High Holy Days 2023

RE-ENGAGE! REOPEN! RETURN!

REDEDICATE! RECONSTRUCT!

Beginning on Rosh Chodesh Elul (August 17) the blasts of the shofar heralded the new year. Each day called to the task of looking inward as we prepare to do teshuvah – to repent, to return, to make positive changes. Our services during these Days of Awe (Yamim Nora’im) gathered the entire community together to engage with this important spiritual work.

We want to inform you of how our observances of the Days of Awe unfolded this year, and to invite your participation in sacred service during next year’s High Holy Days. The schedule below, with a printable version on the left, lists the dates and times of events during this season of repentance, reflection, and celebration. And this year again, all our Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services were in person, in our sanctuary. We ask that all who come to services be fully vaccinated against Covid. Please stay home if you are feeling sick or recently tested positive for Covid. Of course, even with those precautions, not everyone will find it comfortable to attend in person, and for those people we were pleased to be able to announce that all services in the sanctuary would be live-streamed and available to watch via Zoom. 

Machzor for Zoom services: We were happy to provide machzor (High Holy Days prayerbook) for those wanting to follow along at home, inviting those in need to call the office to coordinate pickup or delivery by members of the T'micha committee.

Here are some highlights about our observances of the Days of Awe this past year.

• This year's Welcome Back Event (Friday, September 8) began with a Tot Shabbat family gathering at 5:45 pm. A community-wide potluck dinner was held at 6:15 pm, hosted by the membership committee. At 7:30 pm, Rabbi Linda and Rabbi Nathan led Shabbat services, accompanied by BIMAS. We had some contemplative moments during the service to change the synagogue vestments as a physical sign of moving into the High Holy Day season.
• For Selichot (Saturday, September 9), Kehillot congregations were invited to come together on Zoom for a program and discussion about lyricist Leonard Cohen, followed by services led by Rabbi Linda, along with other rabbis.
• Services for Rosh Hashanah (beginning the evening of Friday 9/15) and Yom Kippur (beginning the evening of Sunday 9/24) were in the sanctuary and livestreamed on Zoom. 
• Following services at Beth Israel, an intergenerational picnic (BYO lunch), and combined Tashlich and shofar service were held at Smedley Park on Rosh Hashanah Day 2 (Sunday, September 17). There was a program for teens with the rabbis during the picnic.
• Then, we moved into the festivals of Sukkot and Simchat Torah and all of their joyous events!

Request guest tickets

I want to participate!

For up-to-date information about the next year’s High Holy Days, including the schedule, look for emails and check back on this webpage. More details and registration links are coming soon! Questions and concerns can be addressed to Laura Lee Blechner and Larry Hamermesh.

Thanks, and we look forward to seeing all of you very soon!

See the Essential High Holy Days Links section for important links and information.