FAQ
Altshul’s practices have evolved over our history to meet the needs of our community. We often get questions about exactly how Altshul works and why we made the choices we did. Answers to some of the most common questions are below. If you need a definition of a term, check the glossary below. And if your question isn’t here, we’d love to answer it for you! Please contact us at info@altshul.org.
When and where does Altshul Meet?
Altshul meets the 2nd and 4th Saturday of every month. We also meet on the High Holidays and most of the other major Jewish holidays. See our calendar for the full schedule. Altshul meets at Congregation Beth Elohim located at 274 Garfield Place in Park Slope, Brooklyn.
How do I find out current happenings at Altshul?
An Altshul e-newsletter is sent out weekly. To be added to the list please sign up here.
Does Altshul have programming for children on Shabbat and holiday mornings?
Yes! Altshul offers two kindershul services: one for young children and one for elementary school age children. Please see our Families page for more information.
Can my child have a Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah at Altshul?
Yes, if your family is part of Altshul, we are so happy to help celebrate your child’s B’Mitzvah! For information about B'nai Mitzvah at Altshul click here, or email leadership@altshul.org.
How can I volunteer at Altshul?
There are myriad ways to become involved at Altshul. You can view descriptions of volunteer opportunities here. Any member on the Altshul Leadership team would welcome this conversation or point you to the appropriate team member leading the charge. Please email leadership@altshul.org to find out more.
How can I support Altshul financially?
We encourage all members of the Altshul community to become Altshul Members. See our membership page. You can also make a one-time donation to Altshul here.
Who is Altshul’s Halakhic authority?
Altshul consults Rabbi Ethan Tucker from Mechon Hadar on most Halakhic issues. While the Altshul community does not have its own rabbi, we are happy to put you in touch with a rabbi if you have a Halakhic question or need pastoral guidance.
What’s the deal with Altshul’s “blue sheets”?
The blue sheets are a guide to the Shabbat service with prayer names and page numbers. It’s important to us that everyone feel comfortable in our space and have the opportunity to know where we are in the service. The prayer for Israel is on the back of the blue sheet.
Why doesn’t Altshul always say Aleinu out loud at services?
A part of the Altshul community found the liturgy in Aleinu challenging, and a decision was made to give people the choice of saying Aleinu out loud or not when they lead services.
How does Altshul operate as an egalitarian minyan?
Altshul is an independent, egalitarian minyan that is guided by halacha (Jewish law) and follows the traditional liturgy. Women participate fully in the services and there is no mechitza (partition) separating women and men. Altshul leaves the decision up to the person leading tefilot (prayer) as to whether or not they include the Imahot (matriarchs) in the opening lines of the amidah. However, the Imahot may not be included in the closing blessing of each paragraph of the amidah.
Does Altshul ever skip prayers?
Altshul does a full Shabbat morning service. On a rare occasion, when services are running very long, we will omit Anim Zmirot at the end of services, which is not a Halakhic requirement.
What is Altshul’s Kashrut policy?
Please refer to Altshul’s Kashrut policy for general information.
Is Altshul located within an eruv?
Altshul is located within the Brooklyn Eruv. For more information about the Brooklyn Eruv including its borders, how to subscribe to weekly eruv status announcements, and how to support it, click here.
How can I be sure to have a Shomer Shabbat (halachically observant sabbath) in the CBE Facilities?
The bathrooms on the first floor have lights and paper towels that run on an automated sensor, but the bathrooms outside the ballroom on the second floor do not have any light sensors and are accommodating to those who are Shomer Shabbat. The drinking fountain on the first floor also has a motorized sensor, but you can get water from the sinks in the second floor bathroom. The Chapel where Altshul services are held does not require the use of any electronics.
How are trans and non-binary people included in Altshul services?
When you are given an honor, such as an aliyah (called to say the blessings before and after the Torah reading) or a special mishebeirach (blessing), the gabbai will ask you for your preferred gender pronoun. We have appropriate versions of the text to be recited in gender neutral, female, and male formats.
Are kids welcome to be in davening?
Yes! Children are always welcome throughout Altshul services. We do ask that parents keep their children off the bima, and keep noise to a minimum, especially during the d’var torah and the silent amidah. The seating toward the front of the Chapel is historically set aside for families with children, which allows parents to make a quick exit through the doors next to the bima as needed. Children and their parents are welcome to come up to the Amud to help lead Adon Olam.
Can kids explore the CBE building during shul?
No. We are not allowed to let our kids wander around the shul building without adult supervision — kids must be supervised at all times when in the building.
Where can kids be during Altshul?
Altshul Services! Altshul children are invited to Altshul! We love having kids in services and we totally understand that they can sometimes be a little squeaky or chatty. We do ask that kids try to minimize noise as much as possible, and that parents take their kids out of the chapel if they are making noise during the d’var torah or silent amidah.
Kiddush Room (usually the Social Hall). Altshul almost always has kiddush in the Social Hall, just down the hallway from the chapel. As long as there isn’t a class or special program taking place in that room, kids are allowed to hang out and play there during davening with adult supervision. CBE uses the far end of the Social Hall, behind movable partitions, for storage. Kids are not allowed to play with, move or go behind these partitions.
Kindershul. Each Shabbat that we meet, we offer Kindershul, our program for kids under 6. Typically, Kindershul starts at 10:30 AM. This musical, engaging activity is led by educators from Tkiya. A parent is expected to accompany each child to this program, and it is a great opportunity for younger kids to take a break from services, sing and move their bodies and hang out with other little ones. After Kindershul we have a special kids kiddush with snacks.
The Lobby. Older kids who can be trusted to hang out quietly without adult supervision may be in the lobby outside the chapel. Because it is so close to the chapel, these older kids are permitted to be there without an adult. This is a good option for older kids who want to take a break from shul to read a book, play a board game with a friend, or chat quietly. This is not a place for running around, sports, or loud play, which will echo and be disruptive to services in the chapel.
Glossary
Aleinu: The prayer said near the end of each service that refers to, among other themes, God’s special role for the Jewish people.
Amidah: The prayers, usually said silently while standing, that form the central part of the three daily services in Judaism. On Shabbat, the Amidah consists of seven prayers, and on weekdays, of nineteen. In the morning, the Amidah is repeated out loud by the leader of the service.
Davening: Praying
Egalitarian: In Jewish communities, this usually refers to the idea that women should be able to fulfill the same roles and religious requirements as men. Altshul is an egalitarian Minyan, which means that all of our roles — including reading from the Torah and being counted for a Minyan — can be fulfilled by any of our adult community members.
Halakha: The body of Jewish law, starting with the Torah and Talmud and continuing through subsequent Rabbinic legal opinions, that traditionally define the rules for fulfilling Judaism’s commandments. Altshul as a community is guided by — but not bound to — halakha.
Hechsher: A mark indicating that a product has been examined by a Jewish authority and determined to be Kosher. In general, for packaged foods, this involves a supervisor (“mashgiach”) inspecting the facility occasionally. For certain kinds of foods (meat, cheese, and grape products in particular) the process is more complex. Food does not have to be blessed by a rabbi to be Kosher, and many foods (such as raw, uncut fruits and vegetables) do not need a hechsher at all.
Imahot: The matriarchs of Jewish tradition: Sarah, Rebecca, Leah, and Rachel. Traditionally, the first prayer of the Amidah, the “avot” prayer, mentions the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) but not the matriarchs, and many egalitarian communities extend this prayer to mention the matriarchs as well.
Kiddush: The sanctification prayer we say over wine on Shabbat and holidays, and by extension the event at which this prayer is said. At Altshul, we say Kiddush after services on Shabbat mornings and have sponsors who volunteer to bring snacks and drinks for people to eat afterwards.
Leyning: Publicly reading Torah (or any other part of the Bible, for instance the Haftarah or the Five Scrolls we read on certain holidays). Torah is usually read with a particular musical system called “trope”. Altshul’s leyners are all community members who volunteer to learn Torah portions on the weeks that we meet. If you are interested in leyning for Altshul, contact gabbai@altshul.org.
Minyan: A Jewish community. “Minyan” also specifically refers to a community gathered for prayer, and in particular to the ten Jewish adults who must be present in order for a group praying together to be considered a community.
Tefilot: Prayers