High Holy Days

 

Your Temple Beth-El clergy and staff are working to create a meaningful High Holy Day experience for this year. We look forward to celebrating the new year with you. The list of services is available here.

Tickets will be mailed to congregants for all adults and dependent children in the household. No action is needed on your part. All members will automatically receive links to participate in services over Zoom and dial-up. We are not currently broadcasting over Livestream or YouTube.

Please register your guests, for either in-person or Zoom, using this link. Temple Beth-El offers reciprocity for members of other congregations. If you are a visitor to Temple Beth-El, welcome! Please use this link to reserve your tickets for the holy days.

You can borrow a machzor (prayer book) if you will be participating remotely.

To help get you in the High Holy Day mood, here is a video of Cantor Wallach and Grace Amodeo singing a duet of Y’hiyu l’Ratzon, text from the end of the amidah. And here is a clip of Kathy Shanklin playing Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur melodies.

What you need to do today:

  • Register your guests by Friday, September 27 — deadline extended to Sunday, September 29
  • Register to participate as a Visitor by Friday, September 27 — deadline extended to Sunday, September 29
  • Request a machzor. Call the Office (908-722-0674, ext 312)

Register Guests or Visitors Here            Remember Loved Ones Here

Frequently Asked Questions (updated September 25):

I am a member. Do I need to register?
No. Congregants will automatically receive tickets for all adult members, children under the age of 26, and adult dependent children. Tickets were mailed to congregants early September. You should have your tickets by now.

I am a member. Will I be able to arrange tickets for my guests?
Yes. You will be able to arrange for tickets for your guests to participate either in-person or online. Use this guest registration link. We request a donation of $100 per guest ticket to help defray the costs of the holy days. If arranged early enough, we will mail your guest tickets in the same package as your tickets. Otherwise, you or your guests can pick up the tickets anytime the office is open.

I am a member. Do I need to register to join online services?
No. All members will receive via email the links to the broadcast platform (Zoom). Guests must be registered in order to receive the links. Use this form to register your guests.

I am a member. I’m going to my family’s congregation for the holy days. How do I request reciprocal tickets from them? 
It’s nice that you’ll be with family. Contact the TBE office (908-722-0674) with the name/city of the congregation where you will be attending. We will then contact your family’s synagogue to attest to your membership at TBE.  If your family members are coming to you, ask that their home congregation contact us. 

I am not a member. May I attend?
We will happily welcome you to participate in person or online. Use this form to register as a Visitor. We ask for a donation for in-person participation. Visitor tickets will be available for pickup.

I am having trouble with the forms. What should I do?
Please contact the temple office (908-722-0674 or via email at info@templebethelnj.org) and we will be happy to assist. 

Where can I find the links to participate in the online services?
Links were sent to all members and registered guests via email. Click here for a full schedule of services.

What’s new this year? 
With a new clergy team, there are bound to be many elements that are different this year, and many more that are familiar. Here are a few new items:

  • We are experimenting with an 8:45 a.m. start time for the Children’s Service on Rosh Hashanah. The regular Rosh Hashanah morning service will begin at 10:15 a.m.
  • Our Children’s Service will use a new machzor (prayerbook): “Mishkan Ha Nefesh for Youth” which is similar to the “Mishkah T’fillah for Youth” that our students use during religious school t’filah.

Are there any COVID-related policies for onsite attendance?
A section of our seating in the large social hall will be designated as mask mandatory for those who wish to sit with others who are masked. The remainder of the sanctuary and social hall spaces will be mask optional. 

I’m in a wheelchair/use a walker. Can seats be held for me?
Yes, we can hold seats for those with mobility issues. Please contact Melissa Pyle in the temple office (melissapyle@templebethelnj.org or 908-722-0674, ext. 312).

I want to list my loved ones in the memorial listing. How does that work?
We invite you to remember your loved ones by listing their names in the memorial listing. The memorial listing will be printed in the program and shown to our Zoom viewers before and between services on the holy days and during the Yizkor service on Yom Kippur afternoon. Use this form to let us know the names of your loved ones to include in the memorial listing. We ask you to consider a donation of $18 per name, but welcome you to set your own donation level.  Last year’s Memorial Listing can be found here so you can see what it looks like or to refresh your memory on who you listed last year.

I’m a new grandparent. Are we doing the baby blessing this year?
Yes! Among the many joyous rituals of the Holy Days is our temple’s custom on the first day of Rosh Hashanah to bless babies who have come into our temple family in the past year. If you are the parent (or grandparent) of a new arrival and and would like to include your family’s little on in the baby blessing on Rosh Hashanah morning, please contact Melissa Pyle in the temple office (908-722-0674, ext 312 or via email at melissapyle@templebethnj.org). Let Melissa know if your little one will be joining the service or not.

Will there be a High Holy Day appeal?
Yes. As has been our custom, customized pledge cards will be available for pickup in the temple lobby on Rosh Hashanah morning. If you prefer not to pick-up or return your pledge card on the holy day, we will mail it to you in the intervening days.

Are we doing a food drive?
Yes! Our annual High Holy Day Food Drive benefits The Food Bank Network of Somerset County. Bring your donation anytime from Rosh Hashanah right up until the start of the Kol Nidrei service. We ask that you not bring your donation on Yom Kippur itself as Yom Kippur is Shabbat. Monetary donations are also appreciated. 

Are we doing Reverse Tashlich again this year?
Yes! Reverse Tashlich is a global effort to clean-up trash and debris from our oceans and water-ways, and to practice tikkun hayam – repair of the sea. Visit this page to learn more about TBE’s Reverse Tashlich effort and to sign up.

I’m not sure which gendered bathroom to use. Is there a private restroom?
Gender diversity is welcome here and you should use whichever bathroom suits your gender expression. If you prefer a single stall bathroom, one is available in the school wing by the school kitchen. Follow the signs. 

I plan to participate online. Can I get a copy of the slides?
We are returning to using our prayer books and will not use slides this year. Please contact the temple office to arrange to borrow a machzor (prayer book) (908-722-0674 or info@templebethelnj.org).