Rabbi Howard Morrison

Dear Congregational Family,

Will you be ready for the High Holy Days of 5781? Because of the pandemic, the coming new year will be unlike any previous one. While many synagogues will provide limited sitting for those who pre-register to attend actual Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services, many will end up choosing to participate from home via livestream.

Once our shul begins to broadcast Shabbat and Yom Tov services via livestream, I suggest that each home designate a particular room to be designated as your private shul. In it, your video screen can be kept on from before the sacred day through its conclusion, connected to the synagogue livestream. In that room, keep the volume loud enough for that particular space but inaudible in the rest of your home. Have your Siddur and Machzor handy. Dress up in that room as you would if coming to the actual synagogue.

This year, we will use the Birnbaum Machzor. You can drop by the shul and pick up as many copies as you need and keep them. Next year, we hope to return to the familiar normal and use our new Machzor, which we introduced last year.

In preparation, the current Pirkei Avot class will take a hiatus after August. On Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning September 1 from 12-1pm, you are invited to a new class entitled, "Navigating through the High Holy Day Machzor during the Pandemic." The class will  be offered on Zoom and Facebook. Please pick up your Birnbaum Machzor in advance of the class.

This coming Shabbat, we will recite the blessing for the new month, which will introduce the month of Elul. Not only is this month the last month of 5780, it serves as an introduction to the High Holy Day season with daily Shofar sounding, an additional Psalm, and Selichot. The letters of Elul stand for the Biblical phrase, "Ani L'Dodi V'Dodi Li - I am my beloved's, and my my beloved is mine," in reference to our relationship with God.

Will you be ready?

Rabbi Howard Morrison