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Spiritual Life at Temple Emanuel, Roanoke

At Temple Emanuel we strive to meet the diverse needs of all our congregants. Each month we have family services for families with elementary age school children. Tot Shabbat for preschoolers and their families also occurs monthly. Our Friday evening services vary in their orientation. We use the Reform movements prayer books - both the Gates of Prayer and the new gender sensitive prayer book. On occasion, we use the old Union prayer book to celebrate the heritage of our movement. Our services are a mixture of Hebrew and English and a mixture of traditional and new melodies. Creative services are also a part of our yearly worship experience. 

Each month we are pleased to have our prayer experience enhanced by our wonderful volunteer choir, the Chailites. They never fail to bring a sense of new enthusiasm and excitement to our services. A soloist sings during services when our choir is not present.

During the family service each month, we celebrate children's birthdays and recognize children who have performed special mitzvot. Birthday children receive a small present from the Temple during the family service on the month of their birthdays, and children who are nominated by their parents receive recognition in a mitzvah book.

During the last Friday night service of each month, we celebrate the significant anniversaries of our congregants. Couples are invited to the bimah to receive a blessing and to participate in the service.

As a Reform congregation, we accept the premise that there are a variety of appropriate expressions of Jewish belief in God. We strive to create a prayer setting that allows each person to relate to God in a manner which is most natural and fulfilling to the individual.


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