Hundreds of people — some wearing flower crowns, ’60s band T-shirts and light-up headbands — gathered on Friday for the 12th annual “Beatles Shabbat” at Congregation Ner Tamid, where the theme was peace, love, and happiness.
Before musical performances began at the temple, which is on North Valle Verde Drive just north of the 215 Beltway in Henderson, donations including blankets, feminine care products, and nonperishable groceries from congregation members piled up in the lobby. All would be transported and donated to those displaced by the wildfires in Southern California “as soon as the truck filled,” Rabbi Sanford Akselrad said.
“In times like these, we need to look for new miracles. I agree and offer this reminder: seek, and you shall find. This phrase from our tradition isn’t just about passive observation. It’s an active call to search for meaning and hope, even in darkness,” said Akselrad. “When we make an effort to look beyond destruction, we can discover the preservation of life and the community’s resilience. We have that sadness, but then we’re faced with what comes the next day, which, for us, is called Shabbat.”
Shabbat, which takes place from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday, is a Jewish holy day recognized weekly. The day commemorates the creation of the world and the Israelites’ Exodus from slavery in Egypt. It’s also a day of rest and relaxation.
The event kicked off around 6:30 p.m., with Congregation Ner Tamid’s cantor, Jessica Hutchings, leading the Shabbatones, the temple’s musical worship group, in an adaptation of the Beatles’ “A Little Help From my Friends,” called “Shalom Aleichem.”
“Hey Jude,” “Come Together,” and John Lennon’s “Imagine” were also among the classic songs paired with Jewish prayers.
The synagogue invited current and prospective members to dress in “Beatles-inspired regalia” and “rock out with the music.” As live music rang throughout the room, congregation members swayed and sang along. Children ran around, waving glow sticks in the aisles.
According to Congregation Ner Tamid, Hutchings was credited with creating the Beatles Shabbat phenomenon, which has been performed at synagogues around the globe.
“When the idea came to me, the prayers began to flow into the melodies of the most iconic musical group that ever lived, The Beatles,” Hutchings said in a news release from Congregation Ner Tamid. “It was not until I brought the service to Congregation Ner Tamid’s Shabbatones band that Beatles Shabbat truly made its mark. For years, it’s been a staple at CNT.”
Contact Akiya Dillon at adillon@reviewjournal.com.