Services

Shabbat services are held weekly. We are always pleased to see and welcome visitors. Friday Minchah (Afternoon) and Ma'ariv (Evening) Services are also run on a regular basis, please email us for details. The Shabbat Shacharit (Morning) Services are followed by Kiddush in the Sir Hermann Gollancz Hall. In the autumn and winter months the Shabbat Mincha (Afternoon) Service is held immediately after the Kiddush. Services are also held on Yomim Tovim (Holy Days). Our festival services are at similar times to our Shabbat services. Services are conducted by members and visiting Rabbis and ministers. For example during our recent Rosh Hashanna and Yom Kippur Services we welcomed Rabbi Mark Daniels who conducted the services alongside our members.

Barmitvahs, & Weddings

Many Barmitzvahs & Weddings have been held at our Synagogue over the years. We are are recommended venue in the Jewish Wedding Directory and the only orthodox Synagogue in Berkshire officially registered to hold such events. If you are looking to have a small orthodox and kosher catered Wedding or Barmitzvah up to around 100 guests in very traditional surroundings outside of London, at an extremely competitive price compared with London venues, then we think you’ll find our facilities are ideal for this. Alternatively , if you are looking to have a much larger function in and around Reading, why not consider having the Wedding or Barmitzvah ceremony in our wonderful Grade II listed Synagogue. This can be followed with the function at one of the many local venues which hold such events including one, with excellent facilities, which explicitly enables us to Kosher cater our functions there on a Sunday for a very competetive price. With our local knowledge, celebrating in Reading could be an very attractive option. Please contact us for further details of how we may hep you. Social Events We regularly hold social events withing the community, both at a personal level and as community events. For example we’ve had and are having soon: • An Evening of Hidden Treasures - antiques valuation and supper event • Chanuka event and candle lighting for the children and the community as a whole • Challah Bake for the children and older members of the community • Sit down Shabbat lunches as part of the wider Shabbat UK initiatives • Italian Dine and Magic Evening with celebrity Magician, [Rabbi] Geoffrey Shisler • Tu Bishvat (New Year for Trees) community lunch • Talk – Discovering the lighter side of science We have further events planned for later in the year and next year. For further details of dates and times please contact us.

Groups

We have many groups, catering for all ages and tastes both within our community, on the Synagogue premises, in the adjacent hall and in memebrs houses. In addition we have links to the wider Reading and Berkshire community, e.g.: • Council of Christians and Jews • Reading Inter-faith Group • Berkshire Jewish Representative Council (BJRC) Whether your interests are educational, social or cultural there will be something to suit you.

Other Facilities

Reading Hebrew Congregation has a number of additional facilities that help us to sustain Jewish life in the area ... • Kosher Food - please contact us if you wish to order anything • Judaica - a selection of books, cards, etc for all occasions and festivals is available or can be ordered as required • Library - a good place to browse, contemplate and discover • Sir Herman Gollancz Hall - our Community Hall is used in many ways for both community and external use. The hall has a kosher kitchen to support community functions and is available for Barmitzvahs and Wedding.s It is also available at certain times, subject to terms and conditions, for external hire to local groups, etc. • Mikvah - In addition to the above we have have access to the Oxford Slager Mikvah