2022 High Holidays: Replenishing Our Souls

Dear WJC Family,

The High Holidays serve many religious, communal and liturgical purposes, not the least of which is storing up a spiritual charge to last us the whole year. That is why we start our year with these holidays, our biggest spiritual events, rather than saving them for the end of the year. Our calendar is designed with ancient wisdom, starting with the High Holidays to refuel our souls and spiritually energize us for the year ahead. This year we need it as much as ever.

In Judaism, we replenish our souls by celebrating and gathering, singing and praying, learning and feeling connected to each other and to something greater than ourselves. We replenish our souls by linking to the generations that came before us and creating the bridge to the ones that will come after us. We replenish our souls by sensing eternity in every moment and reveling in that revelation.

We are excited to take another step forward in gathering together as a community and to do all of these soul-replenishing activities together.

What follows is a brief outline of our planned High Holiday services as of mid-June. Based on our regular High Holiday offerings, they are designed to give us ample opportunities to get spiritual and emotional nourishment. We believe these offerings will be just what we all need to start the year off recharged, spiritually nourished and inspired.

Of course, while we are optimistic that our plans will be appropriate come September and October, these plans may be subject to change at any time right up until the start of High Holiday services, so please pay careful attention to all communications from WJC with a “High Holiday” label in the subject line. Of course, we will still be relying on the advice of the COVID-19 Task Force as the holidays draw closer and with the hard-won knowledge of how to gather safely under different circumstances, we are excited about the prospects of being together.

We are thrilled to invite you to join us as we Replenish our Souls—with celebration, with blessings, with song, with community, and with learning. Replenishing our Souls will invigorate us for the year ahead and for a lifetime of joy and connectedness as the WJC community.

Wishing you a replenished 5783,
Rabbi Jeffrey M. Arnowitz
Larry Thaler, WJC President
and the High Holiday Task Force

High Holidays at a Glance

Details and registration will launch in mid-July

Rosh Hashanah: Sunday evening, September 25 to Tuesday, September 27

Yom Kippur: Tuesday evening, October 4 to Wednesday evening, October 5

Contemporary Service: Sunday, September 25

Tashlich at the Harbor: ​​Monday, September 26

Family & Youth Services
FAMILY SERVICE
Rosh Hashanah Day 1 & 2
Yom Kippur

YOUTH SERVICE & PROGRAMS
Rosh Hashanah Day 1 & 2
Rosh Hashanah Torah for Tots
Yom Kippur

CHILDCARE
We will offer childcare on both days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

TEEN PROGRAMS
Rosh Hashanah Day 1 & 2
Yom Kippur

High Holidays FAQ

We have a full calendar of onsite services to accommodate members of all ages and program interests.
We are excited to offer services once again indoors and outdoors this year. All services in the sanctuary will be available on the live stream.

• Adult Services: There are two options for adult services on the three holiday days and Kol Nidre:
  (1) a clergy-led service in the main sanctuary and (2) the Study Service, which will take place in the tent and, as in past years, will be led by Seth Schafler and one of our Rabbis with some lay participation. Registration will be required for both. There will be both reserved and open seating offered in each service with an upcharge for reserved seats; plus an opportunity to opt for additional seating for extended family in both.
• Family Services: We will host two sequential services to keep crowd size manageable. There will also be age-appropriate youth programming for ages 2 to pre-bnei mitzvah.
• Teen Services: Will be offered on Rosh Hashanah Day 1 & 2 and Yom Kippur. We are excited to welcome back Adina Bromberg-Seltzer, who ran such successful services last year, to be our leader again!
• A contemporary service for the entire congregation will be scheduled on the day before Rosh Hashanah to welcome the High Holidays.
• Tashlich will once again take place at the Harbor.
• Neilah will be a single service open to all in the main sanctuary with special attention to health/safety guides to safely accommodate everyone.
• If circumstances change, our High Holiday Task Force and clergy will have contingency plans ready to implement if needed.
• Beginning in mid-July all information/updates, including online registration, will be posted on our website at: wjcenter.org/HighHolidays2022