HIGH HOLY DAYS INFORMATION The Days of Awe at Mount Zion Temple - 5772/2011 High Holy Days Service Schedule - Selichot - Saturday, September 24 - Elul 26 Program 8:00 p.m. Dessert Reception 9:30 p.m. Havdalah and Selichot Service 10:00 p.m. - Erev Rosh Hashanah - Wednesday, September 28 - Tishrei 1 Service* 7:30 p.m. - Rosh Hashanah - Thursday, September 29 - Tishrei 1 Early Service (Mount Zion Family Machzor)* 8:30 a.m. Tot Service (Birth-Grade 1) 11:00 a.m. Teen Service (Grades 7-12) Late Service (Gates of Repentance)* Healing Service (New Time and Date.) (approx) 2:30 p.m. - Shabbat Shuvah - Friday, September 30 -Tishrei 2-3 Tashlich (Hidden Falls Park) 5:30 p.m. Shabbat Potluck BBQ (Mount Zion) 6:30 p.m. Shabbat Service (camp-style) (Mount Zion) 7:30 p.m. Saturday, October 1 - Tishrei 3 High Holy Day Torah Study 9:00 a.m. Shabbat Morning Service 10:00 a.m. Sunday, October 2 - Tishrei 4 Memorial Service at Cemetery (rain or shine) 11:00 a.m. - Erev Yom Kippur - Kol Nidre - Friday, October 7 - Tishrei 10 Early Service* 6:00 p.m. Late Service 8:30 p.m. - Yom Kippur - Saturday, October 8 - Tishrei 10 Early Service (Mount Zion Family Machzor)* 8:30 a.m. Tot Service (Birth-Grade 1) 11:00 a.m. Study Session (New) Late Service* (Gates of Repentance) Teen Service (Grades 7-12) Study Session and Musical Meditation 2:15 p.m. Yizkor (New Time)* 3:15 p.m. Teen Discussion (Grades 7-12) 3:15 p.m. Afternoon/Ne ilah Service*(New Time) (approx) 4:15 p.m. Teen Program (Grades 7-12) 4:15 p.m. Kids Program (Grades 2-6) 6:00 p.m. (approx) 6:45 p.m. Break-the-Fast (Following Havdalah) * Broadcast will be on Channel 14 on Comcast Cable. Comcast will only confirm the schedule two weeks in advance. Call the Temple office at 651-698-3881 after September 14 to confirm. Services will be broadcast in the city of Saint Paul, Inver Grove Heights, Lilydale, Mendota, Mendota Heights, South St. Paul, Sunfish Lake and West St. Paul. Standing at the Gates of the New Year We approach with awe the arrival of the new Jewish year 5772. During this period of reflection, there are many ways to bring the meaning of the Holy Days near to your spirit. In addition to individual introspection and collective prayers, we have highlighted in this bulletin special moments in the High Holy Day season. May you be blessed with the ability to notice and appreciate every breath you take, thankful to the Holy One of Blessing for giving you life, for sustaining you and for enabling you to reach and enjoy this season of return and fulfillment. Rabbi Adam Stock Spilker - Rabbi Esther Adler Cantor Rachel Stock Spilker - Cantor Jennifer Strauss-Klein New High Holy Day Times! Please note the following two time changes recommended by our worship committee and clergy: Healing Service This year on Rosh Hashanah, Thursday, September 29, 2:30 p.m. (approx) following the Late Service. (Johnson Social Hall) A peaceful and comforting worship experience for anyone seeking healing and wholeness. Led by our clergy with Andrea Stern, harp & Jane Garvin, flute. Yizkor (Memorial) Service Saturday, October 8, 3:15 p.m. The Yizkor service will be before the Yom Kippur afternoon service. The hope is that this change will allow for a better flow to the services and a more meaningful experience for all worshippers. Want a Beautiful Handcrafted Sukkah? Want to enrich the holiday season and celebrate in your own Sukkah this year? Brotherhood will again be building a limited number of Sukkah kits for interested congregants - all wood, easy to decorate, dis/assemble and store. For further information, please contact Phil Goldman 651-491-0864 by no later than September 7. Need Additional High Holy Day Tickets? If you need additional tickets, please contact the office 651-698- 3881. [There is a suggested donation of $54 per ticket.]
Selichot: A GUIDE TO HIGH HOLY DAY SERVICES AT MOUNT ZION This service is always the Saturday night before Rosh Hashanah (or if Rosh Hashanah falls on a Tuesday or earlier in the week, two Saturdays before Rosh Hashanah.) Traditionally, the service it is meant to be held close to midnight. It is under an hour and includes uplifting prayers and musical themes of the High Holy Days sung by both cantors and our quartet, and concludes with the blowing of the shofar. Yom Kippur: NEW Study Session: This year we have added a study session parallel to the Late Service. Prayer: Why Bother?" Come join a dialogue to discuss the challenges of praying when we're not sure about God and about the value of prayer. We'll find understanding, meaning and value in our future prayer experiences. Led by past President Steve Silverman Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur Evening Services: On Rosh Hashanah, we worship as a community for one evening service at 7:30 p.m. The timing is meant to allow for a home festive Rosh Hashanah dinner in the late afternoon before we join for the music and prayers of the season, hear uplifting words from our rabbis and a message from our President about our Mount Zion community. On Yom Kippur, the evening Kol Nidre service is offered at two times. You may choose the time that works for you. Traditionally, this is the only evening service in the year when a tallit is worn. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur Morning Services: We have two morning services on both holy days, an early one at 8:30 a.m. and a later one at Early Service: This service is led by our 8 h graders, the most recent B nei Mitzvah class, along with our teen choir and our clergy. We use the prayerbook, Mount Zion Family Machzor, which contains both traditional and creative prayers. During the sermon time, we offer a Kids Program for grades 2-6. Students will leave from the sanctuary at this time and parents may pick them up at the conclusion of the service. Late Service: This service, led by our clergy, uses the machzor / prayerbook, Gates of Repentance. We encourage all congregants to bring their own copy (see High Holy Day bulletin), but copies for guests are available. On Yom Kippur, there will be a discussion at this time for those who attended the Early Service. There are two additional services meant for particular ages: Tot Service: As a parallel to our monthly Tot Shabbat service, this 45 minute service is designed for kids from birth to first grade and anyone who wishes to join them. We use Gates of Awe prayerbook, our teen choir leads the music, and our rabbis tell a creative and inspiring story. Teen Service: This is an experiential service created and led by teens in grades 7-12. With guidance from our staff, the programming is uplifting, creative, and meaningful and is only for teens. Healing Service Rosh Hashanah, Thursday, September 29 (approx. 2:30 p.m.) A peaceful and comforting worship experience for anyone seeking healing and wholeness. Led by our clergy with Andrea Stern, harp & Jane Garvin, flute. Afternoon Study and Music: After the Late Service concludes around 2:15 p.m., there are two options, a study session led by one of our rabbis or attending a musical meditation with harpist Andrea Stern. Yizkor: (New time) The sanctuary is never so still as during this memorial service which follows the afternoon service. Traditionally this is a time to remember parents who have passed away, but today many come to remember any loved one. The Yizkor service and names of loved ones whom congregants are remembering are included in a Memorial Book. (Contact the temple office by Wednesday, September 7 to include any names). Afternoon Service: (New time) After the Yizkor service, around 4:15 p.m., services continue in the sanctuary as the adult choir begins the afternoon service with a more informal spirit. In the midst of the liturgy, the service includes a reenactment of the High Priest entering the Holy of Holies in ancient Jerusalem, spirited music, spoken contributions from congregants, and the passing of the Torah scrolls throughout the sanctuary. Ne ilah/closing Service: After a full day of prayer and reflection, the prayers flow from the afternoon service into the final service of Yom Kippur. In the last number of years, more and more people have followed the tradition of standing for the entire Ne ilah service. After a chorus of shofarot signals the end of Yom Kippur, dozens of children holding candles come to the bima to bid the Holy Day farewell with Havdalah. We then join outside the sanctuary to break the fast as a community. NEW THIS YEAR: We will follow the tradition of having the ark remain open for the entire Ne ilah service (symbolic of the open gates of repentance.) We will invite the congregation to stand at their seats or along the side aisles. If you are unable to stand (approximately 45 minutes,) you are welcome to choose a seat in the designated section in the front of the sanctuary so that you will still be able to see the bima. Tashlich One of the traditions of Rosh Hashanah is to ritually rid ourselves of our sins by tossing bread crumbs into a moving body of water. In past years, hundreds have gathered by the Mississippi for this brief but spirited moment. On Friday, September 30 before Shabbat, Tashlich will take place at the Hidden Falls Park, and a picnic Shabbat dinner and service will be held at Mount Zion. See included flyer for details. Cemetery Memorial Service Sunday, October 2, 11:00 a.m. Come rain or shine! As a people, we are eternally linked to those who came before us. As individuals we are especially mindful of family and friends who have died in the past year of years. In the spirit of remembrance, we annually conduct a special service at our cemetery on the Sunday between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Please join us for a meaningful and reflective service. The cemetery is located at the intersection of Payne and Larpenteur.
A GUIDE TO HIGH HOLY DAY SERVICES AT MOUNT ZION Planning the High Holy Days with Your Children A Note to Parents: You know your child best. We offer the following options to help you find the right balance during the High Holy Days. We encourage kids in grade 2 and above to attend services. Younger children who are able to sit quietly are welcome and encouraged to come as well. We do ask that you help us maintain decorum in the sanctuary at all times. You may go with small children into the Harris Chapel where services are broadcast on closed-circuit TV. Please do not leave or enter the sanctuary when the ark is open. Thank you! We offer child care for children up through age 8 for most of our High Holy Day services. For details and reservations (required), go to www.mzion.org. Reservations are due by Wednesday, September 7. We also offer specialized programming for children and teens which is free and needs no reservations. Tots from birth to Grade 1: The Tot Service is specifically designed for this age group. Our clergy lead an engaging tot-focused service. Adults are welcome, too! Kids in Grades 2-6: We encourage children in grades 2 and above to attend services. The early service on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur morning is a full worship experience designed for adults and children. At the sermon time, kids in grades 2-6 are invited to a special program where children will visit a living museum and explore the symbols for the High Holy Days. There is also programming during the Neilah service on Yom Kippur at 6:00 p.m. before the students come into the Sanctuary with candles for Havdalah. During Yizkor, we offer child care for children up through grade 6. Reservations are required by September 7. For details, go to www.mzion.org. Teens in Grades 7-12: Rosh Hashanah Teen Service, The theme will be Godly Relationships: The importance of those we love most: Our connections with others will guide us through our year to come. Yom Kippur Teen Service The theme will be One Track Mind: Are you so excited about something that it s all you think about? Do you have a passion? How does our focus affect our lives? Yom Kippur Teen Discussion 3:15 p.m. Where s my Best Friend?: On growing and changing interactions. Yom Kippur Teen Program 4:00 p.m. School Ties: Facing discrimination, a high school student feels alone in his world. Selichot Preparing for the High Holy Days Turning toward the Season, Dancing in the New Year! Chant and Context: Singing the High Holy Day Liturgy The evening that ushers in the High Holy Days How movement expresses the soul of the Jewish people. Saturday, September 24 8:00 p.m. Program; 9:30 p.m. Dessert; 10:00 p.m. Havdalah and Selichot Service Judith Brin Ingber has written the definitive text, Seeing Israeli and Jewish Dance, that collects wide-ranging essays and remarkable photographs to explore the evolution of Jewish dance through 2000 years of Diaspora. In this program, she will share her work, and explore how movement allows us to move forward while also looking backwards. As we prepare for the High Holy Days for those who wish there will also be an opportunity to explore the theme of teshuva/turning through movement. Judith Brin Ingber, choreographer and dancer, lived in Israel in the 1970s working with the Batsheva Dance company and frequently returns to teach, lecture and research. A co-founder of the performing arts group, Voices of Sepharad, Brin Ingber performs and lectures widely and also teaches for the Department of Theater Arts and Dance at the University of Minnesota. At Shabbat services in the month of Elul/September, our clergy will teach the melodies and meanings of several key High Holiday prayers: September 9 High Holy Day Theme: Zochreinu: Remember us! September 16 A Plea as the Gates begin to Close: El Nora Alilah: Awesome and Mighty God September 23 A Plea as the Shofar Sounds: Areshet S fateinu: Accept the Offerings of our Lips A High Holy Day Primer A general introduction to the High Holy Days and Mount Zion customs. Rabbi Esther Adler Sunday, September 18, 11 a.m. - Noon The Torah Readings of the Holy Days Learn connections among the High Holy Day Torah readings. Rabbi Adam Stock Spilker Shabbat morning, October 1, 9-10 a.m. (in place of regular Shabbat Torah study.)
NOAZIM Beyond the programs listed here, there are also High Holy Day events and opportunities specifically for NOAZIM: Mount Zion 20s/30s! For more information about these programs please contact noazim@mz.gmail.com or find them on Facebook. Would You Like To Chant Torah and/or Haftarah Next Year? Each year for High Holy Day services we invite members of the congregation to help lead liturgy and chant Torah and Haftarah. It is our hope to involve as many people as possible. Adult Torah and Haftarah chanters are invited to chant for two consecutive years. If you would like to participate in this honor next year or in future years, please inform our clergy and consider signing up for the Torah chant class this fall. A Special Request: Be A Host It is important that all who seek the warmth of Jewish family and friends find companionship during the High Holy Days. If you are able to add a guest to your holiday table or provide transportation to and from services please contact Julie, our clergy assistant, at 651-698-3881. If you would like a place to share a holiday meal or need transportation to services please speak with one of the clergy so that we can make a more meaningful and haimish (warm) High Holy Days possible for you. High Holy Days Reserved Parking During High Holy Days services, the parking lot area adjacent to the kitchen is dedicated for disabled parking. A state-issued disabled parking license is required. Please plan to arrive early as parking is on a first come, first serve basis. For the Hearing Impaired We will make every effort to have signers for High Holy Days Services. We need to know as soon as possible which services you will be attending for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Please contact Sheila in the Temple office at sschuman@mzion.org or 651-698-3881. In Consideration of Your Fellow Congregants: We request that all congregants refrain from using products for the purpose of adding fragrance ([e.g. lotions, perfumes, colognes) when you come to services]. This will enable those who have severe allergies or chemical sensitivities to continue to worship with our community. Please remember to turn off your cell phones before entering the building (if you have a child(ren) in child care, please turn your cell phone to vibrate). Harvest the Joy of Sukkot Please Join Us! Thursday, October 13, 10:00 a.m. Festive Service in the Sukkah! Sunday, October 16 A Sukkot Festival for the entire Congregation (at Camp Butwin in Eagan) See included flyer for details. Celebrate Simchat Torah Shmini Atzeret/Simchat Torah Wednesday, October 19, 6:00 p.m. Festive Service includes brief Consecration Join us as we renew our Torah cycle, reading the end of the Torah and then the beginning with the entire scroll unrolled around the Sanctuary. Dance with the Torah scrolls to the infectious rhythm of Mark Stillman and his Klezmer band! During this service, we will also welcome our newest students into the world of Jewish learning! Thursday, October 20, 10:00 a.m. Festival Service & Yizkor Prayers All morning services will join for a festive hakafah (dancing with the Torah scrolls) and potluck lunch. What constitutes teshuvah/repentance? That those who sin should abandon [their] sins and remove them from [their] thoughts, resolving in [their] hearts never to commit them again. One must verbally confess and state these matters which have been resolved in one's heart. Moses Maimonides, Laws of Repentance 2:2
Harvest the Joy of Sukkot! A Mount Zion Community Sukkot Festival At Camp Butwin in Eagan Sunday, October 16 9:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. 12:15-2:00 picnic and more fun The entire congregation is invited to gather at beautiful Camp Butwin in Eagan for a morning of fun, varied Sukkot study and activities for all ages! Carpools strongly encouraged For more details, including directions, go to www.mzion.org under Worship and then High Holy Day/Festival Highlights Include: Adult Learning Options Live Music Apple Cider Press Ropes Course Prizes: Israeli Chocolates Arts & Crafts and Games Festive Food Pony Rides Religious School Families Please Note: Religious School will meet at Butwin with their families. Parents, please plan to attend with your children. The Sukkot Festival will take place Rain or Shine! Sponsors Include: Brotherhood, Parents & Tots, Prime Timers, Sisterhood and SPORTY Questions? Contact Cantor Spilker 651-698-3881 rspilker@mzion.org
Tashlich and Shabbat Under the Stars! Friday, September 30, 2011 Tashlich at Hidden Falls 5:30 pm BYO Picnic Dinner at Mount Zion 6:30 pm Camp-Style Services at Mount Zion 7:30 pm North Gate Enter Here! North A brief Tashlich service will take place at Hidden Falls Regional Park, located on the corner of Magoffin and Mississippi River Blvd. A potluck picnic dinner and service will be held at Mount Zion. Bring your own dinner and shofar! S mores will be provided! Tashlich