Religious Practices
Services
Congregation Beth Israel is a Conservative/Masorti congregation located in Greenville, South Carolina.
Our regular Friday night Kabbalat Shabbat services begin at 7 p.m., and Saturday morning Birhot Ha-Shahar services begin at 10 a.m.
Friday night services are a mix of Hebrew and English. Saturday morning services are mainly in Hebrew, and we use both a Conservative Siddur Hadash prayerbook and the Etv Hayim Chumash.
All adults are encouraged to wear kippot and tallit at services; a significant number of women in our community wear both tallit and kippah, and are fully conversant in Jewish liturgy, leading services and reading both Torah and haftarah. Other features revealing our Conservative approach are our kosher kitchen and our religious school, which meets twice a week and has Hebrew reading and prayer as its main focus.
Specific times for both lighting candles and Havdalah can be found in the weekly announcements that the office sends to every member before every Shabbat begins.
For information regarding current Simchas, Anniversares, Yahrzeits, and other important events, see News & Events or our Facebook Page.
Our regular Friday night Kabbalat Shabbat services begin at 7 p.m., and Saturday morning Birhot Ha-Shahar services begin at 10 a.m.
Friday night services are a mix of Hebrew and English. Saturday morning services are mainly in Hebrew, and we use both a Conservative Siddur Hadash prayerbook and the Etv Hayim Chumash.
All adults are encouraged to wear kippot and tallit at services; a significant number of women in our community wear both tallit and kippah, and are fully conversant in Jewish liturgy, leading services and reading both Torah and haftarah. Other features revealing our Conservative approach are our kosher kitchen and our religious school, which meets twice a week and has Hebrew reading and prayer as its main focus.
Specific times for both lighting candles and Havdalah can be found in the weekly announcements that the office sends to every member before every Shabbat begins.
For information regarding current Simchas, Anniversares, Yahrzeits, and other important events, see News & Events or our Facebook Page.
Keeping Kosher
While keeping kosher in Greenville is more of a challenge than in, say, New York, many people, in fact, still do.
Although Greenville itself has neither a kosher butcher nor a kosher caterer, Congregation Beth Israel does maintain a well-sized kosher kitchen, which, in conjunction with our large Social Hall, is available for special occasions and all other Shul-hosted events.
In addition, a number of local supermarkets, including Trader Joes, stock a limited number of kosher food items year-round, especially during Passover.
Kosher meat can be purchased by phone or Internet in nearby North Carolina and Georgia, and then shipped or delivered to Greenville. Charlotte and Atlanta, which both have places to buy kosher meat, are not a far drive from Greenville.
Although Greenville itself has neither a kosher butcher nor a kosher caterer, Congregation Beth Israel does maintain a well-sized kosher kitchen, which, in conjunction with our large Social Hall, is available for special occasions and all other Shul-hosted events.
In addition, a number of local supermarkets, including Trader Joes, stock a limited number of kosher food items year-round, especially during Passover.
Kosher meat can be purchased by phone or Internet in nearby North Carolina and Georgia, and then shipped or delivered to Greenville. Charlotte and Atlanta, which both have places to buy kosher meat, are not a far drive from Greenville.
Life Cycle Events
As a congregation we are always thrilled to be able to share with, and participate in a Bris (baby naming), b’nai mitzvah, or marriage, and when called upon to do so, participate in helping to provide the family of a newly departed congregant with a Jewish funeral, and burial at the Beth Israel cemetery. Please call our office administrator for details or contact admin@bethisraelsc.org.
