Beth Israel Congregation High Holiday Guide 2015 ~ 5776
TABLE OF CONTENTS Service Schedule Page 1 Introduction Page 2 Tickets Pages 2-3 Decorum Page 3 Parking Page 4 Special Accommodations Page 5 Emergencies Page 5 Participation in Services Honors Page 5 Ushers Page 6 Services Pages 7-10 Lunch and Learn Page 7 Selichot Page 7 Rosh Hashanah Page 8 Kever Avot Page 9 Yom Kippur Pages 9-10 Youth Programming Page 11 Childcare Page 11
HIGH HOLIDAY SCHEDULE Selichot: Saturday, September 5 9:15 p.m. Refreshments 9:30 p.m. Selichot Program 10:45 p.m. Memorial Plaque Dedication 11:00 p.m. Selichot Service Erev Rosh Hashanah: Sunday, September 13 4:00 p.m. Family Celebration 8:00 p.m. Maariv Services 9:15-10:30 p.m. Dessert Reception Rosh Hashanah, First Day: Monday, September 14 8:00 a.m. Shaharit Services 10:00 a.m. Children s Programs K - 5 / 6th - 8th Grade 5:30 p.m. Mincha followed by Tashlich 7:45 p.m. Maariv Rosh Hashanah, Second Day: Tuesday, September 15 8:00 a.m. Shaharit Services 10:00 a.m. Children s Programs K - 5 7:30 p.m. Mincha and Maariv Erev Yom Kippur - Kol Nidre: Tuesday, September 22 7:10 p.m. Kol Nidre 7:10 p.m. 6th - 8th Grade Service (GSAC 2010 Washtenaw) 7:10 p.m. 9th - 12th Grade Service (GSAC 2010 Washtenaw) 10 Minutes after the conclusion of Kol Nidre Services - An Opportunity for Meditation (GSAC 2010 Washtenaw) Yom Kippur: Wednesday, September 23 8:00 a.m. Shaharit Services 10:00 a.m. Children s Programs K - 5 / 6th - 8th Grade 11:00 a.m. (approximately) Yizkor (memorial) service 4:30 p.m. Study session 5:15 p.m. Mincha service 6:45 p.m. Neilah (closing) service 8:15 p.m. Break the Fast with Light Refreshments 1
HIGH HOLIDAY INFORMATION Hachnasat Orchim Creating a welcoming environment Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur bring with them many memorable traditions and practices. Each Congregation has its own unique customs for the High Holidays; and so it is appropriate to familiarize those of you who are new to Beth Israel, and remind those of you who are "veterans," about our services and programs for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. As a growing congregation, each of us has a part in making newcomers, or those less active in synagogue life at this time, feel part of our family. We encourage you to greet people you don t know and in that way to make everyone feel as comfortable and welcome as possible. Tickets and Outside Ushers With increased attention to security, our outside ushers especially request your cooperation in presenting a ticket for each adult and adolescent (post Bar/Bat Mitzvah) entering the synagogue. The ushers have a master list of all congregants and guests. If your practice is not to carry objects during the holidays, please ask the usher to look your name up on the security list. This year we have contracted with the Ann Arbor police to provide an onsite security presence. Tickets are sent to all members in good standing during the week of September 1st. This means that: The 2015-2016 dues pledge form is received by September 1st, along with first payment as applicable. All past year(s) dues balances are paid, or other arrangements made with Steve Gerber, Vice President of Finance. Religious School and other event fees are paid for the previous year(s). Other commitments are not in arrears. If you have made prior special arrangements with the Vice President of Finance, and have shown good faith in your agreement, you are considered in good standing. Special arrangements may be made by contacting the Vice President of Finance, Steve Gerber at 973-1651, Sunday Thursday, or at sgerber100@gmail.com. No one will be denied tickets due to financial constraints. 2
Tickets for Members Out of Town Family Members and Non Members Tickets are provided to out of town guests who are relatives of members in good standing at the cost of $65 per holiday. Non members may purchase tickets to specific holidays ($130 per person per holiday), and this fee is applied towards a membership pledge if submitted by January 1, 2015. The deadline for non member tickets is Friday, September 11, at 3:00 p.m. for Rosh Hashanah and Monday, September 21, at 3:00 p.m. for Yom Kippur. Members who will be out of town Reciprocal Arrangements with Other Congregations We have a reciprocal arrangement with other Congregations. Any individual who provides us with a letter indicating their membership in good standing with any other synagogue is welcome to a ticket at no charge. If you plan to be out of town for the High Holidays and wish to attend services at another Conservative congregation, please call or e-mail the Beth Israel office. Once we receive your 2015-2016 pledge form and required payments, we will mail, fax, or email a letter to that congregation indicating that you are a member in good standing at Beth Israel. Decorum The High Holidays are known as "Yamim Noraim," Days of Awe. The solemnity of the season is reflected in the synagogue, where we strive for an atmosphere conducive to prayer and introspection. We therefore ask that people refrain from entering and leaving the Sanctuary during high points in the service, including the Torah service (except between portions), the Amidah (silent prayer), the Kedusha, the Shofar service, Yizkor, and the rabbi s sermons. Our volunteer ushers are there to assist you. We hope that an atmosphere of holiness will permeate our synagogue. It is very important to be responsible for your children s behavior at all times this is not the time or place for loud boisterous behavior. Know where your children are and instruct them as to appropriate conduct. Their safety and the well-being of the congregation require your assistance. Services will take place during the course of the children s two hour High Holiday programs. Please be mindful of this, and try to wait until their own meaningful service is completed before picking up your children. 3
Seating There are no assigned seats at Beth Israel. Please do not save seats for absent family members past 9:00 a.m. Supervision of Children We encourage children in grades K - 8 to participate in our children s programs. They may also sit with their parents in the Sanctuary. For their own security and safety, children may not be left unsupervised at any time. Infants The synagogue library will be reserved for mothers and infants for nursing during the High Holiday services. The library will be available for feeding and diapering of infants throughout the holidays. Fragrances Some congregants are allergic to fragrances and perfumes. It would be thoughtful to refrain from using them before attending services. Parking Waiver Two hour limited parking signs on week days have been installed on Berkshire and Devonshire Streets and recently on Austin and Norway. Beth Israel has asked to waive this time limit for Monday, September 14th, Tuesday, September 15th, and Wednesday, September 23rd. It is suggested that you post a copy of the Traffic Control Order on the inside windshield of your car, if approved. We will have copies in our office which may be picked up, or we will be happy to mail you a copy, if requested. They will also be available during services. The waiver will be good for Berkshire, from Washtenaw to Vinewood; for Devonshire, from Washtenaw to Melrose; for Austin, from Washtenaw Ave. to Oak Lane; and for Norway, from Austin to Scottwood. As of this mailing we do not have the Traffic Control Order. 4
Special Accommodations If you would like assistance because of hearing, sight, mobility, or other needs, please inform the office before the High Holidays so we can make arrangements. A limited number of handicapped parking spaces are available in front of the synagogue. Magnifying glasses and large print books containing the liturgy as well as devices for the hearing impaired for use in the main sanctuary are also available. Please notify the usher of your needs. Entrance and Exit All those attending are asked to enter through the main doors at the front of the building. When dropping your child off at childcare downstairs, please exit the downstairs and re-enter through the main doors. Emergencies Please contact an usher if you need assistance. Ushers will be wearing nametags for easy identification. Participation in Services ( Honors ) Our High Holiday observances are made so much more meaningful with your participation. A number of options for participation are available either on Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur including: being called to the Torah for an Aliyah, opening/closing the Ark, carrying the Torah, raising (Hagbah) or dressing (G lilah) the Torah scrolls, assisting the Torah reader (Gabbai) or reading a prayer in English. If you are interested in participating, or know someone else who might be, please contact Bob Blumenthal, Vice President of Religious Affairs, as soon as possible but no later than September 5th, either by sending back the enclosed form, leaving him a message at the synagogue office (665-9897), calling him at home (769-1153) or e-mailing him at robert.blumenthal@utoledo.edu. 5
Ushers - Volunteers Are Needed Over 75 members of our Congregation volunteer to serve as ushers during the Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services, helping to maintain the dignity and decorum of the services. If you were one of those ushers in past years, we sincerely thank you for giving your time. This year we need more ushers than before. Men s Club and Women s League hope that you will step forward and volunteer to usher during the High Holiday Services. Anyone who has done it in the past will agree that it is an easy and meaningful way to serve your congregation. If you would be willing to spare a bit of your time davening to usher, please visit our online signups at www.bethisrael-aa.org (under Events) or call Haran Rashes at 660-9283, or e-mail him at haran@umich.edu. Please specify your time preferences for ushering. Haran will try to accommodate all time requests in the order that people volunteer. Additional Forms Additional copies of all forms, including High Holiday ticket forms, High Holiday card forms, High Holiday reciprocity request forms, High Holiday honors forms and childcare forms, are available on the Beth Israel website. 6
PREPARING FOR THE HIGH HOLIDAYS Selichot Services - Saturday, September 5 9:15 p.m. - Refreshments 9:30 p.m. - Selichot Program 10:45 p.m. - Memorial Plaque Dedication 11:00 p.m. - Selichot Services The High Holiday season begins with the recitation of Selichot, prayers of repentance. This year, our evening of Selichot will begin with refreshments at 9:15 p.m. followed by a Selichot program. At 10:45 p.m., we will enter the Sanctuary and have a brief service of dedication of the Memorial Plaques which have been placed in the Sanctuary over the past year. The names of those memorialized will be read along with memorial prayers. May their memory continue to inspire us as we greet the New Year. The Selichot service itself will begin at 11:00 p.m. Watch for more details about Selichot soon. A Special Lunch and Learn Program - Ask The Rabbis: High Holiday Edition Wednesday, September 9 12:00-1:15 p.m. Garfunkel-Schteingart Activities Center (2010) Downstairs What questions are on your mind as we enter the High Holiday season? Would you like to know more about the structure or content of the prayers? Are you interested in the origin or meaning of the rituals? Do the concepts surrounding the High Holidays fascinate you, trouble you or simply elude you? In order to make your holy day experience more meaningful, Rabbi Dobrusin and Rabbi Blumenthal will facilitate an Ask the Rabbis session during the week before Rosh Hashanah. The agenda is yours. Come prepared to ask questions and discuss ideas as we enter into this very special time of year. We will be serving lunch at this program. RSVP to the synagogue office by September 7 so we can plan for the lunch! 7
ROSH HASHANAH SERVICES Erev Rosh Hashanah: Rosh Hashanah Family Celebration Sunday, Sept. 13 at 4:00 p.m. This special Family Celebration gives children in preschool through fourth grade and their families a chance to hear the shofar, interact with the rabbis and staff, and experience a taste of Rosh Hashanah just prior to the actual start of the holiday in a smaller, less formal atmosphere. Stories, songs, a large group activity and special treats are all part of the fun. While the celebration is organized with preschool and early elementary school children in mind, all are welcome. Erev Rosh Hashanah - Sunday, September 13 at 8:00 p.m. The service will include special musical selections and will be followed by our annual Rosh Hashanah reception. This is a wonderful time to renew acquaintances and make new friends over coffee, punch and delicious pastries. Rosh Hashanah, First and Second Days Monday and Tuesday, September 13 and 14 Services on Rosh Hashanah mornings will begin at 8:00 a.m. Tashlich - Monday, September 14 at 5:30 p.m. Mincha followed by walk to Arboretum Tashlich is the traditional ceremony of casting crumbs into the river, symbolically enabling us to consider our actions of the past year and our hopes for the New Year. Tashlich is always a big "event" at Beth Israel. The walk to the Arb is often attended by over 300 people who enjoy the opportunity to kibitz and sing on the way to the Huron River where we usually meet up with groups from other Congregations. Absolutely bring the kids along (and pets are welcome too). We ask that individuals do not enter the river or engage in other activities which may detract from the meaning of the event. We return to the synagogue for Maariv at 7:45 p.m. 8
Kever Avot (Annual Memorial Service) - Sunday, September 20 at 12:30 p.m. Our annual Kever Avot service, the memorial service at Beth Israel Memorial Gardens at Arborcrest, will take place on Sunday, September 20 at 12:30 p.m. This is a service in memory of those who are interred in the Cemetery and offers us all an opportunity to pay tribute to those who have contributed so much to our lives, and to the life of this community. YOM KIPPUR SERVICES Kol Nidre - Tuesday, September 22 at 7:10 p.m. Yom Kippur begins with Kol Nidre. Services will begin promptly at 7:10 p.m. There will be a separate Kol Nidre program for 6th - 8th graders and 9th - 12th graders in GSAC 2010 starting at 7:10 p.m.; however, all students are asked to meet Ron Sussman in the lobby to participate in the Kol Nidre prayer with the congregation. Once again this year, we will be participating in a food and personal care items collection and program which is being sponsored by the United Synagogue and Mazon. We ask you to bring to Kol Nidre services a bag of non-perishable food and/or personal care items which we will transport to a local food pantry. Items can also be dropped off the week before. We also ask you to remember to make a contribution to Mazon, a national Jewish organization which helps deliver food to the hungry. Donations to Mazon can be made on their website at www.mazon.org. An Opportunity for Meditation Following Kol Nidre services, you are invited to join fellow congregants at the Garfunkel Schteingart Activity Center for a quiet contemplation session. Our congregant Sandy Finkel will facilitate the meditation. It will begin 10 minutes after the conclusion of Kol Nidre Services and will last approximately 30 minutes. All are welcome. Yom Kippur Service and Yizkor - Wednesday, Sept. 23 8:00 a.m., approximately 11:00 a.m. for Yizkor We commence Yom Kippur morning at 8:00 a.m., with the Yizkor service beginning at approximately 11:00 a.m. The time for Yizkor is only approximate. We hope that we will see you for the morning service, Torah reading and Haftarah which precede Yizkor, and that you will stay with us through the day. 9
Yom Kippur Study, 4:30 p.m. During our break before Mincha, we will have study and discussion groups. The details for these groups will be announced before Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur Mincha, 5:15 p.m. The afternoon of Yom Kippur is a highlight of the ritual year at Beth Israel. It has become a tradition that our recent b nai and b not mitzvah read Torah for Mincha. Mincha also includes the chanting of the book of Jonah and opportunities for reflection. Yom Kippur Neilah, 6:45 p.m. Immediately following Mincha, during Neilah, the concluding service, families join together for a remarkably lively service (considering the fast) of song and prayer. During Neilah, flowers are distributed, another Beth Israel tradition. We follow Neilah with the brief Maariv service for the next day and then hear the sounding of the Shofar with many shofarot. If you have a shofar and would like to participate, please bring your shofar to Kol Nidre services and leave it in Rabbi Dobrusin s office. Break the Fast, 8:15 p.m. Following the shofar, we will join together for light refreshments at our break the fast, at 7:45 p.m. Customs on Yom Kippur Please note that it is customary to wear a Tallit for the Kol Nidre Service. You may see a number of people who wear tennis shoes on this holiday. This halachic tradition reflects an ancient custom that equated the wearing of leather shoes with arrogance and a desire for unnecessary comfort. 10
HIGH HOLIDAY YOUTH PROGRAMMING During the High Holidays Beth Israel offers programming for children ages 3 and up. Activities are led by skilled facilitators and include stories, games, discussions and more. In order for us to plan accordingly and best accommodate all of the children at Beth Israel during the holidays, all children, both members and non-members, are required to be registered for the morning programs in advance. Please use the form included in your High Holiday packet to register your children for childcare and the elementary program. For more information, please see the separate flyer included in this mailing. Dates and times are listed below: CHILDCARE There is a $15/day charge. We cannot guarantee space after the registration date. Rosh Hashanah - 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Monday, September 13 and Tuesday, September 14 Yom Kippur - 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Wednesday, September 23 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Supervision will be provided for elementary students until the conclusion of the service in the sanctuary. Rosh Hashanah - 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Monday, September 13 and Tuesday, September 14 Yom Kippur - 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Wednesday, September 23 MIDDLE SCHOOL Middle school programming is held on the first day of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur as well as during the Kol Nidre service. Rosh Hashanah - 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Monday, September 13 Kol Nidre - 7:10 p.m. Tuesday, September 22 Yom Kippur - 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Wednesday, September 23 HIGH SCHOOL Kol Nidre - 7:10 p.m. Tuesday, September 22 11
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Beth Israel Congregation 2000 Washtenaw Ave. Ann Arbor, MI 48104 (734) 665-9897 (734) 665-2733 www.bethisrael-aa.org