High Holy Days 5781/2020
Rosh Hashanah begins on the evening of Friday, September 18th.
When the Temple was destroyed two thousand years ago, Jews gave up animal sacrifice in favor of prayer. This September we face a challenge, which, for us, will be equally historic. In our efforts to help prevent the spread of coronavirus, we have decided to conduct our holiest and most attended services differently this year: We will not be together in a sanctuary.
Instead, we will be joining with Temple Emanu-El to provide both congregations with virtual services via Facebook Live, YouTube, pre-recorded elements, Zoom, or some combination of these.
At a time when we are craving human and spiritual connection, Cantor Cohen and I believe that we can create a beautiful and meaningful virtual High Holy Days experience. We have been in discussions with Rabbis, Cantors, and Jewish Educators around the country, as we develop new and creative opportunities to touch your hearts in your own homes.
Judaism has always been adaptive. We will provide you with more information about our High Holy Days programming soon.
Rabbi Thomas Louchheim
Schedule for High Holy Days 5781/2020
All services will be delivered virtually unless otherwise indicated.
Members in good standing have received an email with instructions on how to access services. If you have misplaced your access link, please contact the office at (520) 512-8500 or email eileen@octucson.org.
Non-members who wish to make a reservation may do so by clicking here.
Sunday, September 13, 2020 |
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S’lichot: |
 streamed live on Facebook – no account requiredClick here to watch! |
| 6:00 a.m. | Sunrise Service & Changing of the Torah Mantles; |
Friday, September 18, 2020 |
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Erev Rosh Hashanah |
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| 7:30 p.m. | Evening Service |
Saturday, September 19, 2020 |
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Rosh Hashanah |
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| 10:00 a.m. | Main Service |
| 11:00 a.m. | Rosh Hashanah Breakout Session |
| 11:30 a.m. | Youth Service – for students in third through eighth grade |
| Available any time | Tot Service – for toddlers through second grade and their families |
| 1:00 p.m. | Expanded Torah Reading & Study |
Sunday, September 20, 2020 |
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Drive-By Shofar Sounding |
Various locations around town:
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| 12:00 p.m. | Sounding of the Shofar |
Any Day Before Yom Kippur |
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Tashlich |
Packets can be picked up at the office. Call (520) 512-8500 to schedule your pickup. |
Kever Avot |
Prayers will be available for download. |
Sunday, September 27, 2020 |
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Erev Yom Kippur |
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| 7:30 p.m. | Kol Nidre Service |
Monday, September 28, 2020 |
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Yom Kippur |
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| 10:00 a.m. | Main Service |
| 11:30 a.m. | Youth Service – for students in third through eighth grade |
| Available any time | Tot Service – for toddlers through second grade and their parents |
| 12:15 p.m. | Expanded Torah Reading & Study |
| 4:00 p.m. | Afternoon Service |
| 4:45 p.m. | Yom Kippur Breakout Session |
| 5:00 p.m. | Expanded Torah Reading & Study |
| 5:30 p.m. | Yizkor & Neilah Service |
PJ Library Activity Kits
Or Chadash and PJ Library are teaming up to provide your youngsters with a fun activity kit for Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur. Kits can be picked up at the office with advance reservations between 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday,
September 14th -16th. One bag per family.
Non-member Reservations for High Holy Days 5781/2020
Dear Friends,
We invite you to celebrate the High Holy Days with us again this year.
In this time of social distancing, Congregation Or Chadash and Temple Emanu-El have joined together to produce and broadcast virtual Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services. The Clergy and the Ritual Committees of both congregations have been working diligently with a professional videographer to create a spiritually uplifting experience for you and your entire family, including services for tots and youth.More
Support Or Chadash – High Holy Days 5781/2020
Use this form to make an online donation to support Congregation Or Chadash.
View content from previous years:
5780 High Holy Days Appeal
In these times of partisanship and divisiveness, Or Chadash stands as a place where all are welcome. Together, we instill and foster Jewish identity and community, perpetuate Judaism by being a community of lifelong learners, and enhance the quality of life through the practice of Torah, Worship, Acts of Loving Kindness, and Tikkun Olam.More
Erev Rosh Hashanah 5780: Hineni
M’kor Chayeinu, Source of our lives, we stand together before You.
We stand in fear of a world that appears at times to be harsh and unkind. We tremble at uncertainty as to what the future may bring. And yet,
We are thankful for health, for family, and for friends.
Rosh Hashanah Morning 5780
Did any of you ever play the quiet game on a family car ride? You know, where the goal is to see who can go the longest without talking. Once someone makes a sound though, the game is over because that is the one rule of the game. Make a sound and all bets are off. This game was very effective on my brother and me growing up whenever my mom wanted some peace and quiet in the car. In reality it only ever lasted a few minutes. But, can you imagine playing the quiet game on road trip for three days? Now that’s a long time to go without any talking. This is essentially what Abraham and Isaac do in the story of the Akeida, the Binding of Isaac. In this portion, we learn that Abraham is instructed by G-d to sacrifice Isaac and during the three days during which they travel to this site of sacrifice, there are no words shared between them, just silence.
Erev Rosh Hashanah 5780: Teaming Through Righteousness: Curiosity, Passion, & Empathy
With a sliver of the moon in the night sky, allowing us a greater glimpse of the stars in heaven, we begin this new month like all other months. The difference is that this month of Tishrei begins with a name and not with the number “1.” It is called “Rosh Hashanah.” “Day of Judgment.” The number of a day of the month is just part of a sequence. A name seeks for you to ponder as to the origin and meaning of it. I propose that we look upon our Rosh Hashanah, our Day of Judgment differently than in year’s past. It is not God who is judging your past deeds; rather, it is you who will judge your future steps.
Kol Nidrei 5780: Strive for Excellence in All Things & Be an Idealist
You have accomplished something awesome by being here together this evening.1 Erev Yom Kippur. Kol Nidrei. You have entered this sanctuary to observe the holiest day of the year. What do you find here? The beginning of a long fast. Melodies you recall from childhood. Familiar prayers heard only once in a year seeking to pry open an inner consciousness, for you to turn inward and probe. It is a day of memories: of people and places.
Yom Kippur 5780: Forgive Yourself & Find the Dot of Goodness
Rabbi Sandy Ragins of my family’s congregation in Los Angeles has officiated at hundreds of baby namings during his career. Besides the usual blessings read, he will often share a line Gandalf spoke in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King –More
Yom Kippur Yizkor 5780
During these High Holy Days, we have repeated the refrain during the Amidah prayers, Zochreinu l’chayim, “Remember us unto life.” How strange now at the end of it all, we remember people we loved, those who loved us, but have left us. They are gone.
During Yizkor we attempt to find meaning in death. This moment provides a resting point where we may pause and evaluate the meaning of our lives and theirs. It was a bond between imperfect people. They, like us, were full of faults, capable of great anger and great love. We forgive ourselves for how we behaved, for words not spoken, for unresolved events. We forgive our dead. They hurt us sometimes by what they said or did or what they did not say. If they were our parents, they did the best that they could. They did no less and no more. We are grateful for the gifts we gave and we received.
5780 High Holy Day Congregant Speeches
Elaine Jones
Marc Sbar
Goldie Goldstein
