Unfamiliar melodies, unannounced bowing and all that Hebrew. Stepping into a Friday night Shabbat service can be intimidating for a newcomer.
“Meet Us at Shul” aims to ease that awkwardness by employing the buddy system. Created by Interfaith Family, the program invites anyone who wants to try a Shabbat service to visit different Bay Area synagogues as a group.
“We’re just trying to make people feel more welcome in synagogue,” said Marilyn Wacks, Bay Area program director for Interfaith Family.
The program’s first visit will be to Congregation Emanu-El in San Francisco on March 13 at 8 p.m. An interfaith group of Emanu-El members will welcome the Interfaith Family visitors.
Every two months, Meet Us at Shul will visit a different synagogue on Shabbat. For information, visit www.bit.ly/meet-shul or contact Wacks at [email protected] or (415) 878-1998.