The local Jewish congregation's worship services reflect the diversity of its members.
The Lawrence Jewish Community Center, 917 Highland Dr., is a congregation unlike any other Rabbi Judith Beiner has experienced.
"It's unique. It's been lay-run for 30 years, quite successfully. It's very egalitarian, functioning quite democratically. And it's not affiliated with any major movement in Judaism," Beiner said.
"There are three different prayer books on the shelf -- Reform, Conservative and alternative. Whoever is leading the service picks the prayer book."
Beiner, an ordained Reform rabbi, has worked part time at the center since February 1998. She comes from her Overland Park home to the center about every third or fourth Friday night to lead services and deliver a sermon.
One Sunday each month, Beiner teaches adult education classes, works with children in the center's religious school and meets with youth group members and other congregants.
She also comes to the center once a week to teach an adult bar mitzvah or bat mitzvah class.
The LJCC has services at 7:45 p.m. each Friday.
For Yom Kippur, the Kol Nidrei service will be held at 7 p.m. Sunday in the ballroom of the Kansas Union, and there will be a 9 a.m. service Monday at the center.
Before Beiner started working at the LJCC, the congregation led religious services by itself, and members gave the sermons.
"We're very eclectic here. We have so many people from so many different backgrounds," Lois Schneider, president of the LJCC, said.
This is the reason the congregation has three different prayer books to choose among.
"On Erev Rosh Hashana (the evening service marking the first day of the Jewish New Year), for example, we run two services. We have a Conservative service, which fills the social hall, and in the sanctuary we run a Reform-style service," Schneider said.
"Rabbi Beiner does the Conservative-style service, and several members lead the Reform-style service, which has guitar music."
Schneider estimated there are about 150 Jewish families in Lawrence, and roughly 80 families belong to the LJCC.
During the last several years, the center seems to have attracted more members who come from a Reform Jewish background, Schneider said, but LJCC worship services usually have a Conservative theme.
-- Jim Baker's phone message number is 832-7173; his e-mail address is jbaker@ljworld.com.
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