Pomegranate and honeyNo tickets or reservations are required; just come to celebrate and pray with us! We do not, nor have we ever, charged for High Holy Day seats. (We rely on voluntary donations by those who attend.) Please read the important information here for details of some changes this year and how you can help out!

Click for complete Schedule of High Holy Day Services.

Children’s Programming at the High Holy Days

There will be babysitting and children’s activities during High Holy Day morning services, but no children’s service. Instead, we will be having afternoon Family Services on both Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. (See below.)

New Afternoon “Family” Services at 2:00 pm

This year, we are offering afternoon “family” services at 2:00 p.m. on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. These brief, engaging services will include the liturgical highlights for each holy day, as well as songs, a story, shofar calls, and (on Rosh Hashana) honey sticks! All are welcome – this is a wonderful opportunity for adults and children to worship together, as well as for those who may have other school or work obligations in the morning, are looking for a taste of TEMV, or would simply enjoy a shorter service. Invite your friends, neighbors, and relatives!

Rosh Hashana Luncheon/Yom Kippur Break-the-Fast

Please help us have yet another memorable Rosh Hashanah! We need people to bring in food and to help with set up and clean up. Please let Frank know what food you will be bringing and how much, and which tasks you can help with:

Food:

  • Honey cake or coffee cake
  • Challah

Tasks:

  • Several days before Rosh Hashanah: Bring dishes downstairs
  • RH morning: Cut up apples
  • RH morning: Set up foods, juice, and flowers downstairs
  • RH afternoon: Cleanup
  • RH afternoon: Recycling

Tashlich (and what to feed the ducks)
We will perform the traditional ritual of tashlich, casting away our sins and leaving the negatives parts of our lives behind, beside the Merrimack River on Rosh Hashana following the service and luncheon. Just a gentle reminder: bread is not good for waterfowl – instead of crumbs, we will bring oats to cast. If you’d care to bring your own, recommended are cracked corn or barley, frozen (but defrosted) peas, or duck feed pellets. Meet at the Esplanade at the UMass Lowell Boathouse, 500 Pawtucket Boulevard, cross the Rourke Bridge, then 0.4 miles on the right.

Plum Island Sunrise Service

Celebrate the 2nd day of Rosh Hashanah at our joyous sunrise service with the sound of song, Shofar, and drums. Join us for a lovely pot luck breakfast and a short service followed by a walk on the beach, wading, or swimming. Please bring a special poem or reading to share and a Shofar if you have one.

Sunrise on Tuesday, September 11 is at 6:19 a.m. The drive from Temple is about an hour; we will meet at the beach at 6:00 a.m. We will be just off the boardwalk from the 1st parking lot. Set your GPS to Parker River Wildlife Refuge or Plum Island. Directions are also available in the TEMV lobby.

Please contact Karen Lipshires at karen@temv.org if you have any questions or are considering joining us. Since this service is dependent on the weather, please let her know you plan on coming in case we cancel due to rain.

Yizkor
Our yizkor service has changed a bit in recent years. This is now a longer service (about an hour), which includes music, prayer, candles, and periods of quiet contemplation. Please note: we no longer read aloud a list of those we wish to remember. Instead, all who are present are invited to share the names of their loved ones aloud. You may wish to bring a written list along to help you recall everyone.

Click for complete Schedule of High Holy Day Services.

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