Reform Temple of Putnam Valley

Oneg Shabbat Hosting

Whether you are celebrating Shabbat with your Temple family or celebrating a special occasion, an oneg is celebrated with:

Y  One un-sliced challah (more than one if you are expecting additional guests)

Y  Hot and cold cups

Y  Small one ounce plastic cups for wine

Y  Plates

Y  Napkins

Y  Utensils

Y  4 table cloths (rectangular / disposable)

Y  Coffee and Tea Bags

Y  Grape Juice (only pure juice please) 

Y  Other juices and beverages

Y  Milk

Y  Sugar / Sweet and Low

Y  Cake, cookies, fruit, vegetable plate, cheese plate—to suit your taste

(NO meat products - See Kosher Policy)

Y  Wine for Kiddush (pour wine in Kiddush cups and the Rabbi’s Kiddush cup)

While flowers are not required, they look lovely on the bema as well as in your home the following week.

It is recommended that you check the temple kitchen prior to your oneg, as there may be “stock” of certain items (juice, sugar, coffee, and utensils, etc), which can be used.  Do not assume that supplies are there unless you check the week before.  When in doubt, bring what you need.

Instructions for making coffee can be found on the bulletin board behind the kitchen door.

On a regular Friday evening service, you should plan for about 40 – 50 people. The amount and variety of foods will vary, particularly if this is a special celebration and you have invited family and friends to join us.

You are also requested to set the Shabbat candles in their holders and place them in the sanctuary.  Candles are provided by the temple and can be found in the freezer. About 1” should be cut from the bottom of the candles so that the candles may burn out before we later exit the building.

Please arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the service to allow adequate time to set up. Friday evening services begin at 8:00 – Family Services are the first Friday of the month and also begin at 8:00.  Please complete preparations before beginning of the service so you may be seated promptly before the service begins.

Please meet with Rabbi Darnov prior to the start of the service to review your participation in the service and to let him know if you are celebrating a special occasion with this oneg.  As the oneg host(s), you are invited to read an introductory meditation to Shabbat candlelighting and then to light the Shabbat candles.  Before the service, you may choose an introductory English meditation to Shabbat candlelighting (pp. 5-7 in our evening paryer book), or have the rabbi suggest one.  After the introductory songs that begin our Friday evening service, the rabbi will ask you and your family to come forward and gather behind the Sabbath candles in front of the congregation.  Once your family has come forward, anyone in the family – adult or child, Jewish or Gentile – may read the introductory meditation.  Our custom is then for the entire congregation to join in singing the Hebrew blessing.  Anyone in the family may light the Sabbath candles during or after the congregation’s singing of the blessing.  Since this means that you and your family will be joining the rabbi on the bema, we request that you show appropriate respect with proper attire.

If you would like an aliyyah to the Torah for any (or no) reason, please inform the rabbi.  You might want to be called to the Torah if you are celebrating an event such as an anniversary, trip to Israel, graduation, a job promotion, recovery from surgey, or passing the bar exam.  Otherwise, Torah honors may be given to others in the congregation.

At the end of the oneg, please clean the social hall and kitchen. All garbage should be removed to the large garbage bins outside. Please take home any recyclables. A final mitzvah would be to water the plants in the sanctuary.

The key to the temple may be obtained from the temple office during the school year. Please sign this out. You are requested to return it on Friday evening and initial that you have returned it.  Please feel free to contact me if you need any assistance.

Thank you again for hosting the Oneg Shabbat!

Judyth Stavans

Oneg Chairperson

jstavans@gmail.com

914-245-0844 home

914-588-0958 cell