About
We are delighted to welcome you to Shaarei Zedeck, which is Hebrew for “Gates of Righteousness”. When asked what kind of congregation Shaarei Zedeck is, members are often thrown into confusion. We borrow from Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist, and Traditional models, with our practices running the gamut from rather traditional to more liberal. The best answer seems to be that it is “The Clinton Shul” (shul means synagogue in Yiddish), welcomes all Jews in the area as well as people of other faiths who wish to join and help.
The Clinton shul is unique in many ways. Perhaps the most noticeable to first-time visitors is that there is no Rabbi. Our members run the service. This means we take turns learning Torah portions and pieces of the service, or preparing the Saturday morning Drash (meaning talk). Because we have all been up on the “bimah” (the raised platform where the service is conducted) ourselves, we are always most tolerant of the efforts of all participants.
I remember entering the sanctuary for the first time, not knowing what to expect from this little shul that I found online. I sat in the back quietly, thinking I could go unnoticed, but one by one, every person who was there that morning, got up and came to introduce themselves and welcome me.
Pamela
