Dear Congregation Beth Israel members and friends,

Our year’s most sacred season is almost upon us! I’m writing to share a bit about what to expect at this year’s high holidays. As always, some things will be timeless and familiar, while others will be new.

This is part one of a two-part series on this year’s Days of Awe; the second part will appear in the October newsletter.

About Services

The season begins with Selihot on Saturday evening at 8pm. I’ll be leading that service along with our members and choir singers Justin Sundell-Thomas and Ryan O’Donnell, who will bring their voices and Sefardic melodies to part of that service. As always at this first celebration of the high holiday season we’ll take our first dip into the melodies of this time of year, and we’ll have the opportunity to anonymously write down the old year’s mis-steps (for optional inclusion in a prayer we’ll recite together on Yom Kippur).

I will co-lead all of our other services during the season with CBI member and cantorial soloist Ziva Larson. As always, we aspire to balance our two voices along with all of yours. We also aim to balance spoken-word with song, prayer with poetry, ancient prayers with new compositions, Hebrew with English, the holidays’ classic themes with today’s realities, and familiar melodies with contemporary ones. (And bear in mind that some of what each of us considers “traditional” is rooted in specific places and times, so what feels familiar to one of us might not feel that way to everyone.)

Speaking of Music

Throughout the season our prayers will be uplifted and beautified by CBI musicians and choir under the direction of CBI member and music director Adam Green. Sometimes the choir will “lead from their seats,” sharing harmonies from the front row of the sanctuary. Sometimes they’ll be at the front of the room facing the rest of the community. Often they will encourage everyone to sing along, especially when singing a round or a congregational melody. A few kids and teens in the CBI community will also bring their musical skills and instruments to our services. (If seeing that makes you think, “I wish I could do that,” please reach out to Adam Green – we’d love to include you next time!)

And Torah

As always, Torah readings at our morning services will be offered by both clergy and laypeople / community members. Usually at CBI each Torah reading features three aliyot (sections or excerpts of the Torah portion, typically between three and eight verses apiece). Each aliyah of Torah is bookended by blessings where we’ll invite the community to come up to the bimah (that’s what “aliyah” means) and receive a blessing that’s thematically related to those verses of Torah. All are welcome to participate in group aliyot.

Haftarah (readings from the prophets) will be chanted by Ziva and/or by me, in English, using contemporary words to express ancient themes in ancient melodies.

And Sermons

There will be four sermons during the holiday season. On Erev Rosh Hashanah, the sermon will be offered by cantorial soloist Ziva Larson. On Rosh Hashanah morning 1, Kol Nidre evening, and Yom Kippur morning, the sermons will come from me. As is my custom, my Rosh Hashanah sermon will be more outward-facing (addressing the world and our responsibilities in it), and my Yom Kippur sermons will look more inward.

There won’t be a sermon on the second morning of Rosh Hashanah. We’ll engage that morning in Torah study instead, exploring midrash and poetry relating to that morning’s Torah reading, the story of the akedah or “binding of Isaac.” (And we’ve got some really great texts to learn together that morning!)

About That Second Morning

For the second morning of Rosh Hashanah we’ve planned a creative / interpretive Four Worlds service which will begin with gentle yoga and/or meditation. Yoga will be led by Bernice Lewis, suitable for all ages and body types. We’ll continue with some song / chant, some Torah study, and the hearing of shofar. At that service there will be minimal liturgy as we focus on entering the new year experientially in body, heart, mind, and spirit. If yoga is not your cup of tea, the opening part of the service can instead be an opportunity for meditation, walking our beautiful Al and Frances Small Memorial Meditation Labyrinth, or quietly reading a book (I can suggest some great ones on holiday themes!) before we begin singing.

And the next day, on Shabbat Shuvah (the “Shabbat of Return” between the two holidays) I will lead a contemplative / chant-based service which will feature an even more stripped-down liturgy and a lot of opportunity for sacred silence. There are so very many words at this time of year. I always feel that Shabbat Shuvah is a good time to let the experience of Rosh Hashanah percolate in us amidst some holy quiet.

Looking Ahead

Stay tuned for more on Yom Kippur, coming in part two of this letter aka my October newsletter column. For now I’ll just invite everyone to please sign up by no later than October 1 for our Break-the-Fast at the end of Yom Kippur so we know how much food to prepare!

All In All…

I hope that the words, music, and images we’ve been carefully curating will speak to all of you – and when the words on the page don’t feel quite right, the prayerbook of the heart is always open.

May our hearts be open to transformation at this most sacred season.

Blessings to all,

Rabbi Rachel