Pop Up Synagogue NYC newest offering of Sim Shalom Online Synagogue

Pop in to Sim Shalom’s new Pop Up Synagogue this upcoming Friday night, December 6th. Noting the plethora of empty storefronts in the city that have inspired an emergence of pop up retail shops, Rabbi Steve Blane, visioned a Pop Up Synagogue. “People are in need of a place to worship that is simple, free and easy to access. We want to create community around New York and offer services that are joyful and meaningful.” Pop-Up Synagogue of NYC is the vision of Rabbi Steven Continue reading →

Holiday Sing-a-Long in Central Park

Pop on over to Sim Shalom Live and join Rabbi Steve Blane and guest Pastor Robert Brashear for a Holiday singalong at Bethesda Terrace in Central Park on Sunday, December 22nd. Since Hanukah and Christmas coincide this year it only makes sense to enjoy an interfaith celebration to welcome the season of lights. The event is December 22nd from 2:00 – 3:00pm and is free but please visit here to register and for more information. Hanukah is celebrated for eight days and is called the Continue reading →

Sim Shalom High Holiday Services a Big Hit for a Sold Out Crowd

The Jewish High Holidays, the holiest time of the Jewish Year, begin with Rosh Hashana (New Year) and conclude with Yom Kippur (Day of Repentance). Rabbi Steven Blane and Sim Shalom online synagogue celebrated awesome jazz inspired services in this year 5779 with participants live in New York at two (2) sold out services. Set in an iconic Greenwich Village club Rabbi Steven brought together dozens of live attendees and hundreds of others globally online to streamed services. Sim Shalom, the online synagogue, was created Continue reading →

Shofar Blower, Evan Kremin Joins Rabbi Steve Blane and Sim Shalom at the Bitter End

Sim Shalom Online Synagogue will hold live High Holiday services at the Bitter End in Greenwich Village, New York featuring Rabbi Steve Blane and his quintet: Jack Glotman on Piano, Carol Sudhalter on Sax and Flute, Liz Taub on Fiddle, Kevin Hailey on Bass and Frank Levitano on Drums. We are thrilled to announce that Evan Kremin will be joining us again in 2018 (5779). Evan has blown shofar at the jazz inspired Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur services for the past four (4) years. Continue reading →

Shofar and Saxaphone Provide Awesome Sounds for the High Holidays 5779

On Monday, September 10th and Wednesday, September 19th Jews of all denominations searching for a vanguard place to celebrate the High Holidays will be offered a jazz service with vocals led by Rabbi Cantor Steven Blaneaccompanied by saxophone, piano, flute, drums, bass and fiddle. The participatory service will elate the spiritual uplift of new beginnings, welcoming the Jewish New Year with the raw emotion of jazz arranged from songs of Jewish liturgy. For those who will be in New York City, tickets are available for Continue reading →

Sim Shalom Online Synagogue and Rabbi Steve Blane Celebrate Passover Freedom

On Friday night, March 30th Rabbi Steve Blane of Sim Shalom, the online synagogue, led a Passover seder to a sold out crowd at the Knickerbocker Bar and Grill in New York’s Greenwich Village. Dozens of wandering Jews enjoyed a typical Passover meal while also celebrating a joyful seder with Blane on the ukulele. Watch here. Passover is the season and celebration of the Hebrew people’s liberation from bondage in Egypt. Sim Shalom honors the Jewish love of freedom by providing unique services online for Continue reading →

A Tree Grows in Florida as Sim Shalom Online Synagogue Plants the Seeds of Wisdom

Sim Shalom Online Synagogue and Rabbi Steve Blane held a virtual Tu B’Shevat seder in anticipation of the holiday that begins at sundown on Tuesday night, January 30th. And the tree planted by the Blane family in honor of Tu B’Shevat last year is thriving even in post hurricane Florida. Tu B’Shevat is a little known Jewish holiday whose ancient roots are taking hold in today’s world. Tu B’Shevat is a celebration of trees and by extension the environment. Trees have always held a special Continue reading →

Sim Shalom Broadcasts “Live from Winnipeg” at Installation of Two Newly Ordained JSLI Rabbis

On Saturday, November 4th Rabbi Steve Blane installed Rabbis Matthew Leibl and Anibal Mass at an installation ceremony at Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Winnipeg Canada before a congregation of 500. Rabbi Alan Green, the Senior rabbi, is retiring and is implementing a seamless transition. Rabbis Leibl and Mass studied with Rabbi Blane at Jewish Spiritual Leaders’ Institute and were ordained in July 2017. Rabbi Blane notes, “The congregation and the two Rabbis are blessed to share this experience of innovation, rejuvenation and mutual respect and Continue reading →

What is Jewish Universalism and Why Does it Matter?

Rabbi Blane writes: To answer those questions, I need to revisit a bit of personal history. “When I first conceived of Jewish Universalism, it was during a transitional period when I declined my synagogue’s offer of a contract renewal in January, and I had to remain in my position until July. For Rabbis and Cantors, those months are a time of soul searching- and job searching. We tend to just “walk through the motions” and show up and perform our duties but often devoid of Continue reading →

Jewish Spiritual Leaders Institute Ordains 6 New Rabbis Trained Untraditionally Online.,

JSLI – Jewish Spiritual Leaders Institute, the Online Rabbinical and Cantorial School of Sim Shalom, celebrated freedom in diversity and flexibility on July 4th weekend at the 13th Class Ordination weekend. The six (6) new Rabbis, from a range of backgrounds, four (4) from the United States and two (2) from Canada shared a classroom on the internet and a passion for Jewish Religious studies. They completed traditional Rabbinic studies with a focus on contemporary Jewish issues and problems that a 21st Century Jew faces. Continue reading →