Services

Services

Our services are held at Oaks Lane, Newbury Park.

Erev Shabbat: Friday evening – all year round at 8.30 p.m. followed by Kiddush.

Shabbat morning service: Every Saturday at 10.30 a.m. followed by Kiddush.

Kol Ha Mishpachot (Voice of the Family) services are usually held every 6 weeks. Please contact the Shul office to find out the date of the next Family Shabbat morning service, suitable for all ages, with light lunch to follow.

Services are also held on festivals. For details of times, please contact the synagogue office (0208 599 0936).

You do not have to be a member of SWESRS to attend any of our services: visitors are always warmly welcomed and invited to share our Kiddush.

If you have never been to a Reform synagogue, you may find some aspects of the Service different although most will be reassuringly familiar. Some of these are:

  • There is no reserved seating and no segregation of the sexes. Families sit and pray together. Women play an equal part in the services, as they do in all areas of community life.
  • Services are conducted in Hebrew (using the Sephardi pronunciation, as in Israel) and in English.
  • Our Services begin later and tend to be shorter than in traditional synagogues. The congregation is encouraged to arrive on time and the style of the Service promotes full participation while the dignified and decorous atmosphere creates a rewarding experience for all.
  • Services are led by the Rabbi, with the assistance of lay readers who are members of the community.  They generally follow the Movement for Reform Judaism Siddur and Machzor, with occasional variations.
  • A large mixed choir with organ accompaniment leads the congregation with sung parts of Shabbat, Festival and High Holyday services

Special services include:

  • Monthly Children’s service (first Shabbat of the month)
  • Jazz Friday evening service – ask for details
  • Neshamah @ SWESRS – a contemplative prayer service

Baby Blessing

This ceremony, which is part of our Shabbat service, enables both parents to thank God for the safe delivery of their child and enables grandparents, relatives and friends to share this precious moment with members of our congregation.

Upcoming events