Nashuvah. Return again.

We're bringing back your favourite High Holy Day services and programs for you and your family to enjoy, many offering both in-person and online engagement options. Mark your calendar and bring family as we celebrate and connect with our family,

Pre-Holy Days Opportunities

Return Again: Community Selihot of Shuvah

Saturday, September 17 at 9:30 p.m.

Join us for an inspiring musical Seli ˙ hot Service on the theme of returning, featuring Cantor Sidney Ezer of Beth Tzedec, Cantor David Edwards of Beth Torah and Cantor Jeremy Burko of Beth Radom, accompanied on piano by Asher Farber, with insightful readings and kavanot by Rabbi Steven Wernick and Rabbi Louis Sachs. 

At 9:30 p.m., we begin the evening with a community Havdalah followed by the screening and discussion of the film “Forgiveness” by Rabbi Joseph Telushkin. We will conclude the night with our Seliẖot Service at 10:30 p.m. followed by a dessert reception. Then, at midnight, the Gates open! 

This special program will be presented in person and via livestream. Pre-registration required here>>

Pre-Rosh Hashanah Shabbat Service and Dinner

Friday, September 23: Service 6:00 p.m. / Dinner 7:00 p.m.

Return again to Beth Tzedec to celebrate together with a community Shabbat dinner. Join us for an inspiring and meaningful Kabbalat Shabbat Service before we gather for a delicious catered dinner and songs with H̱azzan Moshe Fishel and the Lishmoa El Harina ensemble and time to reconnect with our Beth Tzedec friends and family. 

Cost for dinner: $45 adults; $28 children. Pre-register by September 19 here>>

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Family, Youth and Teen Opportunities

Challah Prince with Idan Chabasov

Wednesday, September 14 from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m.

Elevate your Challah to a royal level! Join Idan Chabasov, a.k.a. the Challah Prince, to learn new braids and other techniques for making the perfect Rosh Hashanah Challah. This program is perfect for families, grandparents and anyone wanting to level up their Challah skills. Spaces are limited. Cost: $10 per challah. To register, click here>> 

Rosh Hashanah Programs for SK to Grade 5

Monday, September 26 and Tuesday, September 27
from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Fun and educational holiday programming for children, including activities, snacks and games. Participants should check in on the second floor of the School Wing via Staircase A (in the parking lot). Pre-registration is not required.

Rosh Hashanah In-Person Family Services

Monday, September 26 and Tuesday, September 27
from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon

For children ages six and up and their families—This 90-minute service is intimate, lively and lots of fun. Join Daniel Silverman, Director of Education and Program Coordinator, and rabbinic intern Anna Bruder for inspirational stories and songs to delight the whole family.

Rosh Hashanah Middle School Lounge

Monday, September 26 and Wednesday, October 5
from 11:00 to 11:45 a.m.

Middle schoolers in grades 6 to 8 are invited to join Sylvie Moscovitz in the Rabbi's Study to discuss High Holy Day liturgy, meaningful discussion about the themes of the holidays and an opportunity to reflect on the past year while looking toward a new year together. Snacks will be provided. Pre-registration is required in advance to Sylvie. 

Outdoor Family Shofar Blowing and Tashlikh

Monday, September 26 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Daniel Silverman in Cedarvale Park for an outdoor shofar blowing after which we will walk to Cedarvale Ravine to perform the ritual of Tashlikh, symbolically casting our sins into the river. (Bring bread to toss into the river.) Pre-registration is required via email to Daniel.

Kol Nidrei and Yom Kippur Youth Programs

Tuesday, October 4 from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. and 
   Wednesday, October 5 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Fun and educational holiday programming for children, including activities, snacks and games. Participants should check in on the second floor of the School Wing via Staircase A (in the parking lot). Pre-registration is not required.

Kol Nidrei and Yom Kippur Family Services

Tuesday, October 4 from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. and 
   Wednesday, October 5 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon

For children ages six and up and their families—This 90-minute service is intimate, lively and lots of fun. Join Daniel Silverman, Director of Education and Program Coordinator, and rabbinic intern Anna Bruder for inspirational stories and songs to delight the whole family.

Yom Kippur Middle School Lounge

Wednesday, October 5 from 11:00 to 11:45 a.m.

Middle schoolers in grades 6 to 8 are invited to join Sylvie Moscovitz in the Rabbi's Study to discuss High Holy Day liturgy, meaningful discussion about the themes of the holidays and an opportunity to reflect on the past year while looking toward a new year together. Pre-registration is required in advance to Sylvie. 

Gesher Candy Sukkah

Wednesday, October 12 at 5:00 p.m.

For Grades 6 to 8—Text a few friends and join Sylvie Moscovitz, Teen Engagement Coordinator, for a delicious sukkah-building activity...making candy sukkahs! Pre-registration is required. To register, click here>> 

BTUSY Sukkah Hop

Saturday, October 15 at 8:00 p.m.

For Grades 8 to 12—Join your friends from BTUSY for a teen Sukkah hop with Havdalah, a volunteer project, candy sukkah making and more! Community service hours will be provided. Pre-registration is required in advance to Sylvie at smoscovitz@beth-tzedec.org. 

Kol Nidrei and Yom Kippur Youth Programs 

Tuesday, October 4             Wednesday, October 5
from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m.         from 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Fun and educational holiday programming for children, including activities, snacks and games. Participants should check in on the second floor of the School Wing via Staircase A (in the parking lot). Pre-registration is not required.

Connecting and Learning Opportunities 

High Holy Days Hot Topics!

September 26 & 27 and October 5

Our “Hot Topics!” are always a highlight of the High Holy Day experience at Beth Tzedec. Join us in person as we open conversations of cultural, social and historical importance.

Zionism @ 125 Years with David Matlow

This year, we mark the 125th anniversary of the First Zionist Congress, convened in August 1897 by Theodor Herzl in Basel, Switzerland. Beth Tzedec member David Matlow will speak about the history and importance of the First Zionist Congress, presented alongside a curation of artifacts from his Herzl and Zionist collection.

Building Back Better with Connie Putterman and Orly Fruchter

Join Beth Tzedec's REDI Committee (race, equity, diversity and inclusion) for a conversation around the inclusion of neurodivergent individuals (people with neuro-developmental conditions) within the Beth Tzedec community. We will be joined by two experts, Connie Putterman (Co-Lead Knowledge Mobilization, Child-Bright) and Orly Fruchter (Manager, Neurodiverse Initiatives, Azrieli Foundation) who will share exciting initiatives and data from the field that will help Beth Tzedec develop an accessibility plan for the future.

Share Society and Borderless Nature with the Arava Institute

As Israel's 75th birthday approaches, issues of shared society and regional cooperation have become increasingly important. Hear from alumni of the Arava Institue for Environment Studies—one Jewish Israeli and one Palestinian Israeli—about how this unique institution presents Israel and the Jewish world with a model of cross-border and cross-cultural partnership. The Arava Institute for Environmental Studies is a leading environmental studies and research institute in the Middle East. This program will be presented in person and via livestream at https://bethtzedec.tv.

Yom Kippur L'Chaim with Yacov Fruchter

Join Yacov Fruchter, Director of Community Building and Spiritual Engagement, for an exploration of the sanctity of life in Jewish thought. In this 45-minute session, we will travel through the entire life span, from birth to death and celebrate the mystery that is life.

On Love Triangles and Burying Ghosts with David Koffman

David S. Koffman, author and editor-in-chief of the journal Canadian Jewish Studies / Études juives canadiennes, joins us for a special Yom Kippur Hot Topics! session. David serves as the J. Richard Shiff Chair for the Study of Canadian Jewry and an Associate Professor in the Department of History, and is the author of The Jews’ Indian: Colonialism, Pluralism, and Belonging in America.