Description of Services
Welcome to another wonder-full year at Ner Shalom! Our holiday season promises to be special and joyous. Whether you are a new member, one of our friends in the community, or someone who remembers the founding of the shul, we look forward to sharing this time with you. We continue our tradition of using the Reconstructionist prayer book (maHzor). It is full of a wealth of richness and has transliterations, so even if your Hebrew dates back to your 13th year, you'll be able to sing with us.
To prepare for the High Holy Days of rebirth and teshuvah (returning to our true selves), we will celebrate a Kabbalat Shabbat at 6:00 p.m. on Friday night, August 24, 2007. Reb Tsvi Bar-David will give a teaching on the theme of Rosh Ha-Shana: yom harat olam – the day the world was conceived. Come rejoice and learn together about the concentric circles of rebirth: self, family, community and world. This is a special opportunity to participate in and experience the rebirth of our community! Afterwards, we will share a potluck Shabbat dinner **. This service is open to all who wish to attend; no reservations are needed.
Havdalah/Slichot
On Saturday, September 8th, there will be a combined Havdalah/Slichot service. Before Havdalah, Reb Tsvi will lead a teaching on the dual themes of Yom Kippur as part of our on-going preparation for the High Holy Days. The two themes for this year's services are teshuvah (returning to our true selves) and tohorah (the belief that the experience of the very day of Yom Kippur cleanses our being). After Havdalah, we will transition to a short Slichot service, which consist of prayers of forgiveness that prepare our neshamot (souls) for Yom Kippur. Afterwards, we will share a potluck dinner **. This service is open to all who wish to attend; no reservations are needed.
Rosh Hashana
On Wednesday, September 12th, we start the Days of Awe appropriately with the Ner Shalom traditional Rosh Hashana reception: apples, honey, Hallah, apple juice, and champagne. With this time to savor the sweetness of life and the New Year, we meet new members of our extended community and reconnect with old friends. The Erev Rosh Hashana service will have the special flavor of the Days of Awe, with the traditional nusaH (melody) and new niggunim – songs with and without words. RESERVATIONS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SEATING AND CHILDCARE.
You are invited to come a little early to the first day of Rosh Hashana (Thursday, September 13th) to sit with the community and Reb Tsvi in meditation and song, preparing our vessel to receive the rebirthed energy of the coming year. We'll share in the joy of tradition, and read about the trial of Hagar in the wilderness. Everyone will have an opportunity to say a blessing over the Torah, and we will specially welcome and bless all the new babies in our community. Our young people will enjoy children's services. RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED FOR CHILDCARE.
TashliH
Ner Shalom's Tashlich ceremony and potluck will take place at the lake on the Sonoma State campus at 2pm. Reb Tvsi Bar David will officiate the ceremony. A potluck lunch will follow. No tickets needed for this event. Please bring a dish to share.
Kol Nidre
Kol Nidre is the moving service that begins Yom Kippur and prepares us for the spiritual journey of the Day of Atonement (starting promptly at 7 p.m. on Friday, September 21st). The haunting melody opens our souls with its cleansing beauty. This is a night of deep searching and introspection. It is important that any children attending be mature enough to stay through this profound service without disturbing the other worshippers. Childcare will be available for younger people who are not up to sitting quietly. RESERVATIONS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SEATING AND CHILDCARE.
Yom Kippur
Yom Kippurday (Saturday, September 22nd) begins in the morning, and takes us through the ancient rituals of repentance and self-examination with recitation of the traditional prayers and readings from the Torah, and will end in time for a break. In the afternoon, the reading of the Book of Jonah at the Mincha service reminds us of our soul's struggle for rebirth and its rising to the commitments and responsibilities of our unique neshamah (task in this world). The Yiskor service provide an opportunity to recall of those who are no longer with us whom you want to honor and time to reflect on their s to our live (don't forget to submit any names with your reservations. There will be a concurrent children's service after which childcare will be available. We end this day of fast and requiring answers of our deepest selves with a joyous Neilah service, Havdalah and a break fast. RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED FOR CHILDCARE.
PLEASE NOTE: At Kol Nidre and on Yom Kippur, traditionally many people wear white clothing as a symbol of spiritual purity. As it is a time for being sensitive to life and death, including those of animals, many also abstain from wearing leather.
As has been our tradition, we encourage all those who are able, to bring a bag of non-perishable groceries to donate to the local food bank in lieu of the food you would have eaten on Yom Kippur. Bags for your donations and suggestions for what to include will be available at all High Holiday services. Your donations can be dropped off at any service prior to the end of Yom Kippur.
** All potluck meals are vegetarian. If you are joining us – and we hope you will – please bring a dish to share (a main dish salad, or dessert – no meat or poultry, but fish with fins is fine). |
