Friday, April 26, 6:30 pm and Saturday, April 27, 9 am
The last weekend of April will be a joyous one for two Norfolk synagogues when Temple Israel and Ohef Sholom Temple continue their annual tradition of hosting each other’s congregants throughout a Shabbat.
On Friday evening at 6:30 pm, the members of Temple Israel are invited to Ohef Sholom’s service where Rabbi Panitz of Temple Israel will deliver the sermon.
The following morning will begin with Ohef Sholom’s Torah study session, but this time held at Temple Israel and co-led by Kathryn Morton, the education and arts director of Temple Israel. The study session will start at 9 am followed by the Shabbat service at 9:30 am. Ohef Sholom’s Rabbi Rosalin Mandelberg will give the sermon, and Cantor Wally Schachet-Briskin will help lead the service.
“Our annual pulpit exchange has allowed the congregants of both synagogues to savor what our denominations have in common, while also appreciating the legitimate differences between us,” Rabbi Panitz says. “In preparing sermons for a joint gathering, I always try to select themes that allow us to do just that. For example, this year’s topic, ‘Judaisms—of the head and the heart’—highlights a variety in the styles of Jewish life and thought that cut across the denominations, showing up in all our movements, from Orthodoxy through Reform.”
Rabbi Mandelberg says, “While our Tidewater Jewish community is small in number, we are large in dedication and love for our tradition and its people. We at Ohef Sholom are blessed with a special relationship with our friends at Temple Israel. Sharing the pulpit with Rabbi Panitz each year is a treasure and enriches all of us. I look forward to this coming Shabbat and sharing our love of Judaism with each other once again.”
The Shabbat festivities will conclude with a Havdalah service for both congregations Saturday evening. For more information, call Ohef Sholom at 625-4295 or Temple Israel at 489-4550.