A Shabbat service under the stars

Rabbi Daniel Bar-Nahum and Cantor Ellen Weinberg led the congregation in song.

Susan Grieco/Herald

The outdoor service was held on the synagogue’s grounds, at 123 Merrick Ave., last Friday.

Susan Grieco/Herald

Sara Diamond, left, Dee Greenberg, Nadine Salzman, Lisa Shubin and Leslie Pallat helped light the Shabbat candles.

Susan Grieco/Herald

The Special Occasion band entertained congregants.

Susan Grieco/Herald

Edward Leeds, clockwise from bottom left, Alexa Salzman, Nadine Salzman, Tyler Shatesky and Carly Salzman enjoyed some refreshments before the outdoor service at Temple Emanu-El.

Susan Grieco/Herald

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

It was a perfect evening last Friday for “Shabbat Under the Stars,” an annual outdoor tradition at Temple Emanu-El that adds a unique flair to their weekly Shabbat services.

“We had such a beautiful evening,” said Rabbi Daniel Bar-Nahum, the synagogue’s spiritual leader since 2012. “The weather was perfect and we had a beautiful full moon.”

Congregants lined the temple grounds, on 123 Merrick Avenue, to observe the service, led by Bar-Nahum and Cantor Ellen Weinberg.

It’s the unique nature of the service, said Bar-Nahum, that makes it a special one. The scenery, he said, wasn’t too bad, either. “So much of our faith is predicated on recognizing the divine in creation,” he said. “So being able to pray in that creation is a very powerful moment.”

Another enjoyable part of the service, said Bar-Nahum, was the music provided by The Special Occasion Band, made up of Temple Emanu-El congregants Gary Adler, Jeff Brody, Ben Diamond, David Greenberg and Dan Rosner, and who were aided on Friday by the temple’s song leader, David Berkowitz.

The band, appropriately, plays at synagogue special occasions, including Mitzvah Day, fundraisers and Men’s Club events. They typically play classic rock, said Diamond, but played traditional Jewish songs for Friday’s service. “It’s a change-up,” said Diamond. “We had to do a little bit of practicing, and it’s fun.”