High Holy Days 2020
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FALL 2020 ROSH HASHANAH YOM KIPPUR 5781 High Holy Days 2020 5781 YOUR GUIDE TO SERVICES AND PROGRAMS FOR THE 5781 HIGH HOLY DAYS 2020 HOW TO REGISTER FOR ALL OF OUR SERVICES AND EVENTS SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH FAMILIES MESSAGES FROM YOUR RABBI CANTOR EDUCATOR LEADERS
TEMPLE ANSHE SHOLOM 5781 YEAR 2020 Selichot Rosh HaShanah Day 2 Erev Rosh HaShanah Erev Yom Kippur Rosh HaShanah Day 1 Yom Kippur Saturday September 12th Friday September 18th Saturday September 19th Sunday September 20th Sunday September 27th Monday September 28th TABLE OF CONTENTS Rabbi s Message Pages 3 4 Cantor s Message Page 5 Director of Education Message Page 6 TAS Leadership Message Page 6 High Holy Days Services Events Pages 8 11 PREPARING FOR AN UNPRECEDENTED HIGH HOLY DAYS Pages 12 14 Learn About our New Traditions Page 15 Rosh HaShanah Seder Tashlich Special Drive By Event Hear the SHOFAR Blast Giving HIGH HOLY DAY APPEAL 2020 Page 16
TEMPLE ANSHE SHOLOM 5781 YEAR 2020 Rabbi s Message Let s just say it when we gathered together in our Sanctuary last September to welcome in the New Year 5780 we never could have imagined that just six months later the world would be engulfed in a pandemic and our lives would be transformed in inexplicable ways All of synagogue life has moved online and the essential values of health wellbeing and pikuach nefesh the saving of life have taken precedent over ritual matters and communal gatherings And yet while we cannot gather in community we remain connected to community more than ever We are a resilient and creative people who have abundant experience pivoting in response to adversity This is not the first time in Jewish history that we have had to transfer our sacred moments from the sanctuary to the home Millennia ago as Jewish life extended beyond the walls of Jerusalem bonfires were lit from hilltop to hilltop conveying timely notification of the New Moon and Festivals to the outlying Jewish communities I am sure that seeing the signal fire on your local hilltop did not feel nearly the same as actually congregating at the Temple in Jerusalem to witness the eternal flame upon the Altar of God But it was certainly a creative alternative that effectively served to spread the light maintaining connections and provide meaning to far flung Jewish communities Later when the Second Temple was destroyed and Jews were dispersed throughout the world once again Jewish life had to be reinvented Prayer replaced sacrifice as the central form of Jewish worship and local Batei Knesset synagogues became the worship centres of every Jewish community What we take for granted as the norm today was then new and radical Many did not like it It wasn t what God intended It wasn t what they were used to With time sacrifice did give way to prayer and extemporaneous prayer gave way to composed liturgy and fixed orders of prayer Siddurim Papyrus gave way to parchment and parchment gave way to paper which gave way to Visual T filah the slides we use on the screen in our Chapel And now to keep our community safe and healthy for the High Holy Days of 5781 the Visual T filah on our Chapel screen will become the Visual T filah on your home computer or tablet and we will adjust once again to the needs of our time assuring that despite the virus that keeps us apart we can remain as a community Jewishly connected and engaged CONTINUED
TEMPLE ANSHE SHOLOM 5781 YEAR 2020 Rabbi s Message CONTINUED These High Holy Days 5781 will be unlike anything we have experienced before That is not a bad thing We just need to be prepared Within this High Holy Day Supplement and throughout the month of Elul we will offer a variety of suggestions about how you can remain connected and get the most out of this year s wide range of virtual services and programs Try not to wallow in how this year s services won t be the same Consider instead the new meaning and creative spirit this opportunity affords us as a community In so many ways the New Year of 5781 represents the fresh new start that we all badly need Cantor Baruch and I look forward to welcoming this New Year with you online From our home to yours until we can gather together again I wish you and your dear ones a shana tova u m tukah a happy healthy and sweet new year RABBI JORDAN COHEN
TEMPLE ANSHE SHOLOM Cantor s Message Ma nishtanah haShana hazeh mi kol haShanot What makes this year different from all other years While usually reserved for Pesach this question comes to mind as we prepare for our High Holy Days Never before have we entered our Days of Awe with social isolation and physical distancing health monitoring quarantine and virus testing It raises our consciousness and our compassion as fall approaches How will our Holy Days be the same as always to comfort us How will we gather and support each other in the important process of Teshuvah return How will we inspire the next generation with innovations and creativity How will we assure everyone can participate and be safe We need our gatherings to be all these things From a Cantor s perspective our music provides much of the solution The familiar and beloved melodies of Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur are balms to the soul and reassurances for our memory The challenge of this year is the inability to safely gather to sing This will be a restriction in place for our foreseeable future To bring the powerful music of High Holy Days this fall we are using technology to record our choir s individual voices and join them together I ve been amazed at the results These recordings truly are unique and they are US perhaps at our most resolute and finest CANTOR PAULA BARUCH 5781 YEAR 2020
TEMPLE ANSHE SHOLOM 5781 YEAR 2020 Director of Religious Education Message Singing Food Dancing and Learning with Friends these are the activities that make Holy Day services and learning at Temple Anshe Sholom fun keep children excited to attend and create lasting memories that become a piece of a child s Jewish Identity This year we will continue to make family connections and explore Jewish learning in a virtual space from the safety and comfort of our homes I am especially excited about our new Erev Rosh Hashanah Prayers Blessings and Erev Yom Kippur PJ s Prayers both for families with young children to prepare for the Holy Days together After the holidays I hope your children will continue to learn celebrate and explore Judaism with us when Religious School classes begin on September 30 Our students and teachers will be meeting in virtual classrooms to learn together and families will be provided with monthly learning packages containing art materials resources and fun surprises to bring our classroom right into their homes We will continue to welcome students to learn together on Shabbat mornings and Wednesday afternoons This year has brought much uncertainty and many changes but at Temple Anshe Sholom our engaging programs and style of learning will continue though our space has changed Our space has opened into our homes engaging families together in learning and bringing us closer together I invite you to look for our Family programs on the Rosh Hashanah Yom Kippur calendars and join in the programs together Dora Ann Cohen Ellison TAS Leadership Message We look forward to welcoming you online during the High Holy Days 5781 In the midst of this unusual year we have a full schedule of beautiful worship services programs and events planned for all ages and interests The tremendous amount of work preparation and creativity that have gone into migrating our High Holy Day experience online has been outstanding and we are appreciative of the efforts of our clergy staff and incredible volunteers We encourage you to take part in as many of our offerings as you are able Seeing your faces in our Virtual Sanctuary will be inspiring for us all We also look forward to celebrating with you at our Virtual Gala on October 4th and at many Temple functions throughout the New Year Our Temple is facing many weighty issues These are discussed in detail in the reports that accompany the Annual General Meeting They can be found on the Temple website and we value your feedback May 5781 be a year of health happiness and prosperity for us all May we be blessed with the time soon when we can once again share in the joy of congregation life together in person L Shana Tovah Mark Levine Yves Apel Co Presidents Marla Frank Davis Haim Goldstein Vice Presidents Liora Malka Treasurer Gillian Burman Secretary Ginny Levine Joshua Rauchwerger Bill Shugar Members at Large
TEMPLE ANSHE SHOLOM 5781 YEAR 2020 Preparing for the High Holy Days Study Opportunities in the Month of ELUL Rabbi Cohen Cantor Baruch are delighted to be on the organizing committee of this important and meaningful evening Reform Jewish congregations and clergy from across Canada are taking part in offering stimulating learning and a beautiful worship service You will enjoy hearing the Shofar blown from coast to coast and a moving look inside all of our sanctuaries as the Torah covers are changed to white for the Days of Awe
TEMPLE ANSHE SHOLOM 5781 YEAR 2020 PREPARING FOR AN UNPRECEDENTED HIGH HOLY DAYS Make me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them Exodus 25 8 This year s High Holy Day experience will be unlike any other Covid 19 has forced us to shut down our synagogue home and move synagogue life online The Aseret Yemei Teshuvah the Ten Days of Repentance is familiar to all of us as something of a homecoming the time when the community gathers in its fullest configuration to celebrate the New Year and engage collectively in the difficult work of atonement The very language of repentance speaks of our unity and togetherness Al chet sh chatanu l fanecha for the sin WE have committed against you We rejoice in marking these most sacred of days together Alas this year it is not safe for us to be physically together as a community at the Temple None the less as Jews we have learned from 2000 years of exile and six months of Shabbat and Festival services on Zoom that adversity does not mean surrender While these Days of Awe will indeed be different moving from in person services in our Sanctuary to online services in our homes provides us with great opportunities for creativity and spiritual meaning All it takes is a little preparation for you to make your home into a Mikdash Me at a Small Sanctuary to help maximize your home High Holy Day experience Here are some suggestions to help you make the most of Anshe Sholom s online services and programs for the High Holy Days 5781 1 Know What to Expect This year s High Holy Day experience is going to be very different not just because services will be online but the format of all services and other programs will be reconfigured This organizational paradigm is necessary to suit the new platform and avoid Zoom Fatigue All offerings will be packaged in one hour blocks with time for a break in between Services will include only the key liturgical elements prayers and music while other elements Torah service sermons and other addresses will be included in a separate block This arrangement gives you more control over your own participation It will however be helpful for you to understand what events will be presented in advance You can review the full schedule of offerings now on the Temple Anshe Sholom web site and here in our High Holy Day Supplement You will also need to prepare your technology Over the past months many of us have become familiar with Zoom on our preferred devices while others have had little or no experience Regardless of your level of expertise it will help to consider elevating your experience for the High Holy Days so that you are not
TEMPLE ANSHE SHOLOM 5781 YEAR 2020 distracted by the technology at the time How is my sound quality What screen will I be watching If you are using Zoom on a smaller screen cell phone or tablet you might want to learn how to connect the device to a TV or other larger screen so you can better see all that is going on Also learn how to configure your Zoom controls and gallery on your screen You can find online Zoom tutorials or contact the Temple for assistance If you do not have online access at all telephone access and other alternatives are also available Contact the Temple for more information Consider who will be with you Prepare for the ease of access and comfort of all in your bubble who will be participating in the services together It is probably not best to have the whole family huddled around the screen of a laptop Will younger and older members of your household want to participate in different events at the same time Prepare together as a family And also consider who in your household will not be joining you What can be done to respect each other s space and avoid interruptions 2 Prepare Your Space The Torah teaches us that sacred space does not just happen by itself it takes thought intention and advance planning Therefore choose your prayer space well in advance and spend some time setting it up for celebration and contemplation Ask yourself what space in my home can best support the High Holy Day experience I am hoping to have Then set a kavanna an intention that frames that experience Organize the room and fill it with your Klei Kodesh ritual objects that will support your specific worship experience Kippot Tallitot Candles Kiddush Cup and Wine a round Challah Apples and Honey a Shofar a Yizkor Candle and perhaps some flowers Cover a table with a white tablecloth and consider adding some special photos or a few family treasures to enhance the space and create meaning When not in the presence of an Ark in North America it is the tradition to face east when we pray towards Jerusalem In your designated prayer space identify east in advance and mark that direction for when you participate in services You can download numerous pictures of a Mizrach a sign designating the direction of Jerusalem to post up on your eastern wall or for a sense of your congregational home you can download a photo of the High Holy Day banners from our TAS Sanctuary from our Temple web site And always remember on Zoom we can see into your home Enhance the space behind you as well as in front of you You are part of our community sanctuary 3 Be an Active Participant Most things that take place on a screen are passive experiences You don t have do much to enjoy a movie of a television show Even Zoom meetings allow for a greater level of informality But a meaningful worship experience particularly a virtual one demands a greater degree of focus and intention Therefore to get the most out of your online High Holy Day experience be an active participant
TEMPLE ANSHE SHOLOM 5781 YEAR 2020 Get dressed up Consider how you want to dress for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur The clothes we choose can support the intentions we are setting and help sustain our efforts to make these Holy Days distinctive And of course don your kippah and tallit as you would normally wear in the synagogue Be on time Our Services and other programs are all going to be short and start on time If you come in late you will miss a lot Better yet log on well in advance to be ready when the service begins Bring your Machzor Our Mishkan HaNefesh High Holy Day Prayer book is filled with beautiful readings and meditations that go well beyond what we will be able to share during our online services Even though the prayers will be on the screen just having the Machzor in your hand will connect you with High Holy Days past and provide you with a framework for personal reflection in the midst of communal prayer And while it may feel awkward to pray at a computer screen don t be afraid to make noise Sing along with a beloved melody join aloud with the communal readings and respond with Amen Stand up and be seated at the appropriate times and engage in all the usual choreography of the service as you would in the Sanctuary And please consider leaving your cellphones and other devices turned off or even better in another room during services to remove the temptation to check email or texts and other distractions 4 Be Open to the Possibilities Health safety and well being are our highest priorities While online High Holy Day services may not be what we want it is the right thing for us to do this year So let s take advantage of these unusual circumstances to be creative and experience something new Sitting in your home alone or surrounded by family with all of your familiar possessions about remember you are in a sacred space You have created a Mikdash Me at a place set apart from the troubles of the world to be safe and embracing A place where the haunting words of the Unetaneh Tokef about the fragility of life can take on a whole new meaning A place for reflection on the trials of the year just ended and the challenges of the year ahead This is a unique opportunity to understand and appreciate the messages of the Days of Awe in a way unlike ever before We give thanks that while we may deeply miss greeting one another with a New Year embrace we are able to remain connected through the blessing of our online technology From our sanctuary to yours we welcome the divine into our homes in fulfillment of the promise In every place where My name is mentioned I will come to you and bless you Exodus 20 21 In your Mikdash Me at may you be blessed with a New Year of health and all good things
TEMPLE ANSHE SHOLOM 5781 YEAR 2020 Learn more about our NEW TRADITIONS FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 18th 6 00 PM to 7 00 PM A new way to celebrate Erev Rosh HaShanah Based on a Sephardic tradition we invite you to connect with us online to join our tables together to celebrate the New Year This short pre dinner Seder will feature songs meditations and special symbolic foods that symbolize the sweetness and blessings we yearn for in the coming year Set your table for a celebration and bring your connected device for a wonderful Seder experience REGISTER and you will be sent instructions for preparing your Rosh HaShanah Seder Plate SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 19th 4 00 PM to 5 00 PM TASHLICH is a symbolic act of ridding yourself of your worst behaviours and habits by tossing them into the sea This year we are meeting at Van Wagner s Beach You can park in Hutch s Restaurant parking lot and join our group physically distanced with masks on on the walking path Rabbi Cohen Cantor Baruch will be there to provide you with a talk about the purpose of this moving ritual and your own baggie of birdseed to cast out into the sea NO NEED TO REGISTER Just show up with your family and please wear masks SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 20th 4 00 PM to 5 00 PM One of the primary mitzvot of Rosh HaShanah is to hear the sound of the Shofar Join us on the afternoon of Second Day Rosh HaShanah for a special joyous and safe opportunity to Drive by the Temple to hear the live Shofar stylings of Rabbi Cohen and Dr Oren Levine have your photo taken and receive a special Rosh HaShanah Gift Bag Decorate your vehicle bring everyone in your bubble and join us for our exciting Rosh HaShanah convoy Bring a canned or packaged good for the food bank so everyone can celebrate the New Year NO NEED TO REGISTER Drive by Temple Anshe Sholom 215 Cline Avenue North Westdale between 4 00 and 5 00 PM
TEMPLE ANSHE SHOLOM 5781 YEAR 2020 HIGH HOLY DAY APPEAL This year because of the COVID pandemic we need your help and support more than ever Please help to support our efforts to reach out and provide the services and programs that mean the world to the Jewish people Your contribution allows us to practice of our values of offering worship learning and community to all who want to join us Thank you for your generous caring and commitment CALL 905 528 0121 ext 22
