Temple Review

Temple First
Last Friday, when our rabbi was away, we went to the first synagogue that I ever set foot in, over two years ago. We had gone to this one twice, and on the third attempt as we again panicked and tried to rush through horrible commuter traffic, we had to admit defeat and look again for somewhere closer to us, which ended up being Temple Tikvah, our current home. We hadn't been back since, and I was feeling nostalgic and wanted to recreate that first experience.

Synagogue
The building is small and modest with a huge floor-to-ceiling (ground-to-roof?) glass wall at the front. It exposes everything inside, and from the outside I didn't like it. It wasn't aesthetically appealing. Also the parking lot was very small. When we went in, we were at the top and needed to take a very open and visible staircase down to the sanctuary. I remember hating this aspect when we first went here two years ago because I felt so awkwardly exposed. It's like you're presenting yourself at a ball! Everyone is milling around at the bottom (not so many people that you'd escape notice) and here you come gliding down the staircase, and with that huge glass wall. It didn't bother me so much this time just because I was more comfortable in my own skin.

The service was held outside the sanctuary, much like ours in the summer. This meant we had to go peek into the sanctuary afterward for me to fully indulge my nostalgia. It is a simple, generic sanctuary that feels cozy, and I liked the folk-art ark doors.The area the service was held in was more conducive for it than our temple's summer area, which is in a huge open auditorium. This area was smaller and cozy, with the glass wall providing a view into a mini-garden and with the top opening up to a wrap-around balcony hallway from the classrooms.

Congregants
The congregation was awesome. Entirely middle-aged and senior, but warm, relatable, chatty, playful, kind, welcoming, funny, and savvy. It was a modest, down-to-earth bunch who greeted us with sincere joy and welcome, and it was a pleasure to see their banter and the clear bond they all have. And it wasn't an exclusive bond. It felt like you could easily become a part of the group, and that you would be welcomed with open arms. This is the most comfortable I've felt in any new congregation we've encountered, including our own, which took a little more than one single Shabbat service for us to be noticed and approached and included. There were certain individuals who knew we were coming who made sure to reach out to us, introduce us to a few people, and help us feel comfortable, but I can't say that many random congregants did the same. It helps me realize the importance of that, and that I myself need to overcome my shyness to welcome new people in our midst. That feeling is what brings someone back a second time.

Rabbi
Well, I knew she would be great because I had experienced her before! She was the first rabbi I had ever met, and I remember her as being similar to my rabbi and to my Intro class rabbi in their level of warmth and in-touch spirituality. You can tell they really feel everything they're doing, during a service or anything else, and that love of God and Judaism is infectious. That's something that I really connect with in a rabbi, and I haven't found it elsewhere yet (not that I've been to all that many places yet). It's not just a given. Many clergy are a lot more restrained. I remember being impacted by this rabbi's D'Var Torah, but this night, she didn't give one! She said that she had an article that really disturbed her that she'd like to discuss at the oneg with anyone who was willing. I thought maybe it was too disturbing to read there so she was finding a way to make it optional, but it wasn't disturbing in that sense, so I'm not sure what that was about. It's very strange to go through an entire Shabbat service without a D'Var Torah, and in fact it didn't really feel like the service was being led as much as just facilitated. I was disappointed by this because I know she is smart and that I liked her and I wanted the opportunity to be moved and impacted by her. That's one of the joys of having a rabbi.

I did like the idea of an interactive conversation around an article, though. It was dynamic and interesting and the people involved really got into it. I don't think it's feasible to do that every week, because the rabbi doesn't get to circulate and socialize at the oneg if she has to lead a discussion in the corner, but it's certainly nice to have once in a while. I really enjoyed the discussion.

Music
This congregation does not have a cantor, so various congregants take turns leading the music. While the music wasn't great because of this, there is something very touching in the members' willingness to fill that role, and to support one another in it to enhance their Shabbat experience. It's a beautiful example of community and social responsibility. But in the end, I really missed having our cantor's gorgeous voice and a strong vocal leader for the music. This particular guest-cantor sang very softly while playing the guitar. He seemed much more comfortable leading the music by playing guitar, and lot less secure in his voice. The congregation has some very secure, loud singers (and some beautiful ones, too!) so they happily took charge of that, and it wasn't necessary for him to be any louder than he was comfortable with. Again, that was a beautiful experience, even if I prefer having a strong cantor. Not having a cantor DOES rush the service, though, because the music is pretty straightforward and there is no soft lingering on certain parts that I'm accustomed to. They also sang and chanted things that, to my understanding, are supposed to be standard across the board (as opposed to much of our music which has many variations), and they were doing them pretty differently. It made it hard to follow along, and also just didn't feel right.

Consensus
Not having a cantor was a pretty big strike. Even though it's not uncommon, I have just gotten used to that luxury and am not sure I would want to do without it. But if this temple were closer to home AND (a big, big and) I had never encountered Temple Tikvah, I could easily see myself making this temple my home. It has everything else I would want, at least within this Shabbat service experience. The people and the rabbi are warm, loving, welcoming, and solid, and after my other recent experiences, that is not something I take for granted.