AGUDAS ACHIM  אגודת אחים
(319) 337-3813
RSS
  • About Us
    • Our History
    • Our Staff
    • Membership
      • Digital Membership Form
      • FAQ
    • Directions
    • Reform Judaism
    • Conservative Judaism
    • Gift Shop
    • Contact Us
    • Bulletins
  • Worship
    • Shabbat
    • Holidays
      • Sukkot
      • Simchat Torah
      • Hanukkah
      • Purim
      • Passover
      • Shavuot
    • Life Cycle Events
    • Yahrzeit
    • Minyan
    • Our Sanctuary
    • Sermons
  • Religious School
    • Religious School Registration
    • Religious School Calendar
    • Bar/Bat Mitzvah
    • USY/NFTY
    • Summer Camp
  • Learning
    • Other Opportunities
  • Youth
    • Youth Activities
  • City Jews
  • Calendar
  • Donate
Erev Rosh Hashanah Zoom Service

Live from the Bimah: Behind the Scenes

Dave Middleton 09/21/2020 jLab, News

We have been live streaming Shabbat services from the Rabbi’s home since March. The addition of a real physical Torah reading to the service improved our live experience, but nothing beats a service from an environment we all love and cherish.  So this Rosh Hashanah we decided to go live from the Bimah. For the first time we could immerse the congregation in the High Holiday atmosphere with streaming services directly from our Sanctuary. Let’s have a look behind the scenes.

Suddenly the stakes became high: we had to accommodate a lot more participants and engage them for hours, so we needed a very reliable network connection to prevent dropouts. We needed quality audio  and at least two high resolution cameras. We experimented with our wireless network and NDI (network device interface) using two iPhones, but the coverage and bandwidth of the wireless network in our Sanctuary was insufficient, so the experiment failed. Curtis Braverman, member of our Board and an experienced volunteer network administrator and YouTube Podcaster, came to the rescue. He enabled a fast wired internet connection in the Sanctuary and lent us his equipment: a powerful desktop tower PC, a GoPro camera on a tripod, a LED strobe (light) and the famous Blue Yeti microphone.

Erev Rosh Hashanah Zoom Service
Erev Rosh Hashanah Zoom Service

Let’s stream…

The set-up for our High Holiday services comprised of a mobile TV screen so the Rabbi could view all participants and interact with them using audio from external speakers and the Yeti microphone. The Yeti microphone would only pick up sound from the service leader’s guitar and voice, but ignore any background noise. We used a Razer Kyo webcam with a ring light on a mount fixed to the bimah, for close-up video of the Torah portion. The service leader was being recorded on a GoPro and lit by a LED strobe to overpower the sun flood light from the Sanctuary windows during the daytime.

Rosh Hashanah Streaming Torah Service
Rosh Hashanah Streaming Torah Service

…and orchestrate

Leading a streaming service while addressing the needs of the participants requires a virtual gabbai. John Wertz, our Secretary, was the virtual gabbai, working from home.  John would admit people to our service from the Zoom Waiting Room; he would call out page numbers from the Machzor; he would answer questions in the Chat or solve any issues. Back in the Sanctuary, the cameras, lighting and microphone were operated by Dave Middleton who was also John’s backup in case of internet connectivity issues.

We have just started to explore the opportunities of streaming video for congregants and visitors. Whether you are ill, unable to travel, want to stay in touch after moving away from Iowa City, or just want to swing by: you can join us online. We offer you another way to experience community.

 

 

When Your Rabbi is a Catholic Tenor: Lessons of Teshuva Through Music The Rosh HaShanah Torah Readings Should Stimulate Teshuvah

Related Posts

heart stone

News, Sermon

Our Hearts Are Faint

Our grief is raw and real and is scattered across disorienting winds of pain.

June 2025 Bulletin Cover

Bulletin, News

June 2025 Bulletin

Read about what’s going on in our congregation and community.

Crow Fence

News, Sermon

Cordoned Off

In Europe, we have a political term that I always paid attention to in the news: ‘cordon sanitaire’

Posts by Category

  • A Legacy (2)
  • Adult Education (1)
  • Bulletin (76)
  • Care (1)
  • Holidays (17)
  • jLab (20)
  • Learn (1)
  • Media (6)
  • News (161)
  • Religious School (4)
  • Repair the World (1)
  • Sermon (130)
  • Uncategorized (6)
  • What's On (3)

Posts by Date

September 2020
S M T W T F S
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
27282930  
« Aug   Oct »

Recent Posts

  • Our Hearts Are Faint
  • June 2025 Bulletin
  • Cordoned Off
  • May 2025 Bulletin
  • April 2025 Bulletin

Archives

  • May 2025
  • April 2025
  • March 2025
  • February 2025
  • January 2025
  • December 2024
  • November 2024
  • October 2024
  • September 2024
  • August 2024
  • July 2024
  • May 2024
  • April 2024
  • March 2024
  • February 2024
  • January 2024
  • November 2023
  • October 2023
  • September 2023
  • August 2023
  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018

Categories

  • A Legacy
  • Adult Education
  • Bulletin
  • Care
  • Holidays
  • jLab
  • Learn
  • Media
  • News
  • Religious School
  • Repair the World
  • Sermon
  • Uncategorized
  • What's On

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Find Us

Agudas Achim Congregation
401 E. Oakdale Blvd.
Coralville, IA 52241

T  (319) 337-3813
E  Contact Us
  • Directions
  • Donate

Shabbat Service Times

Friday Evening:
7.00 p.m to 8.30 p.m.

Saturday Morning
9.30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Office Hours

Mon-Thurs, 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Closed Fridays and Jewish holidays

Proud member of the USCJ

USCJ Logo

Legal

Terms of Use
Privacy
Cookie Policy
Manage Cookies
Accessibility
© 2019 Agudas Achim Congregation,
All rights reserved.
© URJ 2025