New Thing 42, New Thing Every Day: Attend a Jewish Service

Me, with the students, with the Torah on the table.

My stepfather and his side of the family are Jewish, so you would think I would have been to a Saturday service by now, but it just hasn't happened. (In all fairness to me, he has only been my stepfather for four years or so.)

When my friend Greg Soden heard I wanted to do this, he made me a great offer. He is a Battle High School teacher and has a world cultures class that takes a group to a Jewish service each year (optional), and he offered to let me tag along, which I did. Thanks, Greg!

Here are my 10+ things about the experience.
1.    My little Saturday adventure took me to Congregation Beth Shalom on Green Meadows. They are extremely welcoming to guests of any faith.
2.    They told me that a yamaka is not required, but wearing one is a sign of respect, so I wore one that was midnight blue.
3.    Another guy had an MU Tigers yamaka.
4.    The service did not start promptly, which was a little weird for this small town protestant.
5.    Also, a little odd for me was that the dress was very casual. I realize that pretty much all church-type places have gone this way, but it still feels not quite right to me. I am a fuddy-duddy.
6.    Prayers are sung in Jewish services. Very cool.
7.    Religious texts are read right to left.
8.    They had a US flag on the left and an Israel flag on the right.
9.    Don't put your prayer book or Torah on the floor. Seriously.
10.  Their prayer books have both English and Hebrew.
11.  This weekend is Sukkot, a Jewish holiday, "New Year of the Trees". After the service, we celebrated with sanctified bread and fruit.
12.  The Rabbi was from Israel and could be hard for me to understand.
13.  He used a tambourine during the service (kind of for emphasis, not ala Bob Dylan).
14.  There were 32 attendees, plus the rabbi. Seven were from our group.
15.  The second part of the service included reading from an actual, giant, scrolled Torah. This part of the program started with someone carrying the Torah around the room. Everyone touched their individual Torah to it and then kissed theirs.
16.  There was a religious Q&A where members of the congregation raised issues and asked things of the rabbi. That was my favorite part.