High Holiday Guidebook

5781 (2020)

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Table of Contents

I. Preparing Your Home & Yourself...... p.2

II. Elul: A Journey of Teshuvah...... p.3

III. : Preparation...... p.5

IV. : The Finish Line Is the Starting Line....p.6

V. Tashlich: Unburdening Our Souls...... p.12

VI. Kol Nidrei: The Promises We Make...... p.14

VII. : Atonement and Attunement...... p.15

VIII. Sukkot: Rebuilding What Is Essential...... p.18

IX. Music, Resources, Helpful Hints...... p.19

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I. Preparing Your Home & Yourself

The year 5780 is coming to an end; 5781 is yet to begin. Each year, we reflect and renew our vision of who we are and who we want to be. In that way, this year is like any other. And yet, we know that this year is vastly different, a new year for us all and a time as well to make new connections with ourselves, our world, and the people around us, as this year we are forced to find new ways to build community together. Even as we physically distance ourselves from one another, the spirit and the meaning of these Days of Awe is even more critical for each of us and for us as a community. The weeks ahead are our Season of Teshuvah, the time for repentance and reinvention. Teshuvah literally means both “turning” and “returning. We return to the rituals, the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and experiences that bring us home; we return to the deepest part of ourselves. This is when we look at all we have done or failed to do and work to make amends; this is when we imagine the world ahead of us and vow to make it better. It is a reset for our souls, a time to imagine those dreams we cannot yet see, but which we long to make real. So, we will unite as a spiritual community in order to work, pray, question, and hope for a better year ahead. What follows is a guide to help you navigate these new waters. It contains practical help for services and setting up for holidays, inspirational readings and questions, and resources to help you make your home into a sacred space throughout these holidays. We know this is not easy; we know that the loss of what was comfortable and familiar is real and powerful. May we move day by day through this Season of Teshuvah (repentance) together. May we go from strength to strength, supporting one another when we falter. And may this new year restore our hope, our love of live, and our faith in one another, as we continue this journey together.

Shanah Tova, Rabbi Noah Arnow Rabbi Scott Shafrin 3

II. Elul: A Journey of Teshuvah is seen as the last ,(אלול) The last month on the Jewish calendar, Elul marathon of spiritual seeking before the start of the new year. Jewish tradition or ,(חשבון נפש) calls on us to use this month to undertake a cheshbon nefesh “accounting of the soul.” As Rabbi Alan Lew, a modern spiritual thinker, writes, we remember that on Rosh Hashanah, we “will stand before God. What will God see on that day? What will you see? This encounter can carry you significantly closer to the truth of your life. Standing in the light of God, you can see a great deal more than you ordinarily might, but only to the degree that you are already awake, only in proportion to the time an energy you have devoted to preparing for this encounter.” How do we prepare ourselves for such a journey? How can we equip ourselves to start the year anew with a sense of the mistakes we have made, the forgiveness we have sought, and the sense of purpose and spiritual direction for the year ahead? One way is simply to be honest and ask ourselves where we stand in the moment. How far have we come this past year? How far did we still have to go? Where have we done our best? Where could we do better? Take a look at this cheshbon nefesh below and see what work you need to put in before the end of the year. [5=Strongly applies to me, 1=Does not apply to me]

Action 5 4 3 2 1 I have avoided a difficult situation because I didn’t want to deal with it.

I am often unable to recognize my error in real time or fix it on the spot.

Many things seem beyond my control. This bothers me.

I am not aware of the wrongs I’ve done.

I often make the same mistake.

I refuse to listen when others tell me that I have hurt or wronged them.

I have been insincere in my responses to others.

I have done the wrong thing, knowing it was the wrong choice.

I have done things to others that I would not want done to myself. 4

I have done wrong under stress because I didn’t know how to deal with it

I have said sorry for my actions only when I thought I could avoid punishment.

I have lost friendships because I haven’t fixed the pain of injuries I caused.

I have not helped when I could.

I have said “I will” but then didn’t.

I have said: “I won’t” but then did.

I have thought of doing the right thing, but not acted on my thoughts.

I have thought: “Since I can’t complete it, I won’t bother to start.”

Sometimes, though I try to change my ways, I repeat old mistakes.

There’s something I didn’t do, and now I’m ashamed of it.

When I express sorrow for the wrongs I have committed, it is because of fear of consequences

When I share with others the fact that I have done wrong, I realize that we all make mistakes and admitting it helps us grow together.

Add up your total. Lots to Work On (90-110), Reflection Needed (40-90), Almost Ready (22-40): Look at all of the ways in which you have acted as your best self. Give yourself credit for the work you have done. Be honest, as well, about the places where you have missed the mark. We each have work to do! Now is the time to recognize your shortcomings and commit to change; don’t wait until Rosh Hashanah arrives. Where, in particular, did you score higher? Commit to those changes first. You can’t commit to perfection, but we can each improve if we know where we make mistakes most often.

HOW WONDERFUL IT IS THAT NO ONE It is gratefulness that makes the soul great. NEED WAIT A MOMENT BEFORE STARTING TO IMPROVE THE WORLD. - Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel

Anne Frank 5

III. Selichot

As we near the end of one year and begin another, we are called to think and to reflect on who we are, where our life is heading, and what we have done (or not done) in the past year. One opportunity to do that is to engage in a special service that happens after the conclusion of the proceeding Rosh Hashanah, the final Shabbat of the Jewish calendar year.

Selichot are a series of penitential prayers said before and during the High Holidays and other fast days throughout the year. But the term first appears in the Mishna (3rd Century C.E.) as a reference to the biblical verses that were added to the Yom Kippur liturgy. Eventually, the holiday prayers were combined with general prayers of repentance.

In Hebrew, selichot translates to “forgiveness,” and indeed there is an emphasis in these prayers on the merciful attributes with which God is said to govern the world. In many ways, the prayers which make up the Selichot service mirror what we find on the Day of Atonement which follows soon after, but there is something unique and moving about this service. Praying together with community at time when we rarely ever get together for a service, and often a time when many are asleep (since it starts after Shabbat ends), has a powerful emotional draw.

But more than this, it is a time to pause amid the craziness of preparing our homes and our heads for the start of the new year to check in with our hearts. Selichot allows us a final opportunity to complete the spiritual work of teshuvah, of repentance and altering our lives, before a new year begins and we make new promises, set new goals for ourselves and our world.

Experience is what we call the accumulation of our mistakes.

- Yiddish Folk Saying

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IV. Rosh Hashanah: The Finish Line Is the Starting Line

The start of the Jewish year, on the 1st of the month of Tishrei, is not the beginning of our work to do teshuvah, but rather the point at which we pivot from doing the inner work of examining the lives we lived last year toward envisioning the lives we will choose to lead in the year ahead. Much like at any other point of transition, it can help to start off on the right foot with concrete goals, steps, and dreams for the months ahead. Throughout this section, we will walk through not only some steps for celebrating this holiday, but also for building a spiritual path for ourselves for the next year.

Home Activies

• Create a Family (Apple) Tree: On a large piece of paper oriented vertically, trace your (or your child’s) arm, hand and fingers. Color in the arm “trunk” and finger “branches” with brown paint, markers or crayons. Have each member of the family dip their thumbs or fingers into red, yellow and green paints to represent different kinds of apples, and dab away until your tree is full of fruit. You can add family members’ names to the branches to make the tree even more personal, or paint or draw larger apples to represent individual family members. • Mindful Nature Walk: Fall is a great time to be outdoors and appreciate the beauty of nature. Take advantage of the weather and head to the nearest forest, reservation, or park. Walk slowly with your family or with yourself, picking out animals, insects, flowers, plants, and trees. Pause, close your eyes, and listen carefully to the sounds of the natural world around you. Find peculiar rocks, plants, trees, flowers, or insects along the way. Talk about the cycle of the year and the seasons; make a walk through nature into a family adventure. • Create A Prayerful Space: Whether you are praying virtually with our community throughout these holidays or creating your own spiritual experiences, it is helpful to have a space set aside for your journeys into prayer. Here are some ideas that can help turn your home into a sacred space: o Pick a space that has a view of nature and allows in natural light o Make sure there is at least one comfortable place to sit. o Place items (pictures, books, art, etc.) that have meaning to you.

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Eruv Machshev: Setting Aside Our Devices for Use With the current health pandemic, and restrictions on group gatherings, our kitchens have become our classroom, our basements are our yoga studios, and the dining room has become our office. Where then, is our synagogue? The rabbis asked this same question right after the destruction of the Temple. Without a localized place of worship, how could we pray together? We are the inheritors of their answer: our home would become our mikdash m’at, a miniature sanctuary, a holy place. Our current challenge is to create a sacred space at home while we are in front of our computers, on Zoom or live-streaming services. What can help us create both that spiritual mindset and that spiritual refuge? Here are some suggestions meant to help you enhance the High Holiday experience at home, while creating a communal atmosphere for us all: 1. Choose your prayer space carefully in advance by spending a few moments of individual contemplation/family discussion.

2. Once you have chosen your space, say a blessing or kavannah (“intention”) over it to mark it as your mikdash m’at. Suggestions of verses and blessings are below.

3. What chair will you sit on? Put a cushion or festive pillow on it, or drape it with a tallit, special piece of fabric, or scarf.

4. Change where you put your computer from a work space to a contemplative space by covering the desk or table with a white tablecloth, white runner, or white placemat, and a vase of flowers.

5. Find meaningful objects to grace your space. These might be holiday objects like candlesticks and kiddush cup, , or cherished mementoes, family heirlooms, and photos of loved ones to surround you. If you own a , put it out.

6. If possible, move the computer space back so you are “watching” the screen more than “manipulating” it. Consider connecting your computer to a TV so it feels less like a work device.

7. Try to limit auditory distractions. Turn off your notifications, and all other apps so you can be fully present during the service.

8. Wear clothing that makes you feel as if you are entering a spiritual space. Kippa and tallit are welcome if they help you express a connection to this special worship. 8

9. Be sure you have your machzor with you; if you need one, please return the form provided in your High Holiday mailing. As you feel its cover and edges and flip its pages, remember the times you’ve used it before—who you sat near, what moved you in the service, the first time you used it, etc.

10. Historically, many synagogues and even homes had a decorative work on the wall called a Shiviti, taken from the first Hebrew word of the verse, “I always set Adonai before me” (Psalms 16:8). Decorate your walls with items that sanctify the space for you.

———————————————————————————————————— Verses and blessings to help create your sacred space/mikdash m’at:

1. Numbers 24:5 מַה־טֹֹּ֥ בּו אֹהָל ֶ֖יָך יַעֲקֹֹ֑ב מִשְׁ כְׁנֹתֶ֖יָך יִשְׁרָא ֵֽ ל׃ How good are your tents, O Jacob, Your sacred places, O Israel!

2. Birkat Habayit (home blessing): זבְׁ ה הַשַ עַר לֹא יָבֹוא צַעַר .Let no sorrow come through this gate בְׁ זֹאת ההַדִירָ לֹא תָבֹוא צָרָ ה .Let no trouble come in this dwelling בְׁ זֹאת הַד ל ת לֹא תָ בֹוא בהָלָה .Let no fright come through this door בְׁ זֹאת הַמַ חְׁ לָקָהלֹא תָבֹוא מַחְׁ לוֹקת. .Let no conflict come to this section בְׁ ז ה הַמָ קוֹם תְׁהִ יבְׁרָ כָה וְׁשָ לוֹם .Let there be blessing & peace in this place

3. Exodus 20:21: בְׁ כָל־הַמָקֹום֙ אֲש ראַ אזְׁכִיר ת־שְׁמִִ֔ יאָבֹּ֥ ֹוא א ל ֶ֖יָךּוב רַ כְׁתִֵֽ יָך In every place where My name is mentioned, I will come to you and bless you.

4. Exodus 3:5 כִי הַמָק֗ ֹום אֲשר אַתָה֙ עֹומד עָלִָ֔ יואַדְׁמַ דת־קֶֹ֖ שהֵֽ ּוא׃ Indeed, the place on which you stand is holy ground.

5. Pirke Avot 1:4 ייְׁהִ ב יתְׁ ָך ב ית וַעַד לַחֲכָמִ ים, ו הֱו י מִתְׁ אַב ק בַעֲפַררַ גְׁל יה ם,ו הֱו י שֹות הבְׁ אצָמָ א ת דִבְׁר יהם: Let your house be a house of meeting for the wise, sit at their feet, and drink in their words.

6. The last line of the blessing said at havdallah separating Shabbat from weekday can be used to “separate” this sacred space: בָרּוְך האַתָ ה', הַמַבְׁדִ יל ב ין קֹד ש לְׁחֹול Baruch atah Adonai, hamavdil bayn kodesh lechol. Blessed are You Adonai, who separates between holy and ordinary. 9

Challah Recipes

Sara Karmely’s Challah Recipe Easy & Delicious Bread Machine Challah Ingredients: Pour liquid ingredients into bread machine pan: 2 eggs Plus 1 egg for glaze 1 and 1/2 cups warm water 1 oz. fresh yeast a tiny bit more than 1/2 cup oil ½ cup sugar 1 tsp. salt 1/3 cup egg beaters (or 1 egg) 2 ½ cups hot water (not boiling) 3 lbs. flour (high gluten preferred) Pour dry ingredients into the bread machine pan ½ Cup Oil (plus more for coating bowl) (except for yeast): 6 cups white flour Method: Pour ½ of the flour into a plastic bowl. Make a little over 1/2 cup sugar a well in the center and put yeast, sugar, and 1 cup of 2 tsp. salt water. Wait until it gets foamy (5 min.) Add the rest of the liquid ingredients and salt. With your hands, mix batter well. Slowly add in most of the remaining flour. Use finger to form a well (little hole) in the flour and (Do not add too much, dough should be soft and pour in yeast (2 pkgs. of active dry yeast – rapid rise). sticky.) Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead Make sure that the yeast does NOT touch any liquid. for 5 min. Place some oil onto the same plastic bowl and grease it up. Place dough into the bowl and turn it Close the lid of the bread machine and select the over so that all of batter is oiled. “Dough/Pasta” setting. Press “Start.” About 10 Cover with a cloth and let it rise for 1 hour. minutes into the kneading cycle, open the lid and scrape the dough from the sides of the pan into the You are now ready to separate challah. Before taking a dough so that all the flour is kneaded in. At this point piece from the dough and say the blessing. Burn this you can add more flour (if the dough is too watery) or piece of challah in the oven, preferably in the broiler. a bit more water (if the dough is too dry). When the You can wrap it in foil. Note: It should not be burned dough is done rising (takes about an hour and 1/2), at the same time that the loaves are being baked. shape the challah and let it rise 30 more minutes. Divide the dough into 6-8 parts and shape into loaves, Then bake for about 30 minutes on 350 degrees. or rolls, cakes, etc. Preheat oven to 350 F. Brush top of loaves with beaten egg. Bake for 15-30 min or until browned. Challah Blessing Translation: Blessing for Challah: Blessed are You, L-rd our G‑d, King of the Universe, Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha’olam, asher who has sanctified us with His commandments and kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu l’hafrish challah commanded us to separate challah.

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A Seder for Rosh Hashanah

Foods have symbolic meaning for the start of the Jewish year. Much like the items that appear on the seder plate, the foods associated with Rosh Hashanah each carry a meaning and a message for us into the new year. For example, you will notice many round foods, such as apples and round (as opposed to oblong) challot, which symbolize both the eternal cycle of renewal and rebirth each year, as well as the fact that on Rosh Hashanah we declare Hayom hara’at olam), meaning, “Today is the day the world) ”היום הרת עולם" was born.” If you would like to see an incredible video of our own Meir Zimand creating and braiding the round challot, please look at the video here: (https://images.shulcloud.com/7787/uploads/Video-Files/FinalChallahVideo_TwitterTest.mp4) You can also add foods into your own festive meals to create meaning between the food we eat and our intentions for the year. Many of these foods have names that are puns in Hebrew and have blessings that go along with them asking for the things we might want in the next year. For example:

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Rosh Hashanah Services This year, while we will not be meeting together, we will have services virtually that you can participate in from home. Below, you will find a guide based on our plans for services this year. It is abbreviated from previous years and we hope you can use this to follow along with the morning services in the Machzor Lev Shalem:

Rosh Hashanah Day 1: 9/19, 9:15 am Rosh Hashanah Day 2 – 9/20, 9:15 am Birkot Hashachar – p. 37 Birkot Hashachar – p. 37 Baruch She-amar - p. 47 Baruch She-amar - p. 47 - p. 60 Ashrei - p. 60 Ps. 150 - p. 63 Ps. 150 - p. 63 HaMelech - p. 69 HaMelech - p. 69 Continue Through Amida (skip Ps. 130) Continue Through Amida (skip Ps. 130) Amida - pp.81-83 Amida - pp.81-83 L’el Orech Din - p. 85 L’el Orech Din - p. 85 - p. 86 Kedushah - p. 86 Continue silent pp. 86-91 Continue silent Amidah pp. 86-91 - p. 92 (No Avinu Malkeinu on Shabbat) Shalem - p. 94 Kaddish Shalem - p. 94 Service - p. 96 Torah Service - p. 96 Shema - p. 98 Shema - p. 98 Torah/ Reading Blessing for Healers - p. 115 Torah/Haftarah Reading Prayer for Healing- p. 115 Blessing for Healers - p. 115 Shofar Service- p. 119 Prayer for Healing- p. 115 11:15 am - sermon + musaf 11:15 am - sermon + musaf Chatzi Kaddish - p. 123 Chatzi Kaddish - p. 123 Begin Amida out loud - p. 141 Begin Amida out loud - p. 141 Untaneh Tokef - p. 143 Untaneh Tokef - p. 143 Kedushah - p. 145 Kedushah - p. 145 L’Dor Vador- p. 146 Vechol Ma’aminim p. 146 U’vechen- p. 149 Continue silent Amidah p. 126-39 Grand & Shofar p. 154 Kaddish Shalem - p. 171 Malchuyot- p. 156 Grand Aleinu - p. 173 Zichronot- p. 161 Shofarot- p. 164 Mourner’s Kaddish - p. 174 Kaddish Shalem - p. 171 Announcements Grand Aleinu - p. 173 Kiddush - p. 32 Mourner’s Kaddish - p. 174 Hayom - p. 170 Kiddush - p. 32 Hayom - p. 170 12

V. Tashlich: Unburdening Our Souls

Taschlich is the symbolic gesture of Teshuvah or repentance, as we empty our pockets of our sins and cast them away. Tashlich literally means “casting off” and involves symbolically casting off the sins of the previous year by tossing pieces of bread or pocket lint or the bio- degradable paper in your High Holiday Bags into any body of water. Just as the water carries away the bits of bread, so, too, are our sins symbolically carried away. If only it were that easy! We take this time to reflect on our misdeeds and try to repair the damage we have done. We also have negative baggage that we carry around every day. Fears, stubbornness, anger, competitiveness… feelings inside of us that we perhaps needed at one point, but may no longer serve us well.

Rebbi’s Proverb - Danny Siegel Prayer for Tashlich - Rabbi Rachel Barenblat Here I am again ready to let If you always assume the one sitting go of my mistakes. Help me to release next to you is the Messiah, who is myself from all the ways I've missed the waiting for some simple, human mark. As I cast this bread upon the kindness, you waters Lift my troubles off my will soon come shoulders. Help to weigh your words and אבינו מלכינו חננו ועננו כי אין בנו מעשים me to know that last year is over, watch your עשה עימנו צדקה וחסד Aוהושיענו washed away like hands. And if Malkeinu, haneinu v’aneinu, the Messiah so הןcrumbs in the AvinuA current. Open ki ein banu ma’asim, chooses not to my heart to blessing and Aseh imanu tzedakah va’chesed, v’hoshienu. be revealed in gratitude Renew your time it will Our Parent, our Ruler, graciously answer us, my soul as the although we are without merit; deal with us not matter. dew renews the charitably and lovingly save us. grasses. .

One who confesses in words and has not resolved in their heart to forsake their previous wrongdoing is like one who immerses in a mikveh [ritual bath] and keeps holding a reptile. Unless you cast it away, the immersion is useless. –Maimonides, Hilchot Teshuvah 13

Ozi Lulei He’emanti יעָזִּ וְזִּמְרָ ת יָ י וַיְהִּי לִּ י לִּ יׁשּועָ ה Ozi v’zimrat Y-h vay’hi li Lirot b’tuv Adonai lishuah. B’eretz chayim (x2) Kaveh, El Adonai (x4)

בספר חיים ברכה ושלום, ופרנסה טובה, נזכר ונכתב לפניך אנחנו וכל עמך בית ישראל, לחיים טובים ולשלום. B’sefer chayim b’rachah v’shalom ufarnasah tovah Nizacher v’nikatev l’fanecha, anachnu v’chol amcha beit Yisrael May we all be written in the Book of Life and Blessing, Peace and Prosperity, for a good and peaceful year.

Cast Away Our Most Harmful Habits. Let us cast away the sin of vain ambition, which prompts us to strive for goals that bring neither true fulfillment nor genuine contentment. Let us cast away the sin of indifference, so that we may be sensitive to the sufferings of others and responsive to the needs of people everywhere. Let us cast away the sin of pride and arrogance, so that we can worship God and serve God’s purposes in humility and truth. Let us cast away the sin of envy, so that we will neither be consumed by desire for what we lack nor grow unmindful of the blessings that are already ours. Let us cast away the sin of selfishness, which keeps us from enriching our lives through wider concerns, and greater sharing, and from reaching out in love to other human beings. Let us cast away the sin of wasting the earth’s resources, because the earth is here to care for and preserve us and if we fail to care for the earth, we will be forced to live in a place that is spoiled and unpleasant; Let us cast away the sin of cluttering our lives and our homes with confusion and things that are not important, because clutter makes us lose the things that are important. 14

VI. Kol Nidrei: The Promises We Make

Promises are the ties that bind people together. We agree to certain rules and ideals so that we can build with one another something that is larger than ourselves, more impactful that the efforts of our own hands alone could construct. We have done this in every age, in each family, community, city, and nation in order to create a better world where each of us can flourish.

And yet, we know we fail to live up to each and every promise. We fall short. We forget. We get distracted. We become consumed with the desires of the present moment and blind ourselves to the needs of the future. So, on this day, we pray for the strength to admit these wrongs, the humility to ask forgiveness from those we have harmed, through our actions or our inaction, and the resolve to once again make new promises and see them through.

Kol Nidrei Service Outline – Sunday, 9/27 6:30 pm

Tallit p. 202 Quiet Meditation p. 203 Or Zarua/Bishiva Shel Mala p. 204 Kol Nidrei p. 205 Short Sermon pp. 207-221 Yaaleh p. 223 Ki Hineh Kachomer p. 227 13 Attributes p. 232 Shema Koleinu p. 233 Ki Anu Amecha p. 234 Shorter (Ashamnu) p. 235 Longer Confession (Al Chet) p. 237 Avinu Malkeinu p. 243 Kaddish Shalem p. 245 Aleinu p. 246 Kaddish p. 247 Announcements Psalm 27 p. 248 15

VII. Yom Kippur: Atonement and Attunement

What is Teshuvah? We abandon our wrongdoing, Now, we turn ourselves inward. Our remove it from our thoughts, and resolve in our rabbis teach that Yom Kippur is like a hearts that we won’t do it anymore. We repent of rehearsal for the end of our lives: we the past and proclaim before the Knower of All Purposes that we won’t return to this kind of don’t eat, bathe, anoint ourselves behavior again. And we need to make this with fragrance, wear leather confession with our lips moving, to say those things (comfortable clothing), or engage in out loud that we have resolved in our hearts. intimate relations. We remove -Maiminides, Mishneh Torah, Laws of Repentance ourselves from our work and worldly activities in order to be more present.

And what do we see in a day full of prayer? The Hebrew equivalent of is actually a reflexive verb originally ,(להתפלל) the verb “to pray”, l’hit’pallel meaning “to judge oneself.” So, we stand alone for this day if at no other time, and judge ourselves honestly. We pray for compassion, for forgiveness, for insights and strength in order to be our best selves in the year ahead. But mostly, we are taking a pause from our lives in order to reassess and redirect them. Atonement is a sacred act of attunement; when we know where we have missed the mark, when we make amends and see the paths that cause pain, we can clear a path forward toward a better way of being ourselves in the world.

In this way, we are reminded year after year not to wait for a calmer time to reflect on who we are, not to tarry in making amends for those we have wronged or forgiving those who have wronged us because the days of our lives are finite. On Yom Kippur we call ourselves to account for all the ways we have used the moments of our precious lives, and in so doing, push ourselves to make the most of each moment of this year, even those moments that are hard.

Ken Yehi Ratzon, may it be Your will, Creator of All, to help us find insight into ourselves and our lives, to make the most of the time we are given, and to chart a path toward sacred work in the year ahead.

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Yom Kippur Services

Yom Kippur Morning – Monday, 9/28 9:30 am Yom Kippur – Monday, 9/28 5:30 pm Birkot Hashachar p. 37 Take out Torah p. 361 Baruch She-amar p. 47 pp. 365-366 Ashrei p. 60 Haftarah (Jonah) pp. 367-369 Ps. 150 p. 63 Return Torah p. 372 HaMelech p. 69 Chatzi Kaddish p. 373 Daven straight through to Amida (skip Ps. 130) Amida - begin out loud p. 374-376 Amida p. 252 Continue quietly pp. 215-221 L’el /Orech Din p. 256 Avinu Malkeinu p. 389 Kedusha p. 257 Kaddish Shalem p. 390 Continue silently pp. 215-221 Avinu Malkeinu p. 271 Kaddish Shalem p. 272 Ne’ilah – Monday, 9/28 6:30 pm Torah service pp. 274-276 Ashrei p. 394 Mi Shebeirach for Healing Chatzi Kaddish p. 397 Haftarah pp. 284-287 Silent Amida pp. 398-406 President’s High Holiday Appeal El Nora Alila p. 407 Rabbi’s Sermon Repetition of Amida p. 408-409 Yizkor pp. 290-294 Shema Na p. 410 Return Torah p. 296-298 Kedusha p. 411 Musaf Selichot p. 414 Chatzi Kaddish p. 298 Ki Anu Amecha p. 420 Silent Amida pp. 300-311 Shorter Confession (Ashamnu) p. 421 Repetition of Amida pp. 313-325 Finish Amida pp. 422-424 Avodah (Temple service) p. 326 Avinu Malkeinu p. 425 Thirteen attributes p. 336 Kaddish Shalem p. 428 Martyrology p. 337 Shema, Shofar (7:27 pm) p. 429 Continue with Sh’ma Koleinu p. 346 p. 459 Selichot/Vidui/Birkat Kohanim pp. 346-358 Kaddish Shalem p. 359

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Meditations for Yom Kippur

I expect nothing in return; I love tranquility. Community Even windswept chaff of quarrels will weigh upon me like a heavy oil press’s plank. Rabbi Hayim of Tzanz often told the following story: But I am open to everyone and I can admit that I have erred, and by way of the light of truth, I rejoice in it. A man, wandering lost in the forest for several days, findally I want to receive the truth from everyone, and it is not in encountered another person. my nature to hold on, but to listen. He called out: “Brother! Show After all, what is a human being but a [sum of] me the way through this misjudgments. forest.” - The Hazon Ish, The other replied: “Brother, I Rabbi Avraham Yeshaya Karelitz too am lost. I can only tell you this: the ways I have tried lead nowhere; they have only led me astray. Take my hand, and “Failure is instructive. The person who let us search for the way together.” really thinks learns quite as much from his failures as from his successes.” And so it is with us. When we go our separate ways, we may easily go astray. Let us join ― John Dewey hands and look for the way forward together.

Life is meaningful. We are not mere accidents of matter, generated by a universe that came into being for no reason and will one day, for no reason, cease to be. We are here because there is something we must do; to be God’s partners in the work of creation, bringing the world that is closer to the world that ought to be.

Life is not easy...The world we live in is not the world as it ought to be… [And yet] our life is the single greatest work of art we will ever make. On the Yamim Noraim (The Days of Awe) we step back from our life like an artist stepping back from their canvas, seeing what needs changing for the painting to be complete. - Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks 18

VIII. Sukkot: Rebuilding What Is Essential

Sukkot, The Festival of Ingathering, has long symbolized both our connection to our People, as well as to our family, friends, and community who we invite into our lives, but also the way we begin the process of rebuilding our lives and ourselves each year. Some people have the custom of starting to construct a sukkah (semi- permanent hut) as soon after the end of Yom Kippur as possible, the idea being that we should not wait, even for a moment, to begin the good work on our inner selves, our lives, and the world around us that we know needs to be done.

This year, while we may not be sharing meals together beneath the leafy bows of our schach (the roof of the sukkah, which is made from natural materials) it is even more critical that we reach out to one another. It is our caring relationships that connect us as a community, not only delicious meals shared together. It is our common humanity that calls us to rebuild the world into a more just and equitable version of itself as soon as the year begins.

Another important part of the observance of Sukkot is the lulav and etrog, also known as the arba minim (“Four Species” – etrog, palm, myrtle, willow). There are many explanations and metaphors for the importance of bringing these four symbols together, but many touch on the fact that no two of them have exactly the same characteristics, yet all of them are required in order to perform the of taking up the lulav on Sukkot. In that sense, they represent human beings and our communities quite well. We all have distinct personalities, strengths, and weaknesses, and yet without every one of us, our community would look and feel dramatically different.

Sukkot is also called z’man simchateinu, “The Time of Our Rejoicing.” It is the perfect time to add some color and life to your celebrations as the year begins. Here are a few suggestions of how to make this holiday your own:

• Make decorations all over your • Plant something outside or potted home in a harvest theme or lights indoors • Hang paper chains from the ceiling • Prepare local/seasonal produce • Build a mini-sukkah out of graham • Learn something new! crackers, pretzels and icing to • Set aside time, throughout the serve as a fun treat. week, just for something you enjoy

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IX. Music, Resources, Helpful Hints

• High Holiday Playlist:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1AmcOQq9DcYaC43AQTPcay?si=ipKF8BgRS

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• High Holiday Resources from United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism:

https://uscj.org/blog/high-holiday-resources

• Rosh Hashanah Seder Outline:

https://www.schusterman.org/sites/default/files/Haggadah%20English%201.p

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• Rosh Hashanah Greeting Card Templates:

https://www.jewishboston.com/downloadable-rosh-Hashanah-card-

templates/

• High Holiday Blessing Cards and Stories for Kids:

https://www.jgateways.org/Resources/High-Holiday

• Ideas for Reimagining the High Holidays: https://www.bethadam.org/educational-resources.html