How to Use Zoom for Online Shabbat Services

Many synagogues across the United States now stream Friday evening and Saturday morning Shabbat services over Zoom. Online services began during the pandemic. And they have stayed because they bring synagogue life to members who cannot drive at night, who live in care facilities, who are recovering from surgery, or who have moved far from family yet still want to pray with a familiar community. Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist, and Renewal congregations widely permit online participation. Orthodox practice generally does not, since electronic devices are not used on Shabbat, although some Orthodox synagogues do offer livestreams of weekday classes and pre-Shabbat singing for members who are unable to attend in person.

Zoom is a video meeting program. With a laptop, tablet, or smartphone and a home internet connection, you can see the rabbi, the cantor, and the other worshipers on your screen, hear the prayers in real time, sing along, and even greet friends with a Shabbat Shalom before and after the service. Some synagogues open the microphones for everyone, while others mute participants except for the prayer leaders and call out names during the Mi Shebeirach healing prayer. The synagogue office will tell you which style they use.

For seniors who have never used video calls, the first time can feel a bit awkward. The screen looks busy, the audio sometimes echoes, and finding the right button can be frustrating. The good news is that most synagogues are happy to do a free practice call with you before Shabbat. So you can test your camera, microphone, and prayer book without the pressure of a live service. Take them up on that offer. Twenty minutes on a Thursday afternoon turns Friday evening into a calm, prayerful experience.

This guide walks through installing Zoom, getting the service link from your synagogue, joining without a Zoom account, setting up your audio and video, following the prayer book online, and observing Shabbat etiquette while on screen. We also explain the difference between a fully interactive Zoom service and a one-way livestream, since both are common.