Finding God in the Synagogue Kitchen: Lessons From Serving at Oneg
As time went on, we decided to get more involved and volunteer in some of the ministries at the synagogue. One of the biggest and most obvious opportunities was the OA (Oneg Assistance) team. We began showing up early to help collect and organize the food items that others had volunteered to bring.
That’s when I met the woman who led the kitchen. She was organized, direct, and full of wisdom. She assigned tasks to everyone and kept things moving, but what I didn’t expect was that the kitchen would become something of a prayer room.
This woman was a true prayer warrior. People would quietly come in—some to help, others in tears or with a heavy heart. And without hesitation, we’d stop what we were doing, gather around, and pray over them.
It was powerful. Sometimes the presence of God in that little kitchen felt stronger than what I’d experienced in the sanctuary.
We had a small intercom to hear the sermon while we worked. Then, we’d step out to help serve the Oneg, and afterward, we’d clean up and stay until everything was done. Week after week, we found ourselves being among the first to arrive and the last to leave.
It was also in that kitchen, over shared tasks and spontaneous prayers, that I began to build deeper relationships with other members of the synagogue. There was a sense of trust and family that grew quietly with each conversation and each Saturday we served together.
I never expected such spiritual depth to come from simply volunteering to help with food. But there, behind the scenes—where no one was watching—God was moving in a beautiful, quiet way.
That ministry became something I looked forward to every week. I began praying before I arrived, asking God to prepare my heart for whatever He wanted to do next.
Sometimes, the most powerful moments don’t happen on the stage—but behind the scenes.
Have you ever found God moving in a place you didn’t expect—like a kitchen, a hallway, or a simple act of service?
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