YOM KIPPUR
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.
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Kol Nidre
Friday, October 11, 2024 at 7:30 p.m.
Childcare is available during this service
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Yom Kippur Children's Service
Saturday, October 12, 2024 at 9:30 a.m.
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Yom Kippur Morning Service
Childcare is available during this service
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"The service was very uplifting, unmistakably Jewish, minus the religious ritual and obligations. It really was the first time in my life that I actually enjoyed a Yom Kippur service and never once looked at my watch!"
Anita Shalit, First-time visitor to Machar)
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With the Yom Kippur ceremonies, Humanistic Jews culminate their self-examination begun on Rosh Hashanah. We make Yom Kippur a time of self-forgiveness and forgiveness of others.
During our Kol Nidre ceremony, which occurs on the evening that begins Yom Kippur, we hear “Kol Nidre” three times: once with the traditional text chanted, a second time as an instrumental performance, and finally with a modern adapted text chanted to the traditional melody. The traditional Kol Nidre text anticipates that people will make commitments that they cannot keep, and purports to excuse them of their failures in advance. We preserve it in our service because Jews throughout the centuries have found the traditional text to be extraordinarily powerful. It reminds us explicitly how fallible we truly are. We hear an instrumental version of the Kol Nidre melody so that we can focus on the power of the melody itself. And we hear an adapted Humanistic version of Kol Nidre so that, even as we recognize that we can fail, we can also reaffirm our commitments to acting in concert with our core values as Humanistic Jews.
Also in keeping with Jewish tradition, we include memorial sections in both our Kol Nidre and Yom Kippur day ceremonies. Consistent with our beliefs as Humanistic Jews, we call these sections Nizkor, “Let us remember.” Nizkor affirms that human beings preserve the memory of the dead.
At Yom Kippur we donate to a local food bank representing food not eaten by those who choose to fast for that day. On Yom Kippur morning, we have a Children’s Service prior to the Main service. We sometimes include a talk by one of our members in our Main service .
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CLICK HERE for ROSH HASHANAH
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Machar Yom Kippur Day Service 2024
Machar Yom Kippur Day Service 2023
Machar Yom Kippur Day Service 2022
Machar Yom Kippur Day Service 2021
Yom Kippur Services Booklet 2021
Machar Kol Nidre and Yom Kippur Liturgy 2020
Machar Yom Kippur Liturgy 2019
"Loss, Life and Change" a talk by Machar member Stephen Cohen Kol Nidre 2016
"Living Authentic Lives," a talk by Rabbi Miriam Jerris, Yom Kippur 2013
Walls, a talk by Guest Rabbi Jeff Falick, Kol Nidre 2012
Marshmallows and a Growth Mindset, a talk by Abigail Smith, Yom Kippur 2012
Calendar 2024 -2025 Jewish Cultural School (JCS)
Adult Ed and Community Sunday Calendar