There are a variety of tasks besides davening and leyning
that must be done for each service. This page provides
a description of these tasks and guidelines for the people
who coordinate them.
Davening Coordinator
On-Site Person
Leyning Coordinator
D'var Torah Coordinator
Setup Coordinator
Setup
Kiddush Coordinator
Kiddush Shopper/Kiddush Setup
Lights On/Lights Off
Coordinating Lunch in Ehrenfried Hall
Opening and Locking the Temple Sinai Annex
The Davening Coordinator is responsible for:
- Finding people to lead P'sukei D'Zimrah, Shacharit, and Musaf for Shabbat, Sukkot, Pesach, and Shavuot.
- Reminding the daveners of the davening timing guidelines.
- Consulting the luach for anything
nonstandard (such as Rosh Hodesh) and alerting the daveners. If in
doubt, contact the meta-coordinator and check the luchot
online at the Orthodox
Union and Chabad.
(Boston is 42°20' N 71° W = 42.33° lat,
-71° long).
- Finding someone as an 'on-site person'.
Encourage members to sign themselves up on the Minyan Davening google docs spreadsheet.
Note: It's easier
to get members to participate by calling or emailing them directly,
rather than sending a mass email to the entire Minyan. Mass emails
should be reserved for emergencies.
The On-Site Coordinator is responsible for:
- Finding two gabbi'im to assist the Torah readers. The Gabbai Rishon also calls out the names of people receiving aliyot and recites the Mi She-Berakh blessing and any other special prayers required during the Torah reading. The Mi She-Berakh texts are printed on full-size laminated sheets.
- Distributing the seven aliyot (including maftir) during the service. You can give the small laminated aliyah cards on the ring to daveners volunteering or selected for aliyot.
- Finding a magbiah and gollel (the lifter and dresser of the Torah).
The
aliyah cards and
Mi She-Berakh sheets are stored in a box that the
Setup person should take out of the closet and place at the front of the room.
If a second Torah scroll is used. You need to find someone to remove the tallit and carry the second Torah when the ark is opened during services.
Note: It is our custom not to give consecutive aliyot to immediate relatives
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The Leyning Coordinator is responsible for:
- Finding people to read all aliyot and the haftarah. The
default leyning guide (for shabbat only) is the KTAV Tikkkun. If you have a different tikkun, consult with someone who has the KTAV. Confirm the beginning and end of each reading with each reader.
- Checking the luach for special Torah or Haftarah readings.
- Co-ordinating with the Setup person if a second Torah is needed to ensure that the 2nd Torah is in its place and rolled to the correct section.
To be fair to those needing time to prepare, start making arrangements (contacting people at least two weeks in advance
Note: It's easier
to get members to participate by calling or emailing them directly,
rather than sending a mass email to the entire Minyan. Mass emails
should be reserved for emergencies.
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The D'var Torah Coordinator is responsible for:
- Finding people to give a d'var Torah for Shabbat, Friday night pot-luck services, Sukkot, Pesach, and Shavuot
To be fair to those needing time to prepare, start making arrangements (contacting people at least two weeks in advance
Note: It's easier
to get members to participate by calling or emailing them directly,
rather than sending a mass email to the entire Minyan. Mass emails
should be reserved for emergencies.
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Setup Coordinator
The Setup Coordinator is responsible for:
- Finding people to set up the room for Shabbat, Sukkot, Pesach, Shavuot
- Checking a luach to see if a second Torah is needed, and reminding the setup person to place the 2nd Torah if it's needed.
Encourage members to sign themselves up on the Minyan Setup google docs spreadsheet.
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The setup person is responsible for
unlocking the Temple school annex
doors and getting the Temple annex ready
for services. Setup takes up to 45 minutes for one
person. It's always easier to set up with two people. Be ready
to start services by 9:30 a.m.
There are many ways to set up
the Auditorium. These guidelines describe the most common placement of
the tables and chairs.
Before Shabbat: Getting Keys
On Shabbat: Tables and Chairs
- Open the Temple school annex. See the section on locks for more information. Now enter
Weintraub Auditorium.
- Set up three tables:
- One large rectangular table at the front of the
room as the Torah desk
- One large rectangular table along the back wall
of the room (for siddurim
and tallit bins)
- A small trapezoidal table or small rectangular
table for the Torah ark on the right front, next to the small arched
doorway. The right side (facing the curtain) is preferable, because it
most closely reflects an eastward direction.
- Set up about 45-50 chairs for a typical shabbat
(fewer for a summer or civil holiday weekend, or more if there is a
special simchah that day). Be sure to leave space around the perimeter
of the room and to create a center aisle for the Torah "parade."
On Shabbat: From the Closet
Unlock the closet and take out these things:
- The Minyan banner (you'll need it
at the end)
- The Torah reading stand - usually
the first thing you see in the closet, it's a large piece of wood on
which the Torah rests and has pieces of wood underneath that raises it
above the table on which it's placed
- The ark
- The cardboard box with the items
used for the Torah service
- Enough siddurim and chumashim
each for the number of chairs set up
- Tallit bins (members' tallitot as
well as the smaller community bin)
- Toys for members' children
On Shabbat: Setting Up For Davening and Leyning
- You should find three white decorated cloths
in the box with the Torah-related items.
- The largest of these goes on the shulchan,
decoration-side-up, as a tablecloth.
- The medium-sized cloth is a tablecloth for the
Torah ark table.
- The smallest cloth is used to cover the Torah
during the Torah service. Put it next to the Torah reading stand when
you set that up.
- Put the Torah reading table on top
of the tablecloth on the shulchan.
- From the box with the Torah-related items, choose a yad
(silver hand pointer) from the several that are there and put it on the
table next to the Torah reading stand.
- Put the 2 chumashim, laminated aliyah
cards, and Torah blessings card next to the Torah table, too.
- Remove the denim cover and place the ark on top of
the tablecloth. This usually takes two people. Remember that dropping
the Torah, even in the ark, could damage both as well as leaving you
hungry for 40 days.
- Put the denim cover and dolly back in the closet, or
behind the curtain.
- Set up a black music stand next to
the shulchan. Put the laminated time guidelines (in the box
with the Torah-related items) on the music stand.
- Put the 3 boxes of tallitot,
and siddurim on the back table. Stash the siddurim crates under the table.
- Wheel the cart with the chumashim to the back of the room next to the table with the siddiurim
- Put the toys in the back corner of the room, by the
coat closet.
- Put any available for-the-public documents (such as Welcome
to Minyan Shaleym) on the glass table in the auditorium vestibule.
On Shabbat: Banner and Keys
- From the closet, take the Minyan banner
outside and tie it up on the railing at the entrance to the Temple
Annex, so that it faces Sewall Avenue.
- Pass the set of two Minyan keys to
the Kiddush Coordinator, unless you've agreed to lock up after services.
Then relax and enjoy the service!
After Shabbat: Returning Keys
- If you still have them, return the Minyan keys to theKeepers of the Keys or to the next person who needs them.
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The Kiddush Coordinator is responsible for:
- Finding people to shop for kiddush for Shabbat.
- Finding people to setup kiddush on Shabbat.
Note: It's easier
to get members to participate by calling or emailing them directly,
rather than sending a mass email to the entire Minyan. Mass emails
should be reserved for emergencies.
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Their are two seperate sets Kiddush Coordinator jobs that can be done by two different people.
The first is the before job. The person doing this job is responsible for purchasing food, delivering it to Temple Sinai before shabbat.
The second is the during and after job.
This person is responsible for putting out the food during services,
cleaning up after the kiddush, and returning after shabbat.
PREPARING FOR SHABBAT (job #1):
Paying for kiddush. Upon
request, the Minyan will reimburse kiddush expenses, but the Minyan
also welcomes kiddush sponsors. The Kiddush Coordinator or someone else
can sponsor the kiddush, but the Kiddush Coordinator remains
responsible for bringing and setting up the kiddush regardless of how
it is paid for.
Before Shabbat: Keys and Food
- Get the Minyan keys from either
the Keepers of the Keys or from the previous week's Kiddush Coordinator.
- Buy kiddush food and bring it to Temple Sinai before shabbat.
ON SHABBAT (job #2):
Kiddush
- Set up kiddush in the vestibule of
Weintraub
Auditorium. Most people start this during Musaf and get one or two
others to help.
- Temple Sinai requires kiddush to be consumed in the vestibule and lobby only, not in Weintraub Auditorium.
- Clean up after kiddush. Others can help here as well.
On Shabbat: Storing the Minyan Banner and Locking Up
- After kiddush, untie the Minyan banner hanging outside on the
Temple Annex porch railing. Roll it up and store it in the Minyan
closet behind the Weintraub stage area.
- Lock
the Minyan's storage closet.
- Before leaving lock
the doors to the outside. See the locks section for more about locking up.
What Can I Bring for Kiddush?
The kiddush can be as elaborate or simple. Minimum
requirements are wine and grape juice, and
some sort of munchie food. The usual things include chips, crackers,
hummus, salsa, and fruit. Do not provide bread or challah as
this is not a full meal and shouldn't require benching.
Before you start buying, be sure to
check the
kashrut guidelines
and contact the
previous week's Kiddush Coordinator to find out what was
left over. You can find out who this person is by looking on our online
calendar or by contacting the meta-coordinator.
Warning About Food Allergies
There are Minyan members who have food allergies. Before you buy
food for kiddush, make an effort to find out which foods members are
allergic to and if people who have allergies will be at your kiddush.
Contact the steerers
if you have any questions.
Kiddush Supplies and Storage
Kiddush food must be labeled and stored in the
downstairs kitchen of the Temple School annex, on the right-side floor
of the refrigerator,
which is to your left as you enter the kitchen.
|
Tape
legible Minyan Shaleym labels
on your food bags so that they do not fall off. |
Over to the right as your enter
is the Minyan's storage cabinet. There you will find platters, napkins,
plates, bowls, plasticware, large and small cups, etc., that you can
use for kiddush. The cabinet is stocked with these supplies on a
regular basis, so you don't have to buy those for your kiddush, unless
they are low.
If you see that any kitchen supplies are
low, contact the Kitchen Supplies
person. Do not use Temple Sinai kitchen items.
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There are two jobs involving the lights. These can be done by the same person or two different volunteers. During the winter months, the lights must be turned on before Shabbat and there aren't many members who can do this, so if you can please volunteer.
Temple Sinai expects the lights to be on for shabbat
(or holiday) and not much longer. Please wait until Friday
afternoon before turning them on, and turn them off Saturday
evening.
- Turn on the lights and disable motion detectors before shabbat
- Lock
the Temple school annex after services
- Turn off the lights and enable the motion detectors after shabbat
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Before Shabbat: Lights and Motion Detectors
- On Friday afternoon, turn on the lights
in:
- The vestibule outside Weintraub Auditorium
- Weintraub Auditorium itself
- The Minyan closet behind the stage area in
Weintraub (lock closet afterward)
- On the second floor, the second room on the right for the Children's Program
- Disable the motion detectors
downstairs by moving their switches to up. This will keep the
lights from turning on automatically when you walk into that area.
(Ignore the "Don't Touch" signs. These are warnings to others.)
Both switches are about six feet off the ground.
- One
switch is located under the fire alarm light on the right hand
side as you come through the metal door downstairs, opposite the Larkin
Library.
- The
other switch is on the left wall outside the kitchen doors.
| Switch position |
When |
Motion detectors are ... |
Lights ... |
| Up |
Shabbat/holiday |
Disabled |
On all the time |
| Down |
Weekday |
Enabled |
Turn on and off in response to motion |
- Do not worry about the
downstairs kitchen lights.
- Be sure Temple
school annex doors are locked when you leave.
After Shabbat: Lights and Motion Detectors
You wil need to get keys from the Keeper of the Keys
Return to Temple Sinai after shabbat (Saturday
evening) to:
- Turn off all of the lights upstairs (including the minyan closet) and on the second floor in the Children's Program room.
- Re-enable the motion detectors downstairs.
|
Return the keys to the Keepers of the Keys or to the next person who needs them.
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We sometimes have a full catered or potluck lunch in
Ehrenfried Hall, in Temple Sinai's basement, and a volunteer acts as
Lunch Coordinator. Kiddush may or may not be combined with lunch, and
either can be designated and sponsored to celebrate a personal simchah.
For either Minyan or personal events, Temple Sinai
requires two months prior notification for use of Ehrenfried
Hall. A fee applies for
personal events. Contact the Temple Sinai
liaison.
- If you decide to set up and put away tables and
chairs yourself, you need to obtain a special "S" key to open
the mechanical closet where they are stored.
- If you want Temple Sinai to set up and put away
tables and chairs, an additional janitorial fee applies.
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A Week Before the Lunch: Calls for Food
Send an email announcing that you're the Lunch
Coordinator.
- If volunteers or caterers are bringing lunch items,
be sure they know these guidelines.
- Specify when, and where, the food can be dropped off.
This will be either at the Temple, or at the host's home. It's standard
to give people a 1-to-2 hour window for dropping off.
- For potlucks, list what people should bring: challah,
salads, entrees, side dishes, drinks, dessert. If there's no separate
Kiddush Coordinator, include basic kiddush food as described in the pre-shabbat directions for the Kiddush Coordinator.
- Ask members to contact you by
Wednesday evening before the shabbat of the lunch to tell you what they
intend to bring.
- Direct people to the Minyan's kashrut
guidelines.
During the Week Before the Lunch: Planning the Meal —
Kashrut
- It's your responsibility to maintain the
nutritional balance and culinary interest of the meal. If you already
have, say, two pasta dishes, and someone volunteers another one,
explain
the situation and suggest something else to contribute.
- Dishes should be edible at room temperature and
require no cooking after delivery.
- Assign store-bought items (drinks, challah, desserts,
etc.) to people who don't have kosher kitchens.
- If someone has specific questions about the Minyan's kashrut observance, direct them to the steerers.
- Send another food-coordinating email, if necessary,
on the Wednesday before the lunch.
During the Week Before the Lunch: Keys — Receiving the
Food
On Shabbat: Setting and Cleaning Up
- Set up drinks, cutlery, cups with wine and
juice,
etc.
- Set up kiddush in Ehrenfried Hall. Follow the kiddush
coordinating guidelines.
- Take food out of the refrigerator to bring it
to room
temperature.
After Shabbat: Locking Up — Lights, Etc.
If there isn't a separate Kiddush Coordinator, the Lunch
Coordinator is responsible for locking up after lunch, and for coming
back after shabbat to:
- Turn off lights.
- Re-enable motion detectors.
|
See the post-shabbat kiddush coordinating guidelines.
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The Temple Sinai Religious School
annex has both mechanical and electronic locks at its main entrance, a
set of double doors facing Sewall Avenue. Weintraub Auditorium itself,
inside the school building, should not be locked.
Electronic Lock: Automatic But Passive
The electronic lock is programmed to lock the Temple school annex doors at 1:00 pm on Saturdays. But the electronic lock actually locks only in conjunction with the exit bar on the inside of the outer door. For the door to actually be locked, you must also pop out the exit bar. See below for more about the mechanical lock and exit bar.
| Pop out exit bar ... |
Door locks ... |
| Before 1 pm |
At 1 pm |
| After 1 pm |
Immediately |
Should you need to manually set the electronic lock, the lock code is written in the guidelines in the closet
. Remember that the electronic lock does not actually lock the door unless you also pop out the exit bar on the inside of the door before or after you enter the code.
Do not operate the electronic lock on shabbat or holidays.
Mechanical Lock: Manual and Enabling/Overriding
The mechanical key opens the outside door to let you in, but cannot keep the outer door unlocked after you close it behind you.
- If you want to disable the door latch so that others can come in without a key, you must use the Minyan allen wrench. It's kept in its case under the light on the right wall of the Minyan closet behind the stage.
- To unlatch the door, press the exit bar on the inside of outer door, insert the allen wrench in the hole on the bar and then into the socket behind it, and turn it so that the bar remains in the pressed position.
- The hole in the bar and the underlying socket can become misaligned. You might have to slide the bar a bit to align them.
- To re-latch the door in order to lock it, reinsert the allen wrench and turn it until the exit bar pops back out.
If you are coming in to deliver items or do pre-shabbat/holiday setup (no services), you should not unlatch
the door after you enter. The door should remain locked to others
without keys, unless it is already unlocked for other reasons.
Contact the Temple Sinai liaison if you have questions about the locks.
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