Friday Night Experience

About

It is our pleasure to introduce to you “The Friday Night Experience”. It includes the complete Friday night services, beginning with Kabbalat Shabbat, Maariv, Kiddush and the Grace After Meals. This project is designed for everyone from beginners who do not yet read Hebrew, who will benefit from following along with the transliterated prayers, to those well versed, who will enjoy the insights and commentary (Nusach Ari).

This prayer companion was originally crafted by Rabbi Mendel Goldman as a memento to share with guests on the occasion of his wedding, back in September of 2024 in Miami Florida. And after spending several months in Cape Town, at Gardens Shul, serving as the assistant rabbi and director of education, he created this parting gift, an updated edition of the “Friday Night Experience”, tailored and customized for the Gardens Shul (Nusach Ashkenaz).

We hope that the masses will enjoy reading the commentary which elaborates on some of the rich history of our prayers and explains the flow and structure of the prayer book.

The sacred day of Shabbat is a taste of the time of Moshiach. May we merit to have the ultimate “Friday Night Experience” in the era of global rest and peace together with the true and complete Redemption – in the most immediate future!