High Holy Days 5781 (2020) will be the most unprecedented – not just in recent history, but perhaps in the entire Jewish history. Yes, pandemics and wars have happened before, preventing Jews from celebrating the Chagim in the traditional manner, but they have never affected all the Jews all over the world at the same time, and, most importantly, we didn’t have the technology that would allow us to successfully celebrate the chagim as a community despite being unable to gather in person!
Yes, this year’s High Holy Days at Temple Emanuel will be celebrated online. Yes, it will be quite different. Yes, we don’t like this either! But if these last few months have taught us anything, we know we yearn to be together, and we CAN be together online! In the coming weeks you will be receiving emails with links for the services and instructions on how to prepare. In the meantime, here are the times and dates of all the services that will take place this year, please make a note of the times, some of which may be a little different than usual. Please note that in place of our wonderful Children’s services we will have Family services in the afternoon of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. We also hope, weather and pandemic permitting, to gather outside for Tashlich on the second day of Rosh Hashanah.
The High Holy Days will be different, that much we know. But we also know that they will be special, as always. I can’t wait to see you all and celebrate these most special and sacred days – together, while being apart.
Shanah Tovah!
Joint URJ Selichot service (online) Saturday, Sept 12 @ 7.00pm
Erev Rosh Hashanah Friday, Sept 18 @ 7:00 PM
Rosh Hashanah I day Saturday, Sept 19 @ 10 am
Rosh Hashanah Family Service @ 3:00 PM
Rosh Hashanah II day Sunday, Sep 20 @ 10 am
Tashlich Sunday, Sep 20 3:00 PM
Kol Nidrei (Erev Yom Kippur) Sunday, Sep 27 @ 8pm
Yom Kippur Morning Monday, Sep 28 @ 10 am
Yom Kippur Family Service @ 3:00 PM
YK Study Session: with Bennett Graff @ 1:00 PM
Yom Kippur Mincha @ 4:30 PM
Yizkor, Neila and Havdalah Monday, Sep 28 @ 6:00 PM
Erev Sukkot Friday, Oct 2 @ 6:30 PM
Erev Simchat Torah Friday, Oct 9 @ 6:00 PM
Throughout the Festival services we will be using the visual tefilah, the words of the prayers will appear right on your screen. In addition, our movement has created a flip-book of the Machzor which you can access for free from any internet-enabled device.
Rosh Hashanah services can be found here
Yom Kippur services can be found here.
In addition, the digital version of the new machzor has been heavily discounted this year, you may want to purchase your own copy here.