ROSH HASHANAH
A Humanistic High Holidays experience emphasizes our ability and responsibility to create change in our own lives and in the broader world. Machar's High Holidays services focus on the themes of the holidays, with each of the services centering on a single aspect of the holiday. Through readings, music, poetry, reflections, and discussions, our services provide inspiration for change and a sense of shared community.
~~~
Rosh Hashanah
Thursday, October 3, 2024
Children's Service 9:30 a.m.
Main Service 10:30 a.m.
Childcare is available for this service.
~~~
Traditionally, Rosh Hashanah marked the anniversary of creation and the establishment of order. It has always been a time for renewal, reflection, and new beginnings. For Humanistic Jews, it is a time for self-judgment.
Rosh Hashanah, a fall festival at the midpoint in the Jewish calendar, and originally NOT the new year, is actually one of four new years, or harvest festivals, in the Jewish year. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur represent the peak of the year, just as Shabbat is the peak of the week. The Shofar blows, the book opens, and we examine what might be inscribed for each of us. Fall is a time of judgment. If rains don’t come, people will indeed die.
Our humanistic observance retains elements of the anniversary of the creation and its significance as the day of atonement and judgment. It offers us the opportunity for concentrated reflections on our actions of the past year and a time to change course and resolve to act more consistently with our humanistic moral and ethical principles. Our celebration i!s based on a historical understanding. Our services include music, readings, and meditative silence. Prior to our Main service, we have a Children’s service.
Tashlich and “reverse” Tashlich: letting go of one’s regrets and guilt, “casting off” undesirable behaviors after making good with others and with self, and vowing to improve in the year to come. We suggest using bread such as rye (to represent sarcasm) to toss into a flowing stream. In reverse, some of us choose to do some sort of clean-up project as a community.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CLICK HERE for YOM KIPPUR
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Machar Rosh Hashanah Service 2022
Machar Erev Rosh Hashanah Service 2021
Machar Rosh Hashanah Service 2021
Machar Rosh Hashanah Liturgy Book 2021
Machar Rosh Hashanah Liturgy 2020
Machar Rosh Hashanah Liturgy 2019
Rabbi Jeremy Kridel: "Dancing at Three Weddings: Secular Humanistic Judaism." Rosh Hashanah 2018
Calendar 2024 -2025 Jewish Cultural School (JCS)
Adult Ed and Community Sunday Calendar