Dancing in the Aisles at Temple

Sitting during Shabbat services Friday evening at Temple Emanu-El the music started playing, filling the worship space with sounds of guitars, drums and singing in Hebrew. Soon after a temple staffer comes down the main aisle, takes the hand of a congregant and the two start dancing. More join, eventually half the congregation is dancing around the worship space in all of the aisles.

This is Shabbat Hallelu, a monthly service the temple has started to bring an upbeat, music-filled service to the congregation. While on the face of it, the service could be seen as a younger persons' game, the temple says it is for all congregants, which was evident on Friday night.

"It began about a decade ago," Rabbi Doug Sagal said. "The point of the service is to create a joyful worship for all members. It is not a kids' service, it is for all ages."

The Shabbat Hallelu service differs from the regular Shabbat service by bringing in more upbeat music and a live band. There is no formal sermon and the mood is less serious than a regular service at the reform congregation.

Friday night's service was the first Shabbot Hallelu since summer, when the temple stops the service. It also served as a form of welcome for who looked to be enjoying herself while clapping along with the music. Leah Doberne-Schor, the temple's associate rabbi, was in the aisles dancing alongside the congregants during the service.

Friday night also served as a new member recruitment event for the temple. The temple hosts a series of events during the year to discuss temple activities with prospective members and introduce them to the temple.

Sagal said the Shabbat Hallelu has been a boon to the temple's services and has helped bring in over 500 people to a single worship service on a Friday night.

"It is remarkable for a suburban congregation to get 500 people," he said.