Events

Friday Night

On the fourth Friday of the month, beginning at 7 pm, the Movable minyan holds a Kabbalat Shabbat and potluck dairy dinner at the Institute of Jewish Education. We welcome the Shabbat, the much-needed day of rest, through candle-lighting, song and a relaxing communal meal. There is an after-dinner program that typically asks each participant child and adult alike to share an experience from his or her life. Programs include bringing a favorite Jewish book, telling humorous Jewish stories, or sharing with the minyan a personal object of Jewish significance.

Saturday Morning

The Movable Minyan conducts Shabbat morning services at the Westside Jewish Community Center beginning at 10 am on the first and third Shabbat of every month. Not a performance, it’s a service from the heart led by the women and men of the minyan. To begin, the sound of the lute awakens you to the goodly possibilities of the day. Then, using Sim Shalom, our prayer book, a minyan member leads the community through the service. Members also read Torah. Enriching each service is a drash, a Torah discussion, also led by a member, where a real give and take of Jewish ideas takes place. Concluded by 12:30, the service is followed by a dairy potluck lunch and the singing of zmirot—joyous songs for Shabbat.

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Activities

Our activities create a special Jewish flavor by mixing old traditions with new ones. Some highlights of past Movable Minyan activities include:
  • A home-based Sukkot celebration where a special invited guest drops in on us each year, where we play Sukkot croquet or make crazy Sukkah-shaped hats.
  • Simchat Torah where we play with beach balls and sing awesome parodies.
  • Chanukkah party where we light our chanukiot, cook latkes and cookies and taste-test different black cherry sodas.
  • A Purim evening of masks, shpiels, games, and the world’s first tuba interpretation of the megilah.
  • Shavuot evening where all invited to bring and share their first fruits.
  • A weekend Shabbaton retreat where we rest, play, pray, learn to make a talit, have a talent show and play a killer game of Jewpardy.
  • Jewish history hikes through Los Angeles neighborhoods.
  • On Tisha B’Av writing our own acrostic kenot.
  • Communal soup making activity and prayers for women who are expecting.
  • Going to a Dodger game on Jewish Community Day
  • Trips to Jewish art environments