4

Some (orthodox) synagogues in the United States offer kidush after Shabas-morning services every week; others do not.

  • Is this division roughly along 'type' of synagogue? For example, do most Young Israel synagogues offer weekly kidush, most Agudath Israel synagogues not, most hasidic ones yes, most 'yeshivish' ones not, or something? If so, what are some of the 'types' that do/don't offer weekly kidush?
  • Especially if the answer to the preceding bullet point is "no", what considerations go into the decision to offer or not offer weekly kidush?
Improve this question
2
  • 3
    Some has to do with the cost involved. In my shul, the hashkama minyan has a weekly kiddush because they have guys who pony up the dough, but the main minyan doesn't.
    – rosends
    Commented Feb 17, 2013 at 3:16
  • I think you'll find a variety of hashkafos among different Young Israels.
    – Double AA ♦
    Commented Feb 17, 2013 at 4:33

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
5

To the best of my knowledge each Shul makes their own decision, based on different factors such as cost, distance people have to walk, size of Congregation, time limits, etc.

Foe example I have Davened in Shuls where the Rabbi wants to attract a crowd and supplies a Kiddush every week for that reason. There is a Shul that I Daven in that has a Kiddush every Shabbos Mevarchim. The reason they have it only every 4-5 weeks is due to the expense of supplying it weekly. They do it once a month in order to have time for people to Shmuz one with another and to stay connected with each other. I know of a Shul where the average congregant walks at least 1 mile and therefore they supply a weekly Kiddush at the end of Davening.

In short, I think the rule is that there are no rules, and everyone does what works for them.

Improve this answer
5

It has almost entirely to do with demand, cost, and volunteerism.

At the Shul where I grew up, an Agudah-type, but unaffiliated Shul, there is a hot, sit-down Kiddush every week, and this has been the case for at least 30 years. Other Shuls in that area adopted various types of Kiddush (hot, cold, sit-down, buffet, etc.) over the years, almost entirely to keep up. (The irony is that my old Shul was rather small, and the larger Shuls in the area were the ones trying to keep up.)

The Shul I've attended for the past several years, a Young Israel synagogue, did not regularly have a Kiddush for many years, but over time some of the various Minyanim (there are several) began to serve a Kiddush, either every week, for Shabbath Mevarechim, or whenever there were funds available, and in the past couple of years they've started having Kiddush virtually every week at almost every Minyan.

Again, it's all about demand, cost, and volunteers.

Improve this answer

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .