A message from Rabbi adam Berman
Dear B'nai Jacob community,
This coming Saturday is a double kickoff. Not only is it Week 1 of the college football season, it is also the kickoff of the High Holiday season.
On this coming Shabbat, September 5th, you are invited to come to morning services with college color and pride. That night, we will gather at 8:30pm for havdallah (the candlelit service ending Shabbat) and slichot (a special service of penitential prayers).
The slichot service is a bit strange. We typically do not hold services in the middle of the night. (While we will meet at 8:30pm, the traditional time to hold this service would be at 1:25am.) What is this service all about, and why do we do it?
The slichot service has its roots in the Torah itself, when Moses repeatedly intercedes with God on behalf of the Israelites, most famously after the incident of the Golden Calf. According to the Talmud, God responds by teaching Moses a specific formula, the Thirteen Attributes of the Divine, God's own qualities of compassion, grace, and kindness, promising that whenever the people recite this sequence, they will be forgiven. This is the liturgical heart of slichot: we reenact that ancient moment, invoking these same attributes as we seek forgiveness.
But this is not a magic formula. As the sixteenth-century kabbalist Rabbi Moshe Cordovero taught, reciting God's attributes is meant to inspire us to embody them ourselves, to become more compassionate and forgiving in our own lives. Slichot does not erase our responsibilities with a few well-chosen words; it invites us to become the kind of people who extend to others the same mercy we ask of God.
Sephardic Jewry began reciting slichot prayers a few weeks ago, at the beginning of the month of Elul. This is what the first night of Sephardic slichot looked like at the Western Wall in Jerusalem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cK6HNIYKCrY
Please see next tab for the full High Holiday schedule.
L'Shalom,
Rabbi Adam Berman
This coming Saturday is a double kickoff. Not only is it Week 1 of the college football season, it is also the kickoff of the High Holiday season.
On this coming Shabbat, September 5th, you are invited to come to morning services with college color and pride. That night, we will gather at 8:30pm for havdallah (the candlelit service ending Shabbat) and slichot (a special service of penitential prayers).
The slichot service is a bit strange. We typically do not hold services in the middle of the night. (While we will meet at 8:30pm, the traditional time to hold this service would be at 1:25am.) What is this service all about, and why do we do it?
The slichot service has its roots in the Torah itself, when Moses repeatedly intercedes with God on behalf of the Israelites, most famously after the incident of the Golden Calf. According to the Talmud, God responds by teaching Moses a specific formula, the Thirteen Attributes of the Divine, God's own qualities of compassion, grace, and kindness, promising that whenever the people recite this sequence, they will be forgiven. This is the liturgical heart of slichot: we reenact that ancient moment, invoking these same attributes as we seek forgiveness.
But this is not a magic formula. As the sixteenth-century kabbalist Rabbi Moshe Cordovero taught, reciting God's attributes is meant to inspire us to embody them ourselves, to become more compassionate and forgiving in our own lives. Slichot does not erase our responsibilities with a few well-chosen words; it invites us to become the kind of people who extend to others the same mercy we ask of God.
Sephardic Jewry began reciting slichot prayers a few weeks ago, at the beginning of the month of Elul. This is what the first night of Sephardic slichot looked like at the Western Wall in Jerusalem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cK6HNIYKCrY
Please see next tab for the full High Holiday schedule.
L'Shalom,
Rabbi Adam Berman
our services schedule for august 30 - September 6, 2026
EVENING SERVICES
Monday - Thursday
5:45 PM - Evening Services
MORNING MINYAN
Wednesday morning
Breakfast to follow
7:30 AM - Morning Minyan
SHABBAT
Friday
5:45 PM - Friday Evening Service
Saturday
10:00 AM - YouTube livestream
8:30 PM - Saturday Evening (Havdallah and Slichot)
YouTube livestream
Candle Lighting and Torah Readings
Shabbat candle lighting time for
September 4th, 2026 / 23rd of Elul, 5786 - 7:33 PM
Torah portion: Nitzavim-Vayeilech Deuteronomy 29:9-31:30
Triennial reading: Deuteronomy 29:9-30:14
Shabbat concludes with the emergence of three stars at 8:31 PM
Monday - Thursday
5:45 PM - Evening Services
MORNING MINYAN
Wednesday morning
Breakfast to follow
7:30 AM - Morning Minyan
SHABBAT
Friday
5:45 PM - Friday Evening Service
Saturday
10:00 AM - YouTube livestream
8:30 PM - Saturday Evening (Havdallah and Slichot)
YouTube livestream
Candle Lighting and Torah Readings
Shabbat candle lighting time for
September 4th, 2026 / 23rd of Elul, 5786 - 7:33 PM
Torah portion: Nitzavim-Vayeilech Deuteronomy 29:9-31:30
Triennial reading: Deuteronomy 29:9-30:14
Shabbat concludes with the emergence of three stars at 8:31 PM
5787 HIGH HOLIDAY SCHEDULE
We look forward to gathering throughout the holiday season for services at the following times. Festival services will be livestreamed on our YouTube channel.
Only the holidays are reflected below; Shabbat and weekday services will be held at their regular times in between holidays and during the intermediate festival days.
Selichot:
Saturday, September 5
8:30pm, Havdallah and Slichot services
Rosh Hashanah:
Friday, September 11
5:30pm, 9/11 remembrance and evening services
Saturday, September 12
9:00am, Day 1 morning services
5:45pm, afternoon/evening services
Sunday, September 13
9:00am, Day 2 morning services including sounding of the shofar
10:00am, Junior Congregation
5:15pm, Tashlich
5:45pm, afternoon services
Yom Kippur:
Sunday, September 20
6:45pm, Kol Nidre
7:00pm, Jr. Congregation
Monday, September 21
9:00am, morning services including Yizkor
5:45pm, afternoon services
7:15pm, Neilah (approximate)
8:05pm, fast ends
Sukkot/Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah:
Friday, September 25
5:45pm, Shabbat and Sukkot evening services
Saturday, September 26
10:00am, morning services for Shabbat and First Day of Sukkot
5:45pm, afternoon service for Shabbat and Sukkot, evening services for Sukkot
Sunday, September 27
10:00am, morning services for Second Day of Sukkot including the lulav and etrog
Friday, October 2
7:30am, morning services for Hoshana Rabbah
5:45pm, Shabbat and Shemini Atzeret evening services
Saturday, October 3
10:00am, morning services for Shabbat and Shemini Atzeret,
including Yizkor 5:45pm, afternoon service for Shabbat and Shemini Atzeret, evening services for Simchat Torah
Sunday, October 4
10:00am, morning services for Simchat Torah
5787 HIGH HOLIDAY President's letter
As we approach the High Holidays, you should expect to receive the following letter from B'nai Jacob's president, Michael Victorson. Click here for a printable pdf version
5787 HIGH HOLIDAY - FLORAL FUND
Consider supporting our Floral Fund to help keep our sanctuary and celebrations bright throughout the year.
Checks can be made out to B’nai Jacob Ladies' Auxiliary with “Floral Fund” on the memo line.
Every contribution helps us mark special occasions and sacred moments with beauty. Thank you in advance for your generosity!
Checks can be made out to B’nai Jacob Ladies' Auxiliary with “Floral Fund” on the memo line.
Every contribution helps us mark special occasions and sacred moments with beauty. Thank you in advance for your generosity!
federated advanced gifts dinner
Save the date! The Federated Jewish Charities of Charleston invites you to its Advanced Gifts Dinner on Wednesday, September 16th at 5:45pm at the Charleston Tennis Club. Join us for an evening of food, friendship, and inspiration. Please RSVP to Marc Slotnick at 304-549-4650 or [email protected]
POSTPONED - trivia night fundraiser
The B'nai Jacob Ladies' Auxiliary Inaugural Trivia Night Fundraiser on Sunday, August 30th has been postponed.
Third Time is the Charm 🍀
Trivia in the Time of Purim 🎭
Early Spring 2027 (March TBA)
Many thanks to those of you who have already submitted your checks for the event. You may (a) pick up your check from the office or (b) instruct us to tear the check up. Thank you all for your patience! 🙏
Third Time is the Charm 🍀
Trivia in the Time of Purim 🎭
Early Spring 2027 (March TBA)
Many thanks to those of you who have already submitted your checks for the event. You may (a) pick up your check from the office or (b) instruct us to tear the check up. Thank you all for your patience! 🙏
book talk at b'nai jacob
Israeli tour guide and author Bill Slott will be visiting Charleston next month, and will be giving a talk at B'nai Jacob about his recently published book, Israel Rediscovered.
Join us on Thursday, September 17th at 4:30pm to hear from a guide that has spent nearly half a century wandering Israel about the moving and meaningful sites that do not make the headlines.
Bill Slott has lived since on Kibbutz Ketura since 1981, the kibbutz from which the Bermans came to Charleston.
Join us on Thursday, September 17th at 4:30pm to hear from a guide that has spent nearly half a century wandering Israel about the moving and meaningful sites that do not make the headlines.
Bill Slott has lived since on Kibbutz Ketura since 1981, the kibbutz from which the Bermans came to Charleston.
wondering jews
The One Stop For All Things Jewish in West Virginia
Wondering Jews, Inc. is a nonprofit organization with the goal of connecting people who are physically or geographically challenged with the wide variety of educational, service, and faith activities in the local West Virginia Jewish congregations.
Moe and Janie Rubenstein have created a unique website which will allow all congregations and Jewish organizations who wish to announce activities and programs of interest for Jews throughout West Virginia. We have seen at B'nai Jacob how Zoom has opened the door to those who are challenged to allow people in isolation to join and be a part of our B'nai Jacob family.
The website offer us and Jews around our state an opportunity to further connect and be together.
Check out Wondering Jews here.
Wondering Jews, Inc. is a nonprofit organization with the goal of connecting people who are physically or geographically challenged with the wide variety of educational, service, and faith activities in the local West Virginia Jewish congregations.
Moe and Janie Rubenstein have created a unique website which will allow all congregations and Jewish organizations who wish to announce activities and programs of interest for Jews throughout West Virginia. We have seen at B'nai Jacob how Zoom has opened the door to those who are challenged to allow people in isolation to join and be a part of our B'nai Jacob family.
The website offer us and Jews around our state an opportunity to further connect and be together.
Check out Wondering Jews here.
