Ritual Practices
Ritual Practices
The tefillah practices of Darkhei Noam reflect the minyan's commitment to finding opportunities for all members to play active roles in prayer within the framework of halakha.
Mechitza
Darkhei Noam’s mechitza is designed to create 3 separate domains: a davening space for men, a davening space for women, and a public ritual space in the center, which houses the Torah reading and provides a space for the ba’alai tefillah (the women and men who lead tefillah) to stand while leading davening.
Davening
Women lead the following services:
Kabbalat Shabbat
Pseukei D’Zimra
Torah Service
Yizkor
Hallel (except on Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah)
Women always lead the first three services above, while men and women split leading Yizkor and Hallel. Men always lead Shacharit, Musaf, Mincha, and Maariv.
During the High Holidays, women are often paired with men to co-lead services, specifically the expanded piyutim. On Rosh Hashana a man and woman share the shofar blowing.
Younger boys and girls often lead the end of services.
Torah Reading
Adults of all genders fully participate in kriyat haTorah (Torah reading) in the context of a traditional minyan of ten men. We divide the aliyot among congregants each week. Similarly, people of all genders partake in reading megilot.
A man and woman serve together as gabbaim during Torah reading. For the purpose of receiving aliyot, a woman is considered to be a yisrael.
Lifecycle Events
Lifecycle events are marked at Darkhei Noam. New parents often receive aliyot to mark the birth of a new child, which is often accompanied by a baby naming ceremony for girls. Children coming of age celebrate their b'nei mitzvahs with the community, and the Shabbat before a wedding, partners receive aliyot as part of their aufruf weekend. Adults of all genders recite kaddish when in mourning or to mark the yahrzeit of loved ones.
Learning
Darkhei Noam is committed to providing as many venues as possible for the community to grow and learn. Every Shabbat morning there is a dvar Torah before Musaf. In addition, scholars are invited to learn with our minyan several times a year, offering the community opportunities for extended learning and discussions on various topics as well as communal meals with the scholars-in-residence.
Please view our Halakhic Resources page for more details regarding Darkhei Noam's ritual practices.
Ritual Tools
Darkhei Noam has developed a series of tools and handouts for use during services. We are happy to share these with other partnership minyanim.
General
Torah Aliyah Cards (set to print double-sided, cut, and laminated)
Torah Blessing Sheets, with half-kaddish and birkat gomel on the back
End of Davening Order, for children leading the end of services
Gabbai Booklets
Gabbai Tools - a 52-page booklet with public prayers, various misheberakhs for special occasions, and page announcements for holidays. Individual prayers can be printed as separate pages.
Gabbai Handbook - a 40-page booklet of ritual notes as to how Darkhei Noam operates, and a calendar guide for the year to help prepare for various shabbatot and holidays.
Holidays
Liturgy breakdown for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur with potential women's roles in a co-leading model highlighted
Page number charts for Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, listing various commonly used mahzorim
Reshuyot for Hatan/Kallat Torah and Hatan/Kallat Bereishit on Simchat Torah
Wed, April 30 2025
2 Iyyar 5785
Tonight's Sefirah Count Is 18
היום שמונה עשר יום שהם שני שבועות וארבעה ימים לעמר |
Today's Calendar
Yom Hazikaron |
Sefirat HaOmer- counting the Omer. : 12:00am |
This week's Torah portion is Parshat Tazria-Metzora
Shabbat, May 3 |
Candle Lighting
Friday, May 2, 7:35pm |
Havdalah
Motzei Shabbat, May 3, 8:36pm |
Yom Hazikaron
Wednesday, Apr 30 |
Upcoming Events
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Sunday ,
AprApril 13 , 2025
Sunday, Apr 13th 9:00p to Sunday, Jun 1st 12:00p
Sefirat haOmer, the counting of the omer/”sheaf,” refers to the commandment to count the 49 days from the second day of Pesach until Shavuot. In biblical times, these 7 weeks comprised the grain harvest, beginning with barley (for which the barley omer offering was brought on Pesach) and concluding with wheat (on Shavuot). Although we no longer bring these offerings at the Temple, we continue to count the 49 days. While the biblical origin of sefirat ha’omer is agricultural, this time period also connects Pesach, the celebration of Israelite liberation from slavery, and Shavuot, the culmination of that liberation process whereby the Israelites became a realized nation with their own Torah. Counting the omer each year can remind us to always elevate ourselves from an enslaved mentality to one of freedom. We perform the counting each evening after sundown. We recite a bracha and then officially count the day of the omer, indicated by weeks and days. If the counting at night is missed, we count in the morning/during the day but without a bracha. If a whole day is missed, we continue counting the rest of the omer but without a bracha. The bracha and formula for counting the omer each night can be found here: Siddur Sim Shalom Sefirat haOmer -
Saturday ,
MayMay 3 , 2025
Shabbat, May 3rd 1:00p to 3:00p
Celebrate Israel with Darkhei Noam. Join us for a family friendly Shabbat lunch. The program includes children's programing, a special speaker and musical performance and sing along. -
Sunday ,
MayMay 4 , 2025
Sunday, May 4th 11:00a to 1:00p
Are you looking for a way to be outside in this wonderful spring weather? Darkhei's Jewish Youth Climate Movement group has just the event for you! We are organizing a park cleanup on Sunday, May 4th from 11 AM to 1 PM. We will meet at the entrance to Central Park on 85th and move to the swings and around the Great Lawn. All people of all ages are welcome-invite your friends! We will provide refreshments and supplies! Hope to see you there! -
Saturday ,
MayMay 10 , 2025
Shabbat, May 10th 1:00p to 3:00p
Register to either host or be a guest for Shabbat Lunch on Shabbat May 10. Open to Darkhei Noam members only. -
Sunday ,
MayMay 18 , 2025
Sunday, May 18th 11:30a to 4:00p
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Friday ,
JunJune 13 , 2025
Friday, Jun 13th 7:00p to Shabbat, Jun 14th 8:00p
Sara Tillinger Wolkenfeld is a Rabbinic Fellow of the David Hartman Center in Jerusalem. She serves as Chief Learning Officer at Sefaria, the innovative online database and interface for Jewish texts. This Scholar in Residence is sponsored by Ozzie Haller In memory of Jack O Haller MD and his excitement for Jewish learning.
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