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Attending services on vacation

MoFreeMoFree member
First Anniversary First Comment
in Jewish Weddings
Have you attended services at a synagogue abroad? Last year one of the highlights of our time in Prague was Friday night services at Beit Simchas Synagogue. I just read abuot a liberal congregation in Paris that holds services in English. If the timing works out I'd love to go on Friday evening. Most synagogues in Europe are traditional Orthodox with men and women sitting separately and would not want to attend because I prefer sitting with my husband, not strangers. However, this particular synagogue sounds very interesting.
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Re: Attending services on vacation

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    BenandDinaBenandDina
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    edited December 2011
    Molly, I had attended services at a gorgeous synagogue in Rome; it was absolutely lovely and very moving.  The congregation in Paris sounds interesting - I hope you enjoy the services.  Have a wonderful trip; I'm working on writing back to you on your earlier email, so happy readiny once you get back.Enjoy every minute of the trip!
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    Knottie_22381855Knottie_22381855
    edited December 2011
    I spent a month in Singapore on business about 10 years ago and went to shul once when I was there, just to experience it.  It was wonderful and the congregants were so inviting to me!
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    ShoshieShoshie member
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    edited December 2011
    My mother and I went to a Purim service in Paris at an Orthodox shul (the women were in a balcony). No one wished us a happy purim or even said hello -- they just started at the two blondes who were speaking English.Meanwhile the non-Jews were very friendly.If it is liberal, I say go for it.
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    silversparkssilversparks member
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    edited December 2011
    If you're interested, go for it! My only advice is that particularly in many European communities security at synagogues can be very tight, so if you can contact them ahead of time to let them know you'll be coming you might get a better reception.
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    2dBride2dBride member
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    edited December 2011
    We once found ourselves in Mexico City (having arrived that day, and have to wait until the next day to fly out to my sister's place down in Chiapas) on the night of the first seder.  We found a synagogue that had a community seder in Spanish and English.  It was a fascinating seder--just looking at the transliterations of Hebrew into Spanish was an education.  They were frisking everyone at the door, and they made my son take a picture with his Fisher-Price camera to prove it was not a bomb.  (That was interesting--my son, not understanding at all what they were on about, kept trying to explain that there was nothing interesting to photograph, and the lighting was all wrong, etc.)
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    msglassmsglass
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    edited December 2011
    The semester that I studied abroad in London, I went to an Orthodox synagogue for services and the seder. Women did have to sit in the balcony, but everyone was together for the seder, which was nice. It was very cool to experience - I highly recommend it! I would agree with pp about security. Definitely a good idea to call ahead and see if you need to be "cleared". Enjoy :)
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    penaltyshotpenaltyshot
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    edited December 2011
    I went by myself to Yom Kippur services while studying abroad in London. I was a bit uncomfortable being alone in the women's balcony, but the lady who sat next to me was nice. She actually suggested a nearby synagogue that was more conservative in nature, which was awesome.I was just in Venice last week and when visiting the Jewish Quarter on Friday morning, we were invited to services that evening. It was a really nice gesture and made us feel very welcome in the community (we weren't able to attend, which was kinda sucky though).
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