Rosh Hashanah רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה
Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year, which marks the beginning of a 10-day period of prayerful contemplation, self-examination, and repentance known as the Yamim Noraim (Days of Awe or High Holy Days). Customs include pomegranates and the act of Tashlict, which is a beloved ritual in our community.
Yom Kippur יוֹם כִּיפּוּר
Yom Kippur is the Jewish "Day of Atonement" and refers to the annual Jewish observance of fasting, prayer, and repentance. We seek reconciliation with the source and all those we have wronged or have wronged us.
Sukkot סֻכּוֹת
Sukkot, the Harvest Festival, is the only festival with an explicit commandment to rejoice. We erect a sukkah, a temporary hut, in our garden during the seven-day festival for song, prayer, eating, and welcoming our greater community.
Rituals, Traditions, Recipes, & More
Regardless of your Jewish Journey, we invite all to learn, rejoice, and join with us during the Days of Awe. We have a collection of teachings, literature, information, resources, a glossary of terms, recipes, and activities for all ages we welcome you to explore.
Simchat Torah שִׂמְחַת תּוֹרָה
Simchat Torah is a fun-filled day during which we celebrate the completion of the annual reading of the Torah and affirm Torah as one of the pillars on which we build our lives. As part of the celebration, our Torahs are danced around the synagogue seven times.
Shabbat Shuvah שבת שובה & Erev Selichot
Shabbat Shuvah is the Shabbat between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. On Erev Selichot, we study forgiveness (selichot) through an exploration of Talmud, short story, and poetry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! We are honored to welcome congregants visiting from synagogues all over the world. To reserve a ticket, go to our online ticketing portal and request your tickets. We ask for a letter from your home congregation indicating you are a member in good standing. This can be emailed to us at templeemanuelaa@hvc.rr.com or bring a copy with you the first day you will be attending.
Congregation Emanuel of the Hudson Valley is always working towards a completely inclusive environment. Our main sanctuary, chapel, social hall, entrance, coat room, first-floor classrooms, and private bathroom are accessible for wheelchair users. The first-floor bathroom is private and open to all genders. For members and guests who need a quiet area, we will have a designated quiet room with comfortable seating. We will have large print prayer books and inserts available at the welcoming desk. We always include vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options in our oneg refreshments, as well as readily non-alcoholic grape juices. If you need any assistance, please visit the welcoming desk and one of our volunteers will work to ensure your access and safety.
The short answer is YES! The long answer is YES, and we have options. For the 2020 High Holidays, most of our services and events are online. Children are warmly invited to all in-person events: Selichot on Rosh Hashana Day 1 and Poet's Walk Park activities on Rosh Hashana Day 2. Note: Kids are welcome on the hike, but will likely have a better time at the children's activity held at the gazebo.
Our overall approach:
Children of all ages are welcome in the main sanctuary at all times, and that includes fussy infants and toddlers. We will have services, led by our religious school director, for children birth-7 and for youth 7-19 at 10am.
We also have free childcare available from 9:30am-12:30pm on the first day of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. If your children are going to childcare, we require that you bring them in, complete the sign-in form please make sure you sign in, and keep your phone on vibrate in case the attendants need to reach you. For everyone's safety, children are not allowed to leave childcare without being signed out by their designated adult. This is an excellent opportunity for your children to participate in age-appropriate, engaging, and fun High Holiday activities while you are in services.
Our full schedule, including Sukkot, Simchat Torah, and Elul observances, is posted here and will be updated regularly with any new developments.
