High Holy Days – 5781

We hope this message finds you and your families safe and healthy during this time of uncertainty.  

High Holy days will be here in the blink of an eye, and we want to share our plans for the upcoming holidays with you.  Many of you have been wondering how this will all happen, and we appreciate your patience as the Board worked through how to best follow the Jewish principle of pikuach nefesh and balance the “want” for an in-person service.  

What are we doing this year?

• Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur will be streamed online
• Services will be broken down into shorter sections with breaks between each one to try and minimize “Zoom” fatigue
• Different Machzor that has Hebrew transliteration and is easy to follow will be available online
• Opportunities for in-person service at each holiday for those who want to be together if the weather cooperates.  Appropriate social distancing and mask measures will be place.  
• Music will still be a part of the service, but unfortunately it is not safe for us to try and have a full choir this year.
• Pre-recorded Children’s Service so families can view it at a time and day of their choosing.

What does an “In-Person, socially distanced” service look like for CKA?  How can we pull this off safely?

The need to provide for those congregants that want to connect during the holidays was a strong motivator for us to think outside the box this year.  We looked to Rabbi for guidance, and he did not let us down.  

• Shofar and Tashlich at the pond by the former LISD natatorium allow families to come together, yet safely apart to hear the wonderful sound of the shofar on our New Year.
• Kol Nidre in the CKA parking lot as we begin our Day of Atonement
• Yizkor and Neilah in the CKA parking lot as we remember those who are no longer with us and finish our time of atonement

There will be no charge for non-members to view services this year.  The Board agreed this was a year to make sure that everyone that wanted to view a service had the opportunity to do so without any additional financial stress.  Now, more than ever, people want to be closer to their religious foundations and this is just one way for CKA to provide some tikkun olam as a community.  As we head into the High Holy Days, I ask you to reflect upon your own ways of providing tikkun olam or tzedakah to those in need. 

Rebecca Lennard, Board President

Paul Dietz, Executive Vice President

Stephen Ducar, Vice President of Ritual

Rabbi Geoff Dennis