Preparing for the High Holy Days

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Get your Rosh (head) Ready; prayer of Rosh Hashanah

Rabbi Jordan Helfman

Tuesday September 16, 2014
7:30 p.m.

The High Holy Day prayer book is like a mirror, showing us reflections of different parts of our being throughout this season of renewal.  “On Rosh Hashanah it is written,” according to the words of our Unetaneh Tokef piyyut.  Before we say these words in their place in the Rosh Hashanah service, come to get a glimpse of their deeper meaning and reflect on the modern interpretations of the words which appear in the Gates of Repentance.  This session will also contain a quick overview of High Holy Day liturgy in general, and will leave time for conversation and discussion.

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Yom Kippur: finding meaning in prayer

Rabbi Jordan Helfman

Tuesday September 30, 2014
7:30 p.m.

When our cantors intone “Kol Nidrei,” will you be prepared to hear the liturgy of Yom Kippur resonate deep within your heart?  Our prayerbook offers an Aleph Bet of our woes and prayers for our redemption.  “Let all our vows and oaths…”, we say, but what do we mean?  In addition to a brief mapping of the contours of Yom Kippur liturgy, we will discuss why these words hold so much power for us and thoughts we wish to add for ourselves this Yom Kippur.

All our welcome; teens may want to check this out too!

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