From our celebration of the new year to introspection that enables us to hear that “still small voice,” we begin to set the course for the coming year. We prepare with Selichot ( the familiar melodies of High Holiday prayers for forgiveness) and at the close of Yom Kippur, upon hearing a thunderous shofar blast at Ne’ilah, we break our fast and, with renewed focus, the work of healing a fractured world begins.
We’d love to see you at Beth El for the High Holidays! Use the menu below or simply scroll down for more information. Questions? Call the office at 978-443-9622 or email templeadmin@bethelsudbury.org.
Are you chanting Torah or Haftorah? Click here for audio files of the High Holidays Torah readings and Haftorah blessings.
| Time | Activity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00pm – 9:30pm | Erev Rosh Hashanah service |
| Time | Activity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 9:30am – 11:15am | Shacharit Service | childcare available |
| 11:15am – 12:30pm | Torah Service | childcare available |
| 12:45pm- 1:15pm | Lunch | Order lunch here |
| 1:30pm – 3:00pm | Musaf Service | |
| 3:00pm – 5:00pm | Youth & Family Rosh Hashanah Service at the Farm | Rain Date: Sunday, September 13 at 4:00pm |
| Time | Activity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 9:30am – 12:30pm | Shacharit Service | |
| 1:00pm – 2:00pm | Tashlich at Gray Conservation Area |
| Time | Activity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 7:30pm – 9:30pm | Kol Nidre |
| Time | Activity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00am – 9:30am | Youth and family services | Families of toddlers – grade 7 |
| 9:15am – 10:45am | Meditative walk with Rabbi Katy Allen at Gray Conservation Area | |
| 9:30am – 11:15am | Shacharit service | childcare available |
| 11:30am – 12:45pm | Torah service | childcare available |
| 1:00pm – 2:30pm | Musaf service | |
| 2:30pm – 3:30pm | Break/afternoon electives | 1. Jewish Eco-Poetry Delve into Jewish eco-poetry that bring forth themes of teshuvah in relation to the more-than-human world. Wrestle with their messages, share your insights, and consider your place in the universe. 2. Walk & sit in the kollel 3. Chasidic Torah study in the foyer 4. Online study: Teshuvah and Turning (source material) |
| 3:45pm – 5:15pm | Mincha service | |
| 5:30pm – 6:15pm | Yizkor service | |
| 6:15pm – 7:15pm | Ne’ilah service |
Simchat Torah (Friday, October 2)
The ticket registration form is here! If you have any questions, please email office@bethelsudbury.org or call 978-443-9622.
Attendance at services is free for Beth El members and some others — click the plus-sign below for details on fees and eligibility. Both members and nonmembers must register in advance — please fill out this High Holidays Registration Form to tell us who’s coming. There is a maximum total of $720 per member household. Nonmembers who join Beth El within six months after Yom Kippur will have their attendance fees applied to dues. Questions? Call 978-443-9622 or email templeadmin@bethelsudbury.org.
We’d love to see you at Beth El during the High Holidays (or any time, for that matter!). Both members and nonmembers must register in advance. Fees are listed below. Questions? Call 978-443-9622 or email templeadmin@bethelsudbury.org.
Services are free for:
Fees for other relatives and guests of Beth El members as well as the community at large are:
There is an aggregate maximum of $720 per member household. Nonmembers who join Beth El within six months after Yom Kippur will have their attendance fees applied to dues.
| Time | Activity | Ages |
|---|---|---|
| 9:30am–12:45pm | Childcare available | Toddlers – grade 7 families |
| 3:00–5:00pm | Youth and Family program at the farm in Concord (rain date: Sept. 13 at 4:00pm). Celebrate Rosh Hashanah with the whole family at the farm! From toddlers to teens, everyone will enjoy a sweet afternoon of hands-on holiday activities, meeting and feeding friendly goats and chickens, exploring the farm, and welcoming the new year together in a fun, meaningful, and relaxed setting. | All ages, with parents |
1:00–2:00pm
Gray Conservation Area (Sudbury)
A simple, intimate tashlich experience close to our spiritual home. After second-day Rosh Hashanah services, take a step outside to cast away whatever is weighing you down. Rabbi Josh, Cantor Vera, and Arielle Sabot will guide a short walk out to Gray Conservation Area for the annual tashlich ritual. This ritual experience is for all people, and four legged friends are welcome to join. Meet in front of Beth El after services.
| Time | Activity | Ages |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00–9:30am | Family service | Toddlers – grade 7 families |
| 9:30am–12:45pm | Yom Kippur children’s program | K-12 (without parents) and babysitting for toddlers-PreK |
| 2:30–3:30pm | Meditative walk with Rabbi Katy Allen — take a leisurely walk to and through Gray Conservation Area with stops along the way for poetry and tefillot on themes of teshuvah and connecting with the Mystery and the more-than-human world. Time for silent meditation will be provided. | Teens and adults. This walk is not suitable for people below 7th grade. |
Simchat Torah (Friday, Oct. 2)
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.
All bathrooms at Beth El are all-gender and handicap accessible.
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:
This year, enter and exit the synagogue through the main front doors, where volunteer greeters will welcome you, check your registration list, and admit you to the building. Since we are using online paperless registration, attendees will pick up their name tag outside the building as their “admission ticket.” Unregistered members with name tags still have to check in inside, and guests will get hand-written name tags outside.
Uniformed security personnel will be patrolling the premises during all High Holiday services.
This year there will be no shuttle bus, though there will be ample handicap parking spots at Beth El reserved as usual. Overflow parking can be found at Parkinson Field at 36 Hudson Road. Turn north at the Peakham Road traffic light where it says “TI Sales.” You will come to a large parking lot at the end of the TI Sales driveway.
Please take this quick survey to tell us about your parking plans.
During Rosh Hashanah, we use Chadeish Yameinu, Beth El’s Rosh Hashanah machzor (prayerbook). This year we have created a supplement to Chadeish Yameinu with transliterations of selected sections of the services. Links to PDF versions of both of these prayerbooks are below:
A Kindle version of Mishkan Hanefesh (the prayerbook used for Yom Kippur) is available on Amazon.
Beth El members who plan to attend remotely and would like to borrow a physical copy of the prayerbooks can do so during office hours (Monday/Wednesday/Thursday 9am–5pm, Tuesday 9am–3pm, Friday 9am–noon).
On Rosh Hashanah, small finger tuna or egg salad finger sandwiches as well as hummus and pita pockets will be available. Please fill out the lunch registration form if you’re interested in participating. In addition to sandwiches there will be beverages, fresh fruit and chips will be served.
Please consider volunteering as an usher, greeter, or parking director — sign up here.
With the current cutbacks in government subsidies the need for food and other essentials is greater than ever. On our day of fasting and atonement, it’s been our tradition to bring offerings of food for those in need for local organizations. Government supplements do not cover much-needed cleaning products, personal care items such as soap, shampoo or toothpaste, and sanitary products.
Click here to see a list of needed items that will be collected for the Sudbury Care Pantry, the Sudbury Community Food Pantry, and Voices Against Violence.
Every year at Rosh Hashanah, we celebrate all the “new Jews” connected to our members so we can all celebrate the arrival of new people in our community. Please send in names of children or grandchildren born/adopted, or conversions since last Rosh Hashanah by filling out this brief form.
We remember those no longer with us. We are looking for the names of anyone somehow omitted from the Yizkor book last year, or names of family members who have passed away this past year so their names can be included in the Yizkor service on Yom Kippur — please fill out this brief form.
If you are looking to attend a break fast or are able to host additional people at your break fast, please email the office by emailing office@bethelsudbury.org.
Lulav and etrog sets are available now — order here. The deadline for ordering them is Wednesday, Sept. 9 at noon. They will be available for pickup after Yom Kippur labeled and in the Beth El fridge in the kitchen.
Please note our Festival Yizkor Service will be held at the end of a streamlined festival Shabbat morning service on Saturday, October 3.
105 Hudson Road, Sudbury, MA 01776
(978) 443-9622|Email Us
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