Shabbat Services - Friday at 6 pm

Services are streamed live on facebook for the general public and on Zoom for members of the SMS.

We look forward to seeing you!

"Friday night services are short and friendly. I have brought several non-Jewish friends to give them a taste of what Jewish services are like." -- J.F.  

About Us

Learning

We are a community of learners. We hold classes, workshops, lectures and discussions for all ages, from our youngest children to our oldest adults.  Here, we learn about our history, customs and rituals.  Here, we explore what it means to be Jews in the modern world, utilizing the teachings and insights from our past.   

Prayer & Worship

Shabbat Evening Services

Our Shabbat evening services begin at 6:00 pm and conclude with a festive oneg in our social hall.  Led by Rabbi Shira, we use a prayer book created by our own members. During these services, spirited singing fills our sanctuary as we welcome in Shabbat.  

High Holy Day Services

We begin the Days of Awe with a S’lichot service under the stars.  There, the rabbi leads us in song, and offers words which prepare us for the process of repentance.

For Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, we use the Reform makhzor (prayer book), Mishkan HaNefesh, "Sanctuary of the Soul."  With its modern English interpretations of the Hebrew prayers, we have the opportunity to connect deeply to these holy days.  Our rabbi’s sermons are especially moving, warm, and thought-provoking.  Our cantor fills the sanctuary with beautiful and uplifting music.

During the afternoon of Rosh Hashanah, hundreds of us gather at the beach for the ceremony of Tashlich to sing, pray, and symbolically cast our sins into the water.  This is one of our most wonderful events, both spiritually and socially.

Join Our Community       

Whether you are interested in celebrating the holidays, looking to deepen your engagement with Judaism, or simply looking to join a Jewish community, there is a place for you at The Santa Monica Synagogue. For more information, click on the Join tab.

"Love the SMS! I've belonged to several Temples and by far this one is the BEST!"  -- T.S.

Our Holocaust Torah

The Santa Monica Synagogue is blessed to be able to use a Torah recovered from Susice in the Czech Republic after World War II.  The Torah is on loan to us from the Memorial Scrolls Trust (https://memorialscrollstrust.org).  For more information about our Holocaust Torah, see our Worship page.