Each week we have the opportunity to pause from what is sometimes our frenetic schedules and celebrate Shabbat as a family, as a Congregation. It’s a time for rest and reflection, for family time, spiritual connection, and celebration.
At CBD, we welcome Shabbat with Friday evening services and gather again on Saturday morning. For specific times, please consult our calendar on this website.
Our Shabbat services, sometimes on a Friday evening and others on Shabbat morning, are occasionally led by our Hebrew School students. There’s always something special when our young people lead our services.
The last Friday evening of the month, we host our circle Shabbat, a perhaps less formal service at which our members share Simchas within their own families.
Following Friday evening services we host an Oneg, an opportunity for some light refreshments, and to be able to interact with those who are in attendance. Similarly, at the conclusion of Shabbat morning services, we host a Kiddush. Sometimes, the Oneg or Kiddush is sponsored by a congregant in memory of a loved one, or in celebration of a significant family milestone.
During the summer months, we also hold Friday night services on the beach once a month.
To learn of all service times, please consult the calendar on this website.
It is traditional, either at home or in the synagogue, to light Shabbat candles. The candles are lit just before sundown, as a way of ushering in Shabbat. Here are candle lighting times for the next few months, based upon sunset in Providence:
2026
Jan. 2 4:08 pm
Jan. 9 4:15 pm
Jan. 16 4:23 pm
Jan. 23 4:32 pm
Jan. 30 4:40 pm
Feb. 6 4:49 pm
Feb. 13 4:58 pm
Feb. 20 5:07 pm
Feb. 27 5:16 pm
To understand what makes Shabbat special, consider these key aspects:
- Rest and Reflection: Shabbat provides a weekly opportunity for rest and spiritual reflection.
- Family Time: It encourages gathering with family and friends for meals and conversation.
- Spiritual Connection: Observing Shabbat fosters a deeper connection to faith and tradition.
- Candle Lighting: The ritual of lighting candles marks the beginning of Shabbat, creating a peaceful atmosphere.
- Prohibition of Work: The cessation of work allows for a break from daily routines and stresses.
- Joyful Celebrations: Shabbat is often celebrated with festive meals, singing, and sharing stories.
A weekly 25-hour observance, from just before sundown each Friday through the completion of nightfall on Saturday, Shabbat is more than just a day off from labor. It is a day of physical and spiritual delights that is meant to illuminate certain key concepts in the traditional Jewish perception of the world.