Your first visit to a Messianic synagogue

Finding a congregation

Start with our congregation directory. You can search by city, state or name, or browse by state. Each listing shows what we know about the congregation: its service times, the languages it worships in, its affiliation, its address or city, and how to get in touch.

Each listing also says what kind of congregation it is. Most are Messianic Jewish congregations, where Jewish life is central. Some are Messianic congregations or Jewish roots ministries. Our standards page explains the difference, and every listing has been checked against the same standard.

Before you go, it is a good idea to call or email. Service times change, especially around the feasts, and some congregations share their street address only on request, for security. A quick note that you plan to visit also means someone will be looking out for you.

When to go and what to wear

Shabbat begins at sundown on Friday and ends at nightfall on Saturday. Most Messianic congregations hold their main service on Saturday morning, usually in the late morning. Some also gather on Friday evening to welcome Shabbat, and a few meet only then. The listing shows the times, and the congregation’s website will have the latest.

Business casual is a safe choice almost everywhere. Some congregations dress up and others are relaxed, but modest clothing is always right: covered shoulders, no short hemlines, nothing you would not wear to meet someone’s grandmother.

Many men wear a kippah, and some congregations keep a basket of them by the door. Wearing one as a visitor is usually welcome and rarely expected. Customs around the tallit, the prayer shawl, vary more. In some congregations Jewish men wear one, in others anyone may, and in many it is simply optional. If you are unsure, watch what others do or ask a greeter.

Arriving

Plan to arrive ten or fifteen minutes early. Someone will usually greet you at the door with “Shabbat shalom,” and you can say it right back. Tell them it is your first time. They can hand you a siddur, the prayer book, show you where to sit, and introduce you to someone who will help you follow along. Many congregations also put the words on a screen.

Children are almost always welcome. Many congregations run a Shabbat school or children’s program during part of the service, and kids often join the dancing. Ask ahead if you want to know what is offered for their ages.

What happens in a service

No two congregations are the same, but most Shabbat morning services follow a pattern like this. A service often runs two hours or more.

1. Worship. Songs in Hebrew and English, old melodies alongside new ones. Many congregations have Davidic dance during worship, circle and line dances in the style of Israeli folk dance. King David “danced before the Lord with all his might” (2 Samuel 6:14), and Messianic worship takes him at his word. You are welcome to join in, and the steps are easy to pick up, or you can watch.
2. Liturgy. Prayers from the siddur, such as the Barchu, the call to worship, and the Shema: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4). Some congregations also pray the Amidah, a standing prayer. Stand when others stand. No one will mind if you simply listen.
3. The Torah service. The ark, the cabinet that holds the scroll, is opened, and the Torah is carried through the congregation. People reach out to touch it with the fringe of a tallit or the edge of a siddur, then kiss the fringe or the book as a sign of love for God’s word. The week’s portion is read from the bimah in Hebrew and English.
4. Teaching. A message on the parashah, the weekly Torah portion, usually connected to the New Covenant writings and to Yeshua.
5. The blessing. Services usually close with the Aaronic blessing, often sung in Hebrew.

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

Numbers 6:24–26

Then comes the oneg, a shared meal or table of food, and often the best part of the morning for a visitor. Stay for it if you can. It is where conversations happen.

Hebrew words you’ll hear

You don’t need to know any of these to visit. They will make the morning easier.

• Shabbat shalom. Sabbath peace. The greeting you will hear all morning, and a good one to return.
• Adonai. Lord. Used in prayer in place of God’s personal name.
• Yeshua. The Hebrew name of Jesus, related to the Hebrew word for salvation.
• Ruach HaKodesh. The Holy Spirit.
• Siddur. The prayer book, often printed in Hebrew, transliteration and English.
• Bimah. The raised platform at the front where the Torah is read.
• Parashah. The weekly Torah portion read in synagogues around the world.
• Tallit. The prayer shawl with fringes, called tzitzit, on its corners.
• Kippah. The small head covering many Jewish men wear in prayer.
• Oneg. Short for oneg Shabbat, the delight of the Sabbath. The shared food after the service.
• Amen or omein. The same word in two pronunciations. You will hear both.

Jewish, not Jewish, or unsure

If you are Jewish and curious, or unsure what you believe, you are welcome. A Messianic synagogue holds that Yeshua is Israel’s Messiah, and the teaching will say so plainly. It also holds that a Jew who follows him remains a Jew. No one will ask you to give up your identity or your family’s traditions. You can come, listen and ask questions at your own pace. The rabbi will usually be glad to talk over coffee.

If you are not Jewish, you are in good company. Most Messianic congregations include Gentile believers, and in many they are the majority. No one expects you to act Jewish or know the customs. Congregations differ on what they ask of Gentile members, and that is a good question to ask once you have visited a few times. Our article on what Messianic Judaism is explains the range.

Giving and following up

Visitors are not expected to give. Many congregations don’t pass an offering plate on Shabbat. Instead there is often a tzedakah box, for charitable giving, near the door, or a way to give online.

You may be asked to fill out a visitor card. It is fine to leave it blank. If you enjoyed the morning, come back the next week, or try a Friday evening service or a feast celebration. Many people visit a few congregations before one feels like home. Our directory makes it easy to compare the ones near you.

Common questions