A group of friends from the West Side Minyan and Minyan Rimonim (both of which are part of Congregation Ansche Chesed) founded TeleTefila shortly after Purim, 2020, when it became clear we could no longer meet in person, due to the Covid pandemic. Since then, our merry band has expanded to include friends from Massachusetts to Delaware.
Starting in 2023, both Minyan Rimonim and the West Side Minyan began holding hybrid services, where you can participate in person or on ZOOM. TeleTefila continues to meet online on the other Shabbatot and on Festivals.
The West Side Minyan, Minyan Rimonim, and TeleTefila have significant overlap in membership. They are, however, independent of one another and have some differences in practice. Hopefully, this chart will clarify the differences:
| West Side Minyan | Minyan Rimonim | TeleTefila | |
| Format | Hybrid | Hybrid | Online |
| Masking | Required except when leading davening, leining, or giving a d'var Torah. | Required except when leading davening, leining, or giving a d'var Torah. | You're in your home, do what you like! |
| Baalei T'fila and Baalei K'ria | Lay | Lay | Lay |
| Egalitarian | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Siddur | "Slim Shalom" | "Slim Shalom" | Whatever you like |
| Where | 6th floor of Ansche Chesed and Zoom | 6th floor of Ansche Chesed and Zoom | Zoom |
| Counting a minyan | In the room + people visible on Zoom | In the room | People visible on Zoom |
| Time | 9:40 am: Birchot haShachar & P'zukei D'zimra 10:00 am: Shacharit |
10:00 am: Birchot haShachar, P'zukei D'zimra, and Shacharit | 9:40 am: Birchot haShachar & P'zukei D'zimra 10:00 am: Shacharit |
| Shabbat and Festivals | Meets on the second Shabbat of each month, and holds Festival services when they fall on the second Shabbat. West Side Minyan continues to hold High Holy Day services, as it has for many years. | Third Shabbat of each month, but does not meet on Festivals even when they fall on the third Shabbat. | Every Shabbat and Festival that does not conflict with WSM or Rimonim. (Usually just the first day of Festivals.) Also, TeleTefila observes Havdalah together online and a Kaffeeklatsch on Wednesday evenings.
|
| Shacharit | Heicha Kedusha | Silent, followed by Reader's Repitition | Heicha Kedusha |
| Kadishes | All | All | Some |
| Torah | Triennial. Maftir aliya only on special occasions | Full K'ria with Maftir aliya | Triennial. No Torah scroll; no aliyot. Maftir aliya only on special occasions. Aliya Chatima in English. |
| Haftara | No | Yes | Yes. If the Sephardic Haftarah is significantly shorter, we read that. |
| Musaf | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Governance | Steering Committee | Vaad | Leadership & Staff |
| Coordinators | Davening: Iris Leining: Barbara Sontz DT: Carol |
Davening: Nos Leining: Larry W (odd months); Ellen (even months) DT: Jeremy G |
Leadership & Staff |
| Website | http://www.westsideminyan.org/index.htm It's outdated but there's a lot of interesting information, particularly under the Resources tab. | http://minyanrimonim.org/ Outdated. | You're already here! |
| Order of service and page numbers | Order of service and page numbers | ||
| Guide for davening leaders and Shamashim | WSM guide | Rimonim guide | --- |
| Page number charts | |||
If you have questions, drop a note to info@TeleTefila.com . We'd love to hear from you.
|
These times, for New York, NY, come from HebCal.com and are provided as a convenience. They are updated every sunday evening. We do not observe everything on the HebCal list. See our Calendar below for details. Havdalah: We follow the AppleBank calendar (which has the Haskamah of Rav Applebank) for the correct time to make Havdalah. The Rav's Havdalah calculations — which are reflected in our Calendar — vary from Hebcal by only a couple minutes. Instructions: If you click on the name of the parsha, you'll get the chapter and verse for this week's readings on the HebCal website. You'll also see "Pocket Torah," audio recordings of every Torah verse, according to the notation of A.W. Binder and Lawrence Avery. From HebCal, you can click and get the actual Hebrew and English texts of the readings, curtesy of the Sefaria.org website. |
We're now in the year 5784, the second year of the triennial Torah reading cycle.
You are invited to every service and activity on this Calendar!
| Sat, Dec 2 | TELETEFILA
Shabbat Vayishlach 9:40 am — P'sukei D'zimra (Verses of Song): Led by Ilana In P'sukei D'zimra, we relax and open ourselves to our spiritual side. It's like a prequel to the formal service that follows. Depending on who’s leading, P'sukei D'zimra may consist of Psalms, kavanot, or meditation. Login is the same as for the Shabbat morning service. See http://www.teletefila.com/login.html#connecting. Page numbers can be found here. 10:00 am — Shacharit: Miriam H-K Torah (Genesis) —Triennial reading:
Haftarah Obadiah 1:1-21 · 21 p’sukim: Debby M Shacharit begins promptly, 10 minutes after the posted starting time.
TELETEFILA
5:14 pm — Havdalah: led by Ben Havdalah begins promptly, 10 minutes after the posted starting time. Login information for Havdalah can be found at http://www.teletefila.com/login.html#havdalah. [Words for Miriam haN'viah: https://ritualwell.org/ritual/miriam-ha-nviah-1 ] [Deb Kayman chants Havdalah as her father, Harold Kahen, used to.] |
| Wed, Dec 6 7:15 pm |
Kaffeklatsch Join us for our weekly schmoozefest! See http://www.teletefila.com/login.html#kaffee for login info. |
| Thu, Dec 7 | First Night of Chanukah Light first candle |
| Sat, Dec 9 | WEST SIDE MINYAN HYBRID SERVICE
Shabbat Vayeishev 9:40 am — P'sukei D'zimra (Verses of Song): Led by TBA In P'sukei D'zimra, we relax and open ourselves to our spiritual side. It's like a prequel to the formal service that follows. Depending on who’s leading, P'sukei D'zimra may consist of Psalms, kavanot, or meditation. Login is the same as for the Shabbat morning service. See http://www.teletefila.com/login.html#connecting. 10:00 am SHARP! — Shacharit: TBA Shamash: TBA Hallel malei Torah (Genesis) — Triennial reading - 2 scrolls Gabbai: selected by the first on-site leiner
NO Haftarah at WSM hybrid services Psalm 30 for Chanuka About WSM hybrid services, including a guide for leading davening: http://www.westsideminyan.org/wsm-davening-guide.html If attending in person:
If attending on ZOOM:
TELETEFILA
5:15 pm — Havdalah on ZOOM: led by TBA Havdalah begins promptly, 10 minutes after the posted starting time. Light 3rd Chanuka candle, after we make Havdala. Followed by schmoozing! Login information for Havdalah can be found at http://www.teletefila.com/login.html#havdalah. [Words for Miriam haN'viah: https://ritualwell.org/ritual/miriam-ha-nviah-1 ] [Deb Kayman chants Havdalah as her father, Harold Kahen, used to.] |
| Wed, Dec 13 7:15 pm |
Kaffeklatsch We light the 7th Chanukah candle, followed by our weekly schmoozefest! See http://www.teletefila.com/login.html#kaffee for login info. |
| Sat, Dec 16 | RIMONIM HYBRID SERVICE
Shabbat Miketz 10:00 am SHARP — P'sukei D'zimra & Shacharit: TBA Shamash: TBA Torah (Genesis) — Full k'ria: Gabbai: TBA
Haftarah: I Kings 3:15-4:1 · 15 p’sukim: TBA About Rimonim hybrid services, including a guide for leading davening: http://minyanrimonim.org/rimonim-davening-guide.html If attending in person:
If attending on ZOOM:
TELETEFILA
5:15 pm — Havdalah on ZOOM: led by TBA Havdalah begins promptly, 10 minutes after the posted starting time. Login information for Havdalah/Kiddush L'vanah can be found at http://www.teletefila.com/login.html#havdalah. [Words for Miriam haN'viah: https://ritualwell.org/ritual/miriam-ha-nviah-1 ] [Deb Kayman chants Havdalah as her father, Harold Kahen, used to.]
KIDDUSH L'VANAH — following Havdalah We welcome the first sliver of moon after Rosh Chodesh, with a Psalm, a blessing, and some singing. And we do it outdoors, in front of each of our apartment buildings. Take your cell phones and tablets out with you, so you can share the experience with the rest of the TeleTefila chevra! Kiddush L'vana will be led by TBA Kiddush L'vanah liturgy. We have two versions to choose from: [We use the same ZOOM session as for Havdalah, above.] |
| Wed, Dec 20 7:15 pm |
Kaffeklatsch Join us for our weekly schmoozefest! See http://www.teletefila.com/login.html#kaffee for login info. |
| Sat, Dec 23 | TELETEFILA
Shabbat Vayigash 9:40 am — P'sukei D'zimra (Verses of Song): Led by TBA In P'sukei D'zimra, we relax and open ourselves to our spiritual side. It's like a prequel to the formal service that follows. Depending on who’s leading, P'sukei D'zimra may consist of Psalms, kavanot, or meditation. Login is the same as for the Shabbat morning service. See http://www.teletefila.com/login.html#connecting. Page numbers can be found here. 10:00 am — Shacharit: TBA Torah (Genesis) —Triennial reading:
Haftarah: Ezekiel 37:15-28 · 14 p’sukim - TBA Shacharit begins promptly, 10 minutes after the posted starting time.
TELETEFILA
5:18 pm — Havdalah: led by TBA Havdalah begins promptly, 10 minutes after the posted starting time. Login information for Havdalah can be found at http://www.teletefila.com/login.html#havdalah. [Words for Miriam haN'viah: https://ritualwell.org/ritual/miriam-ha-nviah-1 ] [Deb Kayman chants Havdalah as her father, Harold Kahen, used to.] |
| Sun, Dec 24 | Christmas Eve |
| Mon, Dec 25 | Christmas Day |
| Wed, Dec 27 7:15 pm |
Kaffeklatsch Join us for our weekly schmoozefest! See http://www.teletefila.com/login.html#kaffee for login info. |
| Sat, Dec 30 | TELETEFILA
Shabbat Va-y'chi 9:40 am — P'sukei D'zimra (Verses of Song): Led by TBA In P'sukei D'zimra, we relax and open ourselves to our spiritual side. It's like a prequel to the formal service that follows. Depending on who’s leading, P'sukei D'zimra may consist of Psalms, kavanot, or meditation. Login is the same as for the Shabbat morning service. See http://www.teletefila.com/login.html#connecting. Page numbers can be found here. 10:00 am — Shacharit: TBA Torah (Genesis) —Triennial reading:
Chazak /Chizki Haftarah: I Kings 2:1-12 · 12 p’sukim - TBA Shacharit begins promptly, 10 minutes after the posted starting time.
TELETEFILA
5:22 pm — Havdalah: led by TBA Havdalah begins promptly, 10 minutes after the posted starting time. Login information for Havdalah can be found at http://www.teletefila.com/login.html#havdalah. [Words for Miriam haN'viah: https://ritualwell.org/ritual/miriam-ha-nviah-1 ] [Deb Kayman chants Havdalah as her father, Harold Kahen, used to.] |
| Dec 31 | New Year's Eve |
