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Avodah for High Holy Days 2020

Return and Re-Engage! High Holy Days 2020 Participation

Beginning on Rosh Chodesh Elul (August 20) the blasts of the shofar will herald the new year and call us to the task of looking in ward as we prepare to do teshuvah - to repent, to return, to make positive change. Our services during these Days of Awe (Yamim Nora'im) gather the entire community together to engage with this important spiritual work. As you may know, this year we will have most of our gatherings on digital platforms to ensure safe participation for all. Right now, we want to match you with opportunities to engage in sacred service during this year's High Holy Days. There are some novel features of this year's events, including:

  • Prayer Package pickup: Come to BI to pick up your "prayer package." We have scheduled a few dates when volunteers will be under the portico entrance to BI to distribute "prayer packages" - bags containing a variety of things for use during the High Holy Days (a Machzor, honey straws, apples, a Yahrzeit candle, Shabbat/holiday candles, water soluble rice paper for use during Tashlich, blessings, instructions for use of the materials and return of the Machzor, and a message from the rabbis). These package pickup days will also be opportunities for you to contribute nonperishable food items for the Social Action Committee's holiday food drive. More information about the food drive here.
  • Shofar service in the parking lot: In the afternoon of Rosh Hashanah day 2, we will be assembling, in our cars, in the back parking lot, to hear the sound of the shofar. Rain is forbidden that day :). There will be mutiple sessions that afternoon so that we can manage car spacing for safety. Please sign up for which session you'd like to attend.
  • Essence of Elul recordings: From time to time during Elul, we will be presenting short recordings of congregants' reflections about the themes of the High Holy Days (God as sovereign, new beginnings, teshuvah, making amends, cleaning the slate, being better). They can be in the form of spoken narrative, music, poetry, dance, visual art, or other forms of expression. We have space for about ten people to share their Essence of Elul. Please let us know by August 16 if you would like to make a recording.

Please review the list below and email Laura Lee Blechner by Sunday August 16 with which forms of Avodah (sacred service) you feel most called to engage in this year. Check up to three items. We will do our best to accommodate expressed preferences, although we can't guarantee that all preferences will be implemented.

  • Shofar blowing
  • Recording an "Essence of Elul"
  • English readings
  • Hebrew prayer leadership
  • Zoom gabbai (30 min slots managing Zoom during services)
  • Tech help (videorecording, etc.)
  • Assembling and distributing "prayer packages" (families and other pod-sharing people preferred)
  • Recording a video changing Torah covers for Selichot (for pod-sharing pairs +)
  • Managing traffic and parking during prayer package pickup times and Rosh Hashanah day 2 Shofar

We hope that participation in these events will be shared among the congregation as broadly as possibly, so don't be shy about volunteering! Questions and concerns can be addressed to Laura Lee Blechner and Larry Hamermesh.

Fri, March 29 2024 19 Adar II 5784