Rosh HaShanah

We welcome the New Year with a tone of joy, reflection, optimism and community.

On the Saturday night preceding Rosh HaShanah, we come together for Selichot -- preparing our hearts and minds for the days of awe.  Selichot is a late‑night spiritual investigation into the seasonal themes of Teshuvah and the High Holy Days prayerbook. The evening offers a fascinating array of learning sessions designed to nurture our hearts, minds and souls; a decadent dessert reception; Havdalah; and a beautiful, moving and uplifting Selichot service. Our Torah scrolls are dressed in their magnificent white mantles representing the three parts of the Shofar service, Malchuyot, Shevarim, and Teruah.

On the High Holy Days, we accommodate our large congregation beautifully as we open our flexible social hall walls to create a large sanctuary with a central bimah that all can see. Congregants are greeted as they enter the building, and ushers are available to assist with our unreserved seating. Our services feature special High Holy Day music from our cantor and our choir, as well as volunteer member participation in the reading of prayers, chanting of Haftorah and sounding of the shofar.

Our community worships together on Erev Rosh HaShanah. On the first day, there are several different Rosh HaShanah services offered: 

• The early morning family service is recommended for families with school-age children (third grade and above) and for adults desiring a full, but somewhat abbreviated, service.
• The late morning service is recommended for families and adults desiring a full worship experience.
• Our children’s service is designed for young children (up to age eight). Parents, grandparents and older siblings are encouraged to participate.
• The Tashlich service is a beautifully spiritual ritual symbolizing the “casting off” of misdeeds. Since the Medieval period, Jews have been going to a body of flowing water to cast off bread crumbs from their pockets, as a ritual to contemplate our misguided acts during the past year. We gather in the Shir Tikva parking lot and walk as a group to the stream on the grounds of Camp Chickami.

Our second-day service is relaxed, comfortable and a bit more traditional in tone than the first-day service. We continue the themes of the previous day on a note that is intimate, conversational and introspective.

A schedule of services can be found on the master calendar. Non-members interested in attending High Holy Day services at Shir Tikva should contact Toni Spitzer, Office Administrator, regarding ticket information.