Join us for our special High Holidays – all online – with a socially distanced Jazz trio and special guests Rabbis and Cantors.  Read more about our special guests below: *Selichot- Friday Sept. 11   7pm (streamed free on Simshalom.com)  with Guest Cantors DENISE HEITMANN & JOANNA LIND * Erev Rosh Hashana- Friday Sept. 18   7pm (attend only with link) with Guest Cantor NINA FINE   (High Holiday Message from Rabbi MIRIAM VAN RAALTE) * Rosh H Morning- Sat. Sept. 19   10:30am with Continue reading →

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 →

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 →

Rabbi and Cantor Steven Blane has been busy adding to his prolific slate of songs and will release a new Hanukkah EP as well as a brand new Christmas song on November 5th. The six song EP, entitled “Hanukah” includes five traditional Hanukkah songs with new English adaptations and a song entitled “A Little Light” which he wrote for Hanukkah years ago, when he was a Hebrew School teacher. Blane says, “It seems to me that we need light, joy and inspiration in these dark Continue reading →

Sim Shalom Online Synagogue and Rabbi Steven Blane are proud to include all members of the family in its services. We are Jewish Universalist and welcome all….pets are no exception. On Friday, November 1st everyone is invited to a Blessing of the Animals service online at 7:00pm EST. You can join online and chat virtually with Rabbi Blane by going to the website or Facebook page at simshalom1. The Blessing of the Animals fosters the loving relationship between all G–d’s creatures. Animals are widely recognized Continue reading →

Sim Shalom the Online Synagogue continues to provide innovative services for the Jewish High Holidays. The jazz inspired services are unrivaled and sell out each year. This Yom Kippur, as in the past, Pastor Robert “Bob” Brashear will join Rabbi Steve Blane and his band and will offer a Yom Kippur sermon. Joining Blane and Brashear at the Bitter End in Manhattan are a quintet including Jack Glotman on Piano, Carol Sudhalter on Sax and Flute, Liz Taub on Fiddle, Kevin Hailey on Bass and Continue reading →

On Monday, September 30th and Wednesday, October 9th 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 Blane accompanied 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 Continue reading →

Two new Jews by Choice joined the Jewish community on February 3rd at a conversion ceremony overseen by Sim Shalom’s Rabbi Steve Blane and an online Bet Din. Online conversion is a controversial topic in that some Jews tend to disparage the virtual process. However, even some mainstream denominations are now at times providing virtual conversions. Whatever the reason people seek conversion with Sim Shalom they all have a sincere desire to become Jewish. Rabbi Steve Blane of online synagogue Sim Shalom, was approached by Continue reading →