High Holy Days 2020

All High Holy Day Services and Sermons are now available to the public on our YouTube page: www.youtube.com/templenertamid

Registration is now closed, refer to our Calendar for public service offerings. 

Mostly everything! But not the commitment our clergy, staff, and volunteers leaders have to bringing you, our members, the best possible High Holy Day experience. Below are some highlights of how we've adapted our in-person experience to a mostly virtual multidimensional experience to ensure you can still find spirituality, community, and holiness while remaining safe.

Virtual and In-Person Elements

All of our High Holy Day services will be conducted virtually with a professional crew. Many volunteer leaders have been working hard, recording and editing elements of the service to be woven into the Rabbi Katz and Cantor Greenberg's live leading of the services. Rabbi Katz is recording his impactful sermons to be watched when you are ready, either with a group of Temple Ner Tamid members, with your family, or on your own. These sermons will be accompanied by guiding questions for reflection. 

There will be a few opportunities throughout the High Holidays to gather in person for those who wish to do so. Our Tashlikh program will take place at Clark's Pond over an hour and a half period of time when members can arrive and be guided through a 15-20 minute experience. This will allow us to maintain social distancing while seeing the faces of our dear friends, community members, clergy, and staff. 

Together with other area congregations, on the 2d day of Rosh Hashanah, Temple Ner Tamid will participate in a group of 30-40 shofar blowing locations around the local area. This will allow all our members to hear the Shofar be blown. 

On Yom Kippur afternoon, we are inviting members to come to the temple and spend a few minutes in front of our portable Ark and Torah for personal or family prayer and reflection. Finally, we are providing a space for our teens to come together in discussion on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur and be together in a safe environment. 

HHD Toolkit and Prayer Books

Our clergy, staff, and leaders recognize the difference between being able to hold a prayer book in your hands and reading off a virtual version on a screen. For this year, we will be distributing the High Holy Day prayer books to all our members available for pick up at designated times leading up to Erev Rosh Hashanah. If the prayer books are not returned to our office by the end of Sukkot, your account will be charged for the books until they are returned or you can cover the cost and keep the books. If the books become heavily damaged, we appreciate you covering the cost to replace them. 

This opportunity also allows us to provide your family with some tools to celebrate at home. The first is a unique journal designed by Cantor Greenberg for each member of your family which contains 10 questions for reflection. Intended to be used in the days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, these journals are yours to keep and use as you need them. We will also be providing some Rosh Hashanah goodies for our families to share with their children, the Book of Remembrance, Honors Listing, and information about the High Holy Day Appeal. Pick-up times are listed at the bottom of this page.

Virtual Dinners and Sermon Watch Parties 

Our tradition is full of times when family and friends gather over a holiday meal. Acknowledging the unsafe nature of gathering at this time, we are offering to organize groups of 4-5 TNT member families to come together over a virtual platform, like Zoom, to enjoy their dinners together, watch Rabbi Katz's sermon if they would like, and discuss the ideas he raises. You can indicate your interest in participating in this offering on your registration form.

Audio Engagement Through Our Podcast

Temple Ner Tamid created a podcast last year so that our members were able to listen to Rabbi Katz's High Holy Day Sermons. This year, we will be posting original musical pieces from Cantor Meredith Greenberg, meditative recordings, Rabbi Katz's sermon, as well as the virtual Tashlikh option. Available now are Rabbi Katz's sermons from last year and Cantor Greenberg's album P'ticha. 

Search for "Temple Ner Tamid" on your favorite podcast platform or find the platforms that support our podcast and subscribe here: www.nertamid.org/podcast

Each service will contain the same prayers you have become accustomed to. Our congregants will read from the Torah and be honored with Aliyot. Rabbi Katz will provide deep reflective learning and Cantor Greenberg will lend her uplifting and introspective voice in contemplative prayer.

Below you will find a listing of all the services available and what to expect. Once you are ready, be sure to register using the links above and below this page. Although many things in our world are different, your home at Temple Ner Tamid is still strong as ever!