

Winter

Chanukah Dinner   

Another popular community gathering, our annual Chanukah dinner, brings everyone together for a festive evening. We sit; we schmooze; we eat; everyone goes home happy. Bring your menorah as we join in lighting candles as a congregation.

Spring

Purim:  Megillah Reading

Purim is a big deal at Temple Emeth! Everyone dresses up in costumes, including our clergy. There’s a different theme every year so we can bless Mordecai and curse Haman in style. Afterward, hamentaschen and refreshments for everybody!

Want more Purim fun? On the Sunday morning closest to Purim, our Temple Emeth religious school hosts a big Purim carnival that’s open to all.                                                                                  

Passover Seder

Members and their guests are invited to our second night Passover Seder, always a popular event with the Temple Emeth community. Join us as we retell the story of our exodus from slavery in Egypt more than 3,000 years ago. Kids of all ages are invited to search for the afikomen!

June 1, 2025 Shavuot Service 

Temple Emeth will celebrate Erev Shavuot, the festival that marks the receiving of the Torah, on Sunday, June 1 beginning at 7:00 pm. The festivities will begin with the candle lighting and Kiddush blessings to begin the holiday. Then, in keeping with the tradition to eat dairy foods on the holiday, all in attendance will have the chance to get a treat from an ice cream truck in our parking lot.

Our observance continues in the Social Hall with a screening of two short films on the theme Receiving Tradition, Bending Tradition. First, we will watch No Harm Done, directed by Sarah Stern. A week after giving birth, Mila faces her son’s circumcision, a tradition she never questioned but now finds herself uncertain about. Our second film will be Happy BirthGay, directed by Niv Manzur. Ronit plans an extravagant surprise party for her son Nadav to celebrate the one-year anniversary of his coming out, but her efforts are met with resistance as Nadav grapples with his own internal struggles. A brief discussion will follow each film.

Our Shavuot Morning Service with Yizkor will be held on Monday, June 2 at 10:30 a.m.

Summer

Summer Services

In summertime, Temple Emeth joins with other area synagogues to host outdoor services for selected Shabbats. The wonders of nature merge with the timeless words of our people to create uniquely moving worship experiences. 

Special thanks to Barbara Balkin for photographing our temple life!