High Holy Days Information: 2024/5785

We look forward to celebrating the High Holy Days with you!

High Holy Days at TBZ 5785 – All of the Details

Below you will find a schedule of programs and services.

To download a PDF file of the full schedule, click HERE.

Here are some more important links to help you navigate TBZ’s many services and programs:

DONATE TO THE HIGH HOLIDAY APPEAL

Download Your Machzorim (High Holiday prayer books)  

TBZ’s 2024 Yizkor (Remembrance) Book

Sukkot | Shmini Atzeret | Simchat Torah

Like last year, we will be offering in-person and online opportunities for our members and their guests with multiple ways to access programming and services. As always, the health of our community – physical, emotional, and spiritual – is our top priority.

What can you expect?

• In-person: We will have many ways to be together for services in our synagogue. These offerings include our services in the Sanctuary (early and late options); Family services; Children and Teen programming (sign up for Camp Shana Tova!); and services, learning, and meditation opportunities. Ne’ila will be in the TBZ Sanctuary as it has been pre-pandemic.
• Online: All services in the Sanctuary will be streamed on Zoom. We will also offer some Zoom-only programs, classes, and services. Zoom links will be sent to all members, but please contact the office if you need Zoom link information: 617-566-8171.

Tickets: 
TBZ membership includes access to High Holiday services, both in-person and online. (1-adult membership includes 1 ticket; 2-adult membership includes 2 tickets.) Children of members are included on their parent/guardian’s ticket. Additional tickets for adult children (age 20 and up), other family members, guests, and community members are available for purchase. 

Tickets include the full experience of in-person and online offerings. All those who plan to join us exclusively online are expected to have tickets. As always, our doors – physical and online – are open to all: if finances present a challenge for your tickets, do no hesitate to contact TBZ’s executive director, Benjamin Maron or call the TBZ office 617-566-8171.

High Holiday Packets:
You will receive your High Holiday packet in the mail after you have arranged your membership for 2024-2025 and purchased any additional tickets you may need. The packets will include physical tickets and important information, including a final schedule of services, and will be mailed starting mid-August. 

Yizkor Booklet
This year, TBZ will automatically include in its Yizkor Book those names that appeared in last year’s book. If you have any names to add to our Yizkor Book, or corrections to last year’s, please let us know. 

Camp Shana Tova
TBZ’s youth programming on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is for all ages, babies through high schoolers). Registration is required. 

Ushering
Do you want to help greet our community as they come to services? We appreciate volunteers serving in two important roles on the holidays: ticket checkers and ushers. Sign up for shifts here. 

Psalm 30: Eleikha
The text and song that will guide and inspire us throughout the holidays at TBZ this year is Psalm 30. We will have opportunities to learn and sing some of the verses of this psalm. This beautiful poem, that we recite daily, calls to God to lift us up, to heal us, and to support us when we are in times of darkness. We will be singing using Joey Weisenberg’s beautiful melody. You can also learn the words in preparation to sing with us!

Nishmat Hayyim Practices
For the past few years, we have offered a Nishmat Hayyim service on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Instead of a full service, this year we will be offering opportunities for contemplative practice during the holidays:

• First Day of Rosh Hashanah (October 4, 10:00-11:00am) – Nishmat Hayyim Practice: Contemplative Torah Learning and Meditation led by Reggie Silberberg & Sheila Yocheved Katz;
• Second Day of Rosh Hashanah (October 5, 10:45-11:45am) – Nishmat Hayyim Practice: Contemplative Torah Learning and Meditation with Reb Moshe Waldoks;
• Yom Kippur (October 12, 10:00-11:00am) – Nishmat Hayyim Practice: Contemplative Torah Learning and Meditation with Bobbi Isberg;
• Yom Kippur (October 12, 5:00-5:30pm) – Nishmat Hayyim Meditation Practice with Bobbi Isberg.

The first three offerings will be modeled on the Friday morning meditations that Reb Moshe, Reggie, Sheila, and Bobbi offer every week. They will include contemplative learning related to the Torah portion read during the main service, plus mediation, chanting, and silence. The schedule will allow those participating to return to the Sanctuary on time for shofar blowing during the late service on the first day and all shofar blowing on the second day of Rosh Hashanah. The fourth opportunity will be offered during the break between Mincha and Ne’ila services.

Dedicated Spaces
Throughout the High Holidays, we will offer different spaces to make our services more accessible and inclusive:

• Contemplative Practice: a dedicated space at all times during services for contemplative practice. The speakers will not be turned on and we ask those who chose to be in that room to keep silent (Room Bet);
• Family Room for parents with small children, with services accessible via speakers (Room Gimel);
• New Parent and Nursing Room (Room Alef);
• Pre-Teen / Teen Lounge (Room Dalet).

These four rooms will be available on both days of Rosh Hashanah, Kol Nidrei, and Yom Kippur unless a program is happening in that space (see the schedule below). Please help us keep these rooms for their designated use.

Break Fast
TBZ will host a community break fast at the conclusion of Ne’ila services on yom Kippur. Please register by October 7.

You can view the PDF of our schedule here.

High Holy Days Schedule 5785/2024