An important value of Temple Isaiah is being a warm and welcoming congregation. We do this in many ways.  One very important way is welcoming congregants and guests who attend our Friday night services.  The role of the Shabbat host is to greet attendees upon arrival at the congregation for services and to meet non-members during our Oneg (or anyone who is alone, whether they are a member or not).

1. Greeting Attendees at the Door – The clergy and Bar/Bat Mitzvah child form a greeting line at the entrance to the sanctuary.  While Shabbat hosts occasionally join this line, it is far preferable for the Shabbat Host to greet attendees in the lobby as they enter the Temple.  You should put on the Board name tag that has been made for you.  These are kept in a box in the kitchen in the first upper cabinet on the right.  If you do not find one with your name on it, please use one of the blank ones to make your own.  If you feel awkward standing in front of the door by yourself, get a partner (Board member, spouse, friend) to join you. Two greeters are better than one.
2. Socializing at the Oneg – Connecting to individuals or couples attending the Oneg who are by themselves is a critical role. We hear many stories about prospective new members who came to visit a synagogue in our area and, after experiencing an Oneg standing alone, decided that that synagogue was not for them.  We don’t want that to ever be the case at Temple Isaiah. When you meet a prospective member, you want to be sure that you bring them to meet our clergy and other congregants as well.  This will also free you up to connect to anyone else, as sometimes more than one person or couple is attending and in need of welcome. Sometimes a member of the congregation will come, but not recognize anyone they know; we want to reach out to them as well. Note that some nights, Sisterhood has a table specifically designed for people to come and meet others. Finally, pay special attention during the summer months for new, prospective members checking us out.

If the service you are hosting at is a Shabbat Together! service, there are additional opportunities to help that are available, including helping with setup, being a “Table Captain” at the dinner, etc. Please contact Wendy Liebow (781-863-8367) vpjewishliving@templeisaiah.net to volunteer or for more information.