High Holy Days
5785
Tickets and Registration
Learn More About Temple Emanu-El’s High Holy Day Services and Programs
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September 28 at 8:00 PM at Temple Sholom
The High Holy Days are a time for forgiveness. Nonetheless both asking for and granting forgiveness are not easy. How do we forgive? How do we heal from betrayal? We will be joined by Susan Shapiro, New York Times bestselling author of The Forgiveness Tour – How to Find the Perfect Apology, who chronicles her search for healing after a devastating betrayal. Publishers Weekly writes, she plumbs “the boundless depths of the human heart. This is essential reading.”
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Wednesday, October 2 at 5:00 PM
We welcome in the High Holy Days with our Erev Rosh Hashanah service. It’s the perfect way to usher these holidays in with our entire congregation. This service is for families, adults and children that lasts about 75 minutes. -
These services are the core of Temple Emanu-El’s worship experience. They aim to inspire and engage worshippers through the fullness of the High Holy Day liturgy, Torah and other scriptural readings, and sermons. Worship is oriented toward adults, but those of all ages are very welcome.
Rosh Hashanah - Thursday, October 3 at 10:45 AM
Yom Kippur - Saturday, October 12 at 10:45 AM -
Kulanu meaning “all of us” is a unique worship experience that is open to attendees of all ages, though it is designed as a prayer option for those families with students in grades 1 – 5. This interactive and intergenerational service includes a family-oriented prayer book, guitar accompaniment, as well as stories and meaningful discussion. At Kulanu, we intend kids and adults to share a time of connection, celebration, and awe.
Rosh Hashanah - Thursday, October 3 at 8:45 AM
Yom Kippur - Saturday, October 12 at 8:45 AM -
This service is a celebratory experience intended to bring the themes and meaning of the High Holy Days to young ones (ages 0 - 6) and their families. This service is open to the community - membership is not required
Rosh Hashanah - Thursday, October 3 at 3:00 PM
Yom Kippur - Saturday, October 12 at 2:00 PMMembers – please register here.
Not a member yet? Register here. -
Friday, October 4 at 10:00 AM
Our Second Day Rosh Hashanah service is a more casual experience in our Tent. A host of musicians and a mix of melodies make this service both spiritually uplifting and very participatory.
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Following services on the second day of Rosh Hashanah, join us as we symbolically cast away our sins to start the year fresh. This ritual is fun and meaningful for all ages, all you need are a few pieces of bread. We will gather in Mindowaskin Park for a short service and the ritual of Tashlich. Perfect for all ages.
Friday, October 4 beginning 20 minutes after Rosh Hashanah Second Day Service
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After Tashlich, join us for a picnic in Mindowaskin Park.
Bring your own picnic or purchase a boxed lunch that you can pick up at the park! Each box is $12 and comes with chips, fruit, and water. Lunch options include the following:
Mozzarella, Tomato and Basil wrap with balsamic dressing
Tuna Wrap
Bagel and Cream cheese
Grilled Chicken Tossed Salad with balsamic dressing on the side
Don’t forget to pack a blanket/chair to sit on! Click here if you would like to purchase a meal.
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Shabbat Shuvah is the Shabbat between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Known as the Sabbath of Return, this service helps us to set our intentions as we enter the most sacred moments of the Jewish calendar.
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October 7 at 5:00 PM
As we approach the High Holy Days, our thoughts often turn to those who will not be by our side. Their absence is felt at the dinner table or at synagogue. Visiting the graves of our loved ones at this time of year helps us feel connected to them through the power of memory. Join Temple Emanu-El clergy at Beth Israel Cemetery in Woodbridge (1098 Woodbridge Center Drive, Woodbridge) for the Cemetery Memorial Service.Click here for directions.
We will gather at our Temple section in Beth Israel Cemetery and lead a brief service as well as unveil a monument in our section in memory of those who were killed on 10/7.
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Friday, October 11 at 5:00 PM
New this High Holy Days! This is a a 30–40-minute intergenerational service that touches upon the power of Kol Nidre. We’ll hear the cello, the ancient words of Kol Nidre, and turn to our liturgy as we mark the holiest day of the Jewish calendar. This service is geared towards families with elementary aged children. -
Friday, October 11 at 7:45 PM
The evening service of Yom Kippur is known as Kol Nidre. The service takes its name from the prayer recited at the beginning of the service. Kol Nidre (“All Vows”) is actually a legal formula, developed during the medieval ages, which absolved one from vows made under duress.
Kol Nidre is recited three times, often while the Ark is open, and the Torah scrolls are held by those representing the leadership of the community. The haunting melody to which Kol Nidre is sung provides a solemn and moving backdrop to this holiest of days.Kol Nidre is also the only night of the Jewish calendar when a tallit (prayer shawl) is worn. In fact, it is traditional to wear a tallit for all of the Yom Kippur services.
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Saturday, October 12 starting at 1:00 PM
This year we will be offering many different learning sessions for those looking to enrich their Yom Kippur experience. These sessions are facilitated by members of our congregation and cover a wide range of topics including Israel, Jewish texts, and contemporary issues. -
Saturday, October 12 starting at 3:00 PM
On Yom Kippur, our clergy grounded in our Jewish tradition will lead a meditative service that focuses on the healing of mind, body, and spirit. We will use song, prayers, and meditations to provide comfort to those who need healing and those who take care of the sick. -
We continue our Yom Kippur Service with our unique liturgy and Torah reading for this holy day.
Yizkor – This is a reflective memorial service to remember and honor our loved ones who have died.
Neilah – Join our community outside for the concluding service on Yom Kippur. We will end services with the sound of the shofar (bring your own to help with a final blast) and also havdalah – everyone will have the opportunity to hold a candle as we end the holiest day of the year.
Preparing for the High Holy Days
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Volunteer Opportunities
Join us in creating a spiritually enriching atmosphere by becoming a High Holy Day volunteer! Your involvement will play an essential role in making these sacred days even more meaningful for everyone in our congregation. There are plenty of opportunities to volunteer during the High Holy Days and fall festivals.
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Marking October 7th
As we approach 5785, we know the atrocities of 10/7 will impact our prayers and experiences during these Days of Awe. Throughout the High Holy Days, we will be marking the first anniversary of 10/7 through words and songs and also creating new gatherings.
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Book of Remembrance
It is a Jewish tradition to remember beloved departed family members at Yom Kippur. Temple Emanu-El gives you that opportunity with our annual Yom Kippur Book of Remembrance, which contains the names of those whose memories we cherish and wish to honor at this sacred time.
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Selichot
September 28 at 8:00 PM at Temple Sholom
The High Holy Days are a time for forgiveness. Nonetheless both asking for and granting forgiveness are not easy. How do we forgive? How do we heal from betrayal? We will be joined by Susan Shapiro, New York Times bestselling author of The Forgiveness Tour – How to Find the Perfect Apology, who chronicles her search for healing after a devastating betrayal. Publishers Weekly writes, she plumbs “the boundless depths of the human heart. This is essential reading.”
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Food Drive
Thank you for supporting our annual High Holy Day Food Drive. On Yom Kippur, please bring shopping bag (or more than one bag) to Temple Emanu-El filled with food to support the Westfield Food Pantry. The following items are in high demand, though any non-perishable food items are greatly appreciated.
PB & J, Meals in a can (Ravioli/Spaghetti and Meatballs), Coffee/Tea, Soups, Beans, Canned Fruit, Rice, Toothpaste, Cereal (Hot and Cold)
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New this year - Kulanu Kol Nidre Service
New this High Holy Days! This is a a 30–40-minute intergenerational service that touches upon the power of Kol Nidre. We’ll hear the cello, the ancient words of Kol Nidre, and turn to our liturgy as we mark the holiest day of the Jewish calendar. This service is geared towards families with elementary aged children.
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Reverse Tashlich - Park Clean Up
Sunday, October 13, 10:00-11:30
We'll first hear from Union County's Watershed Ambassador and then enjoy the fresh air and some quality trash picking. Wear boots and clothes you don't mind getting dirty. Please bring a friend or two and join us for this very rewarding Tikkun Olam experience!
High Holy Day Services & Programs
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SANCTUARY SERVICES
The core of Temple Emanu-El’s worship experience.
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KULANU INTERGENERATIONAL SERVICE
This unique worship experience is designed as a prayer option for those families with students in grades 1-5.
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TINY TOT
This service is a celebratory experience intended to bring the themes and meaning of the High Holy Days to young ones and their families. This service is open to the community - membership is not required. If you are not a member, you can register for a ticket here.
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TASLICH + PICNIC
After the Second Day Rosh Hashanah Service, we will come together as one community for Tashlich followed by a Picnic in Mindowaskin Park. Purchase a lunch here.
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Kulanu Kol Nidre Service
New! This is a 30–40-minute intergenerational service that touches upon the power of Kol Nidre. We’ll hear the cello, the ancient words of Kol Nidre, and turn to our liturgy as we mark the holiest day of the Jewish calendar. This service is geared towards families with elementary aged children.
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YOM KIPPUR DISCUSSION GROUPS
Enrich your Yom Kippur experience during a discussion group covering a wide range of topics including Israel, Jewish texts, and contemporary issues.
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HEALING SERVICE
On Yom Kippur, our clergy grounded in our Jewish tradition will lead a meditative service that focuses on the healing of mind, body, and spirit.
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YIZKOR AND NEILAH
Yizkor is a reflective memorial service to remember and honor our loved ones who have died and Neilah concludes Yom Kippur.
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FOOD DRIVE
During Rosh Hashanah, please take a bag to bring back on Yom Kippur filled with non-perishable food to support the Westfield Food Pantry.
Marking October 7th Throughout the
High Holy Days
As we approach 5785, we know the atrocities of 10/7 will impact our prayers and experiences during these Days of Awe. Throughout the High Holy Days, we will be marking the first anniversary of 10/7 through words and songs and also creating new gatherings.
October 7th
Throughout the Day - At the Synagogue there will be spaces to reflect on the atrocities of the 10/7/23 including a dedication of a memorial and vigil on our front lawn.
5 PM – Cemetery Service and Unveiling of 10/7 Memorial at Beth Israel Cemetery in Woodbridge
Between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, it is customary to visit loved one’s graves and say prayers of remembrance. We will gather at our Temple section in Beth Israel Cemetery and lead a brief service as well as unveil a monument in our section in memory of those who were killed on 10/7.
7:30 PM – Community Wide Commemoration of October 7th organized by Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest
October 12th
Yom Kippur Afternoon Services
During the Martyrology section of our afternoon services, we will be dedicating this time period in memory of those murdered on October 7th. We will be sharing stories, song, and creating space for remembrance. The martyrology section will lead into an opportunity for personal Yizkor/remembrance.
October 24th
10 AM - Simchat Torah Services with Yizkor and Reading of Names
We will mark the Hebrew date with special Yizkor prayers at the end of our service. We will also be reading names of all those who were killed on October 7th on our front lawn. Information about how you can participate in the reading will be shared in advance.
More FAQ
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Tickets for High Holy Days are a benefit of membership. If you are not yet a member, we welcome you to join us for the Erev Rosh Hashanah, any of our Tiny Tot Services, Second Day Rosh Hashanah Service, or Yizkor in person.
All of our services are available to livestream here: https://www.tewnj.org/high-holy-day-livestreaming
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Yes! Livestreaming is available to members who register. Members may register here: https://teewestfield.shulcloud.com/member
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Drivers can reserve parking in advance through Jackie Master at
jmaster@tewnj.org or by phone at 908-858-6167. Accessible parking permits are issued for Erev Rosh Hashanah, Kol Nidre, and the 10:45 AM Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services held at the Temple and are good for the specific service(s) requested. Spots will only be held until 10 minutes after the start of the service so please be on time.
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To reserve a wheelchair space for any of our services, please contact Jackie Master at jmaster@tewnj.org or by phone at 908-858-6167.
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We would be happy to arrange a pickup date for you to pick upa machzor (prayer book). Please call the Temple at 908-232-6770.
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Yes. During High Holy Days, the Temple Emanu-El Courtyard will be open for those who wish to be at the synagogue but may feel more comfortable being outdoors. Sanctuary services will be livestreamed in the Courtyard. Chairs and machzorim (prayerbooks) will be available so that you can join us in prayer.
Our Library will also be open during sanctuary services throughout the High Holy Days. This will be a space for quiet reflection and for those seeking a break from the larger crowds in the Sanctuary.
Book of Remembrance
It is a Jewish tradition to remember beloved departed family members at Yom Kippur.
“Originally, Yizkor was recited only on Yom Kippur. Its primary purpose was to honor the deceased by committing to giving tzedakah [charity] in their memory, on the theory that the good deeds of the survivors elevate the souls of the departed. It also enhanced the chances for personal atonement by doing a deed of lovingkindness.” - My Jewish Learning.
May we recall our loved ones’ teachings and examples which guide us even though they are not physically with us. May their memory be a blessing!
