What We Do

Our programming schedule is one of the most extensive of any smaller congregation in the country! Among our offerings are the following:

• An active and vibrant Sisterhood
• An involved Brotherhood
• An enthusiastic Youth Group
• A Caring Congregation Committee
• Social Action Activities
• Programs for Interfaith Families
• A Volunteer Choir
• Social and Fundraising Events

How We Pray

Central to Congregation Children of Israel is Shabbat worship. We have a family service on the first Friday of each month at 6:00 PM followed by a Congregational Shabbat dinner.  Otherwise, our Friday night Shabbat services begin at 7:30 PM. During the summer our services begin at 6:15 PM. We use Mishkan Tifilah as our Shabbat prayerbook. As music plays an important part in our services, we have a part time Cantorial Soloist as well as pianist. Our volunteer choir participates in our services once a month. We also have brief Shabbat morning services, followed by Torah study. Once a month we have a Congregational Havdalah service.

Tot Shabbat, designed for our youngest congregants and their families, is held one Saturday morning each month. The High Holy Days are a special time in our  congregational life. We pray from Gates of Repentance on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. In addition to regular services, we offer children’s services.

We celebrate the holidays of our people with great enthusiasm. We hold an annual Sukkot service and picnic, dance with the Torahs on Simchat Torah, cook latkes for Chanukah, celebrate Purim (some years with both a children’s service and an “adults only” celebration), and hold a community Seder for Passover.

How We Learn

The cornerstone of our activities is a life-long educational program. Our Bart D. Wittenberg Religious School includes the Augusta Jewish Community Sunday School (AJCSS) and our Wednesday Hebrew classes. The AJCSS is a combined effort of the Temple and Adas Yeshurun Synagogue and spans kindergarten to seventh grade. The Rabbi meets regularly with our teenagers to continue their Jewish education. Bar/Bat Mitzvah training is available to all boys and girls. Confirmation is held at the end of 10th grade. We also boast a fine adult education program, including the following:

• Introduction to Judaism
• Adult Hebrew
• Adult Bar/Bat Mitzvah
• Bible Study
• Conversion Program
• Luncheons, brunches and speakers