| Beit Warszawa Synagogue in Warsaw Beit Warszawa |
|
|---|---|
| Basic information | |
| Location | Warsaw, Poland |
| Affiliation | Reform Judaism |
| District | Wilanów |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | active synagogue |
| Leadership | rabbi Burt Schuman |
| Website | www.beit.org.pl |
| Architectural description | |
| Architectural style | Modernism |
| Completed | 2003 |
| Specifications | |
Beit Warszawa is a liberal Jewish congregation formed in 1999. It has regular meetings in Warsaw, including Friday night and Saturday morning prayers amongst other events. Beit Warszawa is a member of Beit Polska, polish organization for the reform judaism.
Beit Warszawa was founded by Seweryn Ashkenazy in 1999 when he asked a group of friends if they would like to form a reform synagogue. Previously, the only choice had been the orthodox Nożyk Synagogue[1] in the centre of Warsaw. Initially, meetings were held once a month in the house of one of the congregation. However, as time passed and the community grew, meetings started to be held every Friday night and then increasingly events were held during the week as well. It moved from a rented flat into dedicated premises in ul. Wiertnicza in Warsaw in 2003.
Beit Warszawa has an attendance of around sixty to eighty people on most Friday nights. Attendance on Saturday mornings is much lower. On important occasions such as Passover or Rosh Ha Shana attendance is much higher. There are regular courses in Hebrew and Judaism as well as cultural events such as films. The people who belong to this synagogue are especially people of Jewish descent, who were raised as Catholics and did not know, that they are Jewish, and American Jews with polish roots. There are also some converts without Jewish roots and Israeli families.
OUR RABBI:
Rabbi/Cantor Brian Reich Rabbi Reich comes from the West Coast of the United States, the San Francisco Bay Area. He Served the Reform Congregation Beth El in Berkeley for 20 years as Cantor and Program Director and Congregation Bet Haverim in Davis California where he was the Assistant Rabbi and Cantor. Brian received his rabbinic degree in 2005 and his Cantor/Minister degree from the Jewish Theological Seminary and the Cantors Assembly in 1993. His Father, Cantor Israel Reich was a famous Cantor and Teacher of Cantors in the United States and his Grandfather, Great Grand Father and Great Great Grandfather we all Cantors here in Poland. Rabbi Reich has a Bachelors degree in Business Administration from the San Francisco State University and an Associate Arts degree from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. A few of his publications include the “REICH FAMILY CANTORS 4”, “TA-AMIM FOR TEENS”, “BLESSINGS AND MEDITATIONS FOR THE HOME”, and his newest C.D. released this year, “YISMECHU-REJOICE”.
OUR WEEKLY SERVICES:
Friday:
7 p.m.: Schabbat service led by Rabbi Brian Reich, dinner afterwards
Saturday:
10:30 a.m. Shabbat Minyan led by Rabbi Brian Reich
12:00 p.m. Torah Study
1:30 p.m. Lunch&learn
OUR PROGRAMS:
SHATZ. A two-year training program for lay cantors in Jewish reform liturgy The program is training lay cantors. It is one of a few such programs in Europe, and also the only one in Poland. Objective of the course is training of certified lay leaders of the Progressive Jewish Community of Poland, who would be capable of leading services on their own, according to the reform tradition, both in Warsaw and in communities throughout Poland.
Judaism Step by Step- Conversion program. Judaism Step by Step is a nine-month course offering a thorough introduction to: • the Jewish life cycle, • holiday cycle, • Jewish worship, • Jewish law, • rabbinic literature, • history, • Israel and Zionism, • contemporary issues affecting the Jewish community.
Sunday school Beit Sefer Alef The aim of Sunday School is to get children acquainted with basics of Judaism and Jewish traditions in a welcoming and freindly environment, to teach about different cultures and to help the pupils gain appreciation for music and art. Beit Sefer Alef, Sunday school for children 4 to 13 years old, offers games, workshops and activities that include:
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