(New York Jewish Week) – Back to school and the increasing variety of apples at the farmers market means the start of fall and the start of a brand new year.
Rosh Hashanah, which begins on the evening of Sunday, September 25, is almost here, and in this third year of COVID, everyone has different wants and needs for this year’s High Holidays. Whether you’ve recently received a booster shot and feel confident about joining your congregation in person, or you’re looking to find an outdoor or virtual church service — or you’ve never been to a High Holiday church service — there are countless options in this great city of us.
New York Jewish Week has rounded up several options for High Holiday services at different price points in the districts – from traditional synagogue experiences to more creative interpretations of the holidays and their liturgy. (Most services are held on both Mondays and Tuesdays except as noted below.)
If none of this catches your eye, the UJA-Federation of New York has created a portal to find even more ministries in each borough. (UJA-Federation is a sponsor of 70 Faces Media, the parent company of New York Jewish Week.) However you choose to celebrate the arrival of 5783, the following list offers exciting options for starting a healthy and sweet new one Year.
Temple Emanu-El (Reform)
Personally and live stream
This year, Temple Emanu-El is holding traditional in-person services at its Fifth Avenue sanctuary for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Israeli Consul General Asaf Zamir is expected to address Rosh Hashanah on the first day. Other highlights include a young family service on the roof of the synagogue and taschlich, the symbolic shedding of sins, in Central Park. For the second time in a row, the service for young families on Yom Kippur will take place on the SummerStage in Central Park. The full schedule can be found here. Young families can purchase a $500 per family ticket package that includes multiple Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services; Young professionals (ages 22-30) can purchase tickets for $36 per service to attend the formal services of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Live stream of all services for free on Facebook and YouTube. More information here.
Congregation Beit Simchat Torah (Not connected)
Personally and live stream
The Beit Simchat Torah Congregation is an LGBTQ+ and progressive synagogue hosting both in-person and livestreamed services at Masonic Hall this year 46 West 24th St. There are also services for families with small children. People of all gender identities and sexual orientations are welcome at CBST. Register in advance to get tickets (open to the public) for the free service here. Free.
Parish of Beth Elohim (Reform)
Personally and live stream
Beth Elohim Congregation will offer a variety of worship services at various locations throughout Brooklyn. Traditional services led by Rabbi Rachel Timoner and Rabbi Stephanie Kolin are held at the CBE Shrine in the park slope Just for members. However, there is also a “Brooklyn Jews” service open to the public, aimed at adults in their 20s and 30s, at CBE’s Union Temple House, 17 Eastern Parkway. Youth and family services will be free and open to the public at the Old Stone House in Park Slope. A tashlich service in Prospect Park open to the public. More information can be found here. Tickets for the Brooklyn Jews Service are $54 per single service or $144 for an all-access pass.
Bronx Jewish Center (chabad)
Personally
The Chabad-affiliated Bronx Jewish Center will host Rosh Hashanah at its brand new location at 900 Pelham Parkway. Sunday evening services are followed by a four-course meal, and morning Rosh Hashanah services are followed by lunch. There will also be a children’s program. No tickets are needed, however Guests must register in advance. Free.
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Ohel Ayalah (traditional and egalitarian)
Virtual
Ohel Ayalah typically offers free pop-up High Holiday services held at the Prince George Ballroom, 15 East 27th St., specifically aimed at Jews in their 20s and 30s. This year, Ohel Ayalah is only offering virtual services for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Each service is truncated to 75 minutes and “contains highlights of traditional Solemnity prayers and melodies, along with the usual inspirational nuggets.” The services will be led by Rabbi Judith Hauptman and cantor soloist Josh Gorfinkle. Registered guests will receive a zoom link. Free.
JCC Harlem
Personally
JCC Harlem, an outpost of Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan at 318 W. 118th St., will host relaxed “come as you are” services on the first day of Rosh Hashanah and on Yom Kippur this year, accompanied by a number of classes and workshops. Worship services at JCC Harlem are led by Rabbi Rachel Maimin, Rabbi Nikki DeBlosi, and Rabbi Iggy Gurin-Malous. JCC Harlem will also host Taschlich and Shofar Blowing at the West Harlem Piers. For families with children under 12, there will be a Rosh Hashanah Wine Down, which will include hands-on holiday cooking in an Oyven-powered mobile oven; artistic activities and community service. More information can be found here. Tickets cost $36 per service and are available to the public.
Sim Shalom Jazz High Holiday Services
Personally and live stream
Sim Shalom, an online-only “universalist” synagogue, holds in-person jazz services on the first day of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur at The Bitter End (147 Bleecker St.). Rabbi Steven Blane is joined by a jazz quartet as he leads the group through the service. Tickets cost $130 per service. Make a reservation here. For $149, guests have access to a live stream of all services.
Lab/Shul at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center
Personally and live stream
Lab/Shul, an experimental God-optional synagogue dedicated to making Jewish tradition meaningful across a range of faiths and identities, will hold services on the first day of Erev Rosh Hashanah at the BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center (199 Chambers St.) held by Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. This year’s theme is ‘Shviti’, which Lab/Shul describes as an ‘ancient art of focused contemplation’ that gives us, as individuals and as a community, grounding tools for better balance, tilting us to love and uplifting to justice. Tashlich will be in Rockefeller Park on the first day of Rosh Hashanah. More information can be found here. Non-member tickets are $95 for a single service (general admission) and $325 for all four services. Reserved seating is $200 for one service and $750 for all services. Members get a discount. The live stream is free, donations are welcome.
Shofar over Brooklyn
Personally
In partnership with the UJA Federation, more than 20 congregations will blow the shofar on the second day of Rosh Hashanah at 5 p.m. at various outdoor locations in Brooklyn. Find out which communities are participating and where you can hear the shofar bang in your area. Free and open to the public.
Pray less, waver more
Back for a night on Sunday night, Erev Rosh Hashanah, Sway Machinery will perform their groundbreaking album Hidden Melodies Revealed. The performance, which began in 2007, integrates Yiddish liturgical music into concert experiences. The band’s guitarist and vocalist Jeremiah Lockwood describes it as “a concert version of the holiday liturgy reconfigured by the sounds of the 21st century.”St Century rock and international pop music and framed by an iconoclastic performance that integrates storytelling, experimental animation and an orientation towards fun and community.” The performance will take place on September 25th at the Brooklyn Bowl.
Brooklyn Bowl will also host Rosh Hashanah services on Sunday evenings and the first day of Rosh Hashanah, led by Rabbi Daniel Brenner. Lockwood will be the musical director. Tickets for the service and concert are $45.
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Host a food drive in your community
City Harvest, one of New York’s largest food rescue organizations, operates its High Holiday Kosher Food Drive. The organization encourages participants to place garbage cans in their schools, synagogues and offices for food donations and to promote them to neighbors and friends on social media throughout the month. Contact City Harvest on October 10th to arrange a pickup. The Food Drive accepts “all types of kosher canned, non-perishable, sealed, or packaged foods are acceptable for pickup” and looks for “shelf-stable, kosher protein sources such as: tuna, salmon, sardines, peanut butter, and beans.” start here
Watch a movie – or many
The Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan is also hosting a free virtual “Forgive Me Film-a-thon” October 3-5, “designed for those who find it easier to think with thoughtful films and treat movie theaters as temples.” . They are showing Love & Stuff, a 2020 documentary directed by Upper West Sider Judith Helfand, and ‘Til Kingdom Come,’ Maya Zinshtein’s 2020 documentary about evangelical Christian support for Israel. More information can be found here.
Try some sweet homemade desserts
Can’t make it to in-person events but still want to celebrate a sweet New Year? Order some baked goods from one of those cottage grocery stores to satisfy your sweet tooth, relieve your backstress and celebrate the New Year. Our colleagues at The Nosher have loads of (get it?) holiday entertainment ideas, including 11 ways to make chesta recipe for a Greek-Jewish apple and honey milk cakeand much much more.
Editor’s Note: Are you a host or do you know of other High Holiday experiences that are open to the public? Let us know – we’d love to consider adding them to the guide. Email us at [email protected]
Want to know more about Rosh Hashanah 2022? Visit our partner My Jewish Learning for holiday information, free online Rosh Hashanah services, and Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur candle lighting times.
