Life cycle events and services
Affiliated with the Reform Movement (URJ), we are the only synagogue in the area to offer the supports, programs and services to meet the ritual, spiritual (religious), and life-cycle needs of our congregants. Regardless of your level of observance or affiliation we remain an inclusive, egalitarian, multi-generational congregation.
Shabbat Services
Join us for a meaningful and uplifting Friday evening Shabbat service where we come together to share in the sacred opportunity to connect with each other and our Jewish traditions. Each service includes inspiring prayers, readings and songs welcoming and embracing Shabbat. The beautiful music provided by our weekly soloist and accompanist, at times joined by the talented Beth Yam Choir, enhances our services and spirituality. Be inspired by the Rabbi’s sermon in which he offers his wisdom and insight about Jewish teachings relevant to our modern times. Commencing September 1, 2025, Friday evening services will start at 6:30 PM.
Join us after service for our lively and welcoming Oneg! Enjoy delicious challah, wine, baked goods and other treats as we catch up with friends and introduce ourselves to new members and visitors. Our Oneg’s are the perfect way to relax, connect and celebrate Shabbat.
Once a month, the Rabbi offers Shabbat Saturday morning services incorporating prayers, rituals and songs that are more traditional in nature. These services include a more formalized Torah Reading service. Saturday morning services start at 10:00 AM – refer to the calendar for further scheduling information.
High Holy Days – A Time of Reflection and Renewal
The High Holy Days are the most sacred time of the Jewish year—a season for reflection, renewal, and reconnection. As we gather as a Jewish community for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, we embrace the opportunity to look inward, seek forgiveness and set intentions for the year ahead.
Our High Holiday services are uplifting, blending traditional prayers with inspiring poems and musical lyrics. Whether through the majestic call of the shofar, the power of communal prayer, the “casting away” of one’s sins through Tashlikh, the solemness of Yizkor, or the introspective rituals of Yom Kippur, through each of the services offered, we create a sacred space for personal growth and collective renewal.
You are welcome to experience these special services with us. Visitors: Please click on the High Holy Day tab for registration / ticketing information.
Holidays / Special Services
Throughout the year, Congregation Beth Yam offers special services celebrating the Jewish holidays of Simchat Torah, Chanukkah, Purim, Passover, Shavuot (to name a few), as well as providing special inter-faith services and programs in partnership with other area Faith-Based organizations.
Life-Cycle Events
Having a full-time Rabbi committed solely to the congregants enables Congregation Beth Yam to meet the pastoral care and life-cycle needs of each of its members:
Brit Milah: The Torah commands us to circumcise our newborn sons on the eighth day of their new lives. Our Rabbi can place a family in touch with a Mohel (ritual circumciser), help parents understand the ceremony, and co-officiate along with the Mohel.
Simchat Bat / Baby Naming: We celebrate the great blessing of a newborn daughter with a ceremony that brings her into the covenant, conferring upon her a Hebrew name. This ceremony can take place either at home or at the synagogue, on a Shabbat, or any day the Torah is read (Monday, Thursday, Festivals, Rosh Chodesh).
Bar / Bat Mitzvah: Preparation for this special transition from childhood to young adulthood is one of the most important life cycle events for our Jewish children and their families. Rabbi Bloom can help both the student and his family prepare for this very special day.
Wedding: Rabbi Bloom performs inter-faith marriages. From the Ketubah (marriage document) to Chuppah (Marriage Canopy) to Nissuin (marriage ceremony) to the actual breaking of the glass, our Rabbi can help the bride and groom prepare for this joyous occasion by teaching the meaning and the traditions of the ceremony. Rabbi Bloom will also offer his knowledge and experience in planning the ceremony and in preparing the couple to live a life dedicated to love and companionship.
Funeral: Our tradition offers several powerful end of life rituals—Kriah (tearing of a garment as a symbolic expression of grief), Levayah (funeral procession), Hesped (eulogy), Kevurah (burial) and Shiva (seven days of mourning). Rabbi Bloom will provide counsel and instruction regarding these rituals. He can also perform the funeral ceremony and help families understand and implement other meaningful Jewish mourning practices. The Congregation maintains Beth Yam Gardens at Six Oaks Cemetery in Sea Pines Plantation for members and their families.
For further information or to inquire, please email info@bethyam.org or communications@bethyam.org.