Details on High Holidays 2025 / 5786

Seating/mobility in the sanctuary

• Spaces for wheelchairs and walkers will be available. Ushers will assist to make sure families/friends will be able to sit together.
• A specially marked section is designated as “fragrance free” during services marked by yellow signs on the end of four rows, facing the bima to the left, against the windows. In order to sit in the fragrance-free section, one should not be wearing perfume, cologne, body spray, scented hair products, deodorants and after-shave. There are people within our synagogue who have fragrance sensitivities and allergies.
• Access to the ark is provided via a ramp.

Accessibility tools

These are located on the cart by the sanctuary doors (all items should be returned to the cart after use. Hand sanitizer is available to wipe down, if desired.

• Magnifying reading glasses
• Fidget/focus tools
• Art/craft supplies for children (lower shelf)
• Large-print High Holiday prayer books
• Hearing assistance headphones are available from the ushers and are located in a small black case, often near the cart on a chair.
• A binder is available to share “social” stories and prayers for young children and/or those requiring visual support.
• A binder is available to share articles from LGBTQIA2S+ voices regarding the High Holidays.

Bathrooms

All bathrooms at Beth El are all-gender and handicap accessible.

• There are two all-gender bathrooms located on the main hallway leading to the sanctuary. The bathroom on the right has stalls and urinals and the bathroom on the left has stalls only. Both have signage.
• There is an all-gender, single-occupancy bathroom located on the hallway in the classroom wing of the building, as well as a private all-gender bathroom in the rabbi's office.

Mobility access to the garden

• The garden is accessible from the sanctuary via the door closest to the ark (right side of the windows). Congregants with mobility concerns should be encouraged to use this door. It has ramps and handrails.
• The door leading out of the social hall (left side of windows) has a ramp but no handrails.

Access to High Holiday services outside the sanctuary

• All services will be live-streamed.
• A screen and sound system will be set up in the foyer.
• There will be seating in the courtyard under a tent for those who want to view the foyer screening from outside.
• There will be a livestream of services set up in a room to be announced where masks will be required.

Access elsewhere inside the building for other needs

• Room 5 will be available for feeding/nursing infants. A sign will be placed on the door. The cantor has also made her office available.

Inclusion Committee:

• Maxine Haron, co-chair (cell/text:508-361-9333)
• Carrie Fuchs, co-chair (cell/text:978-790-6472)
• Cat Kaner
• Roberta Unger

Sudbury Community Food Pantry

The food pantry’s mission is to help families or individuals in need of food, no matter where they reside; clients can shop once weekly. If you choose to make a financial donation, checks should be made payable to Sudbury Community Food Pantry, or donations can be made online (the PayPal button looks broken but it works). For congregants preferring to donate products, the food pantry requests:

• Tomato sauce
• Large cans of soup (Progresso, Campbell’s Chunky)
• Boxed flavored rice (Near East, Rice-a-Roni)
• Cake and brownie mixes
• Boxed meals (potatoes, taco kits, taco shells, Hamburger Helper)

Sudbury Care Pantry

The Sudbury CARE Pantry at St Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church exists to help neighbors in need get personal care, laundry, hygiene and household cleaning supplies that SNAP or WIC benefits don’t cover. They are happy to receive financial donations (checks payable to Sudbury Care Pantry), product donations as listed below, or online donations via their Amazon wish list. For congregants preferring to bring donations to the temple, they request (with the most-needed items in bold):

Voices Against Violence

Voices' mission is to end sexual and domestic violence. Staff members work to empower victims and survivors to help themselves and their children. If you choose to make a financial donation, checks should be made payable to Voices Against Violence. For congregants preferring to donate product, their current needs are:

A Place to Turn

A Place To Turn, established in 1979, is committed to providing fresh produce, meat, dairy and groceries to our neighbors in the Metrowest community. It serves those in need in an atmosphere of dignity, caring and mutual respect. The founders were among the first to recognize that economic hardship exists in the suburbs and is not exclusively an urban problem. The food pantry began as a fledgling entity in the basement of a private home, and since 1981 has been at its present location on the property of the Hartford Street Presbyterian Church in Natick. If you choose to make a financial donation, checks should be made payable to A Place to Turn or online using their website. For congregants preferring to donate product, they request:

• Diapers (sizes 4, 5 and 6)
• Canned pineapple
• Macaroni and cheese
• Cereal
• Dried black beans
• Ground coffee