Friday Night Sounds Like This
There’s something special about ending the week together. Especially when we do it in song.
At Beth Israel, Friday nights are filled with music. We gather with the piano or guitar, lift our voices together, and welcome Shabbat with melodies that have a way of staying with you long after the service is over.
Some are songs we’ve known all our lives. Others are newer favorites. Some are joyful and full of energy, while others invite us to slow down, breathe, and simply enjoy the peace of Shabbat.
And the best part? You don’t have to know a single word to feel like you belong.
- When
- Friday evenings at 6:15 p.m.
- Where
- For the location of services, please contact the BIC office: office@bethisraelms.org or 601-956-6215.
- Online
- Livestreamed on YouTube. Watch with us live.
- Music
- Piano or guitar, and plenty of voices. We hope you’ll add yours.
Hear a Friday night
These are real moments from our recent services, just as they sounded in the room. Press play on any of them.
L’cha Dodi, the last verse
Come in peace.
The last verse of the song that welcomes Shabbat.
The Torah comes out
The ark opens, and the Torah is lifted out and carried through the room while everyone sings.
Kiddush
A remembrance of the work of Creation.
The blessing over wine that welcomes Shabbat, in Louis Lewandowski’s 19th-century setting.
Aleinu, the closing lines
On that day ADONAI will be one.
The closing hope of the service, sung together.
Just listen
The same moments as sound only, for slower connections or the car.
- L’cha Dodi, the last verseAugust 21, 2026 · 0:43
- The Torah comes outAugust 21, 2026 · 0:58
- KiddushAugust 14, 2026 · 0:43
- Aleinu, the closing linesMarch 13, 2026 · 0:38
So, what’s Friday night like?
We love to sing!
Music is at the heart of our worship. Most of our prayers are sung, drawing on beautiful melodies from generations of Jewish tradition and some of today’s wonderful Jewish composers. You’ll hear the piano, you’ll hear plenty of voices, and we hope you’ll add yours. But if you’d rather just sit back and listen, that’s perfectly fine, too.
You won’t have to wonder what’s going on.
We know that walking into a worship service can feel a little intimidating, especially if it’s your first time. We announce our pages, introduce our prayers, and share a little about what we’re doing along the way. Whether you’ve been coming to synagogue for fifty years or this is your very first visit, we want you to feel comfortable and included.
The Torah is part of the experience.
When we take the Torah from the ark, we carry it through the congregation as we sing. It’s a beautiful opportunity to come close to the sacred words that have connected Jewish communities for generations.
And there’s always something to think about.
Each Friday night, we spend a few minutes exploring a teaching from the Torah and what it might have to say about our lives today. Nothing too long or complicated. Just a little wisdom, a question worth considering, or perhaps a new way of looking at something familiar.
Never been to a Jewish service? Come anyway!
Really. We’d love to have you.
You don’t need to know Hebrew. You don’t need to know when to stand or sit. You don’t even need to know what Shabbat is before you walk through the door.
Come as you are. Find a seat. Listen, sing, reflect, or just enjoy being part of a community welcoming a little peace into the world.
We’ll help you with the rest.
Come spend Friday night with us!
For the location of services, please contact the BIC office: office@bethisraelms.org or 601-956-6215.
Can’t join us in person? We’d love for you to worship with us online, too! Our Friday night services are livestreamed on YouTube.
The player goes live on Fridays at 6:15 p.m. Between services, you can watch recent services on our YouTube channel.
However you join us, there’s a place for you here.