High Holidays 5784/2023

Erev Rosh Hashanah: A Multigenerational Rosh Hashanah Experience: We welcome in the New Year 5784 with a new service geared towards ages five and older. It is a time to share with children, grandparents, families, and all who wish to experience an uplifting, interactive, joyful, one-hour service to usher in the New Year and our High Holiday season of renewal. We will begin this service at 7:00 pm on Friday, September 15 at the Buffalo Grove Community Arts Center.

Rosh Hashanah Youth Worship and Programming: led by Rabbi Prass and our Youth Song leader, is geared towards those in grades K- 5th. Our students pray, learn, and enjoy this interactive, fun, special Holiday time. Reservations are required to make sure we have enough staff and program materials. Youth Worship and Programing begin at 9:00 am on September 16 at the Buffalo Grove Community Arts Center.

Tot Rosh Hashanah Experience: This half-hour song, prayer, and story-filled time is geared towards our youngest friends and their families and begins at 11:00 am on September 16 at the Buffalo Grove Community Arts Center. All Welcome!

Rosh Hashanah Early Morning Worship: This uplifting service runs concurrently with our Youth Service and Programming. Rabbi Bellows, Cantorial Soloist Todd Kessler, and the Choir will lead our Rosh Hashanah Early Worship beginning at 9:00 am, September 16 at the Buffalo Grove Community Arts Center.

Rosh Hashanah Late Morning Worship: This uplifting service, which begins at 11:30 am at the Buffalo Grove Community Arts Center, is led by Rabbi Bellows, Cantorial Soloist Todd Kessler, and our Tefillah (prayer) Band.

Tashlich: A tradition on Rosh Hashanah afternoon dates back to the Middle Ages. Tashlich (tahsh-leekh), meaning “to cast,” is an outdoor tradition where we symbolically cast away our transgressions from the past year into a body of water, symbolizing the transformative beauty and power of creation. Our Tashlich takes place on Rosh Hashanah afternoon around 2:00 pm at Green Lake Park, 1101 Green Knolls Drive, in Buffalo Grove. Tashlich is a tradition not to be missed! Bring your own birdseed, corn, chopped lettuce, or oats to feed the ducks.

Shabbat Shuva: Shabbat Shuva, the Sabbath of Repentance, takes place on the Friday night between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. This Shabbat worship includes themes of repentance, forgiveness, and renewal. It is held at Beth Am.

Kol Nidre Family Worship: This meaningful and interactive family service is geared toward families with children in grades K-5. Themes of Yom Kippur—forgiveness and saying “I’m sorry,” are emphasized, along with themes of gratitude and renewal. Families will be able to share many meaningful moments. This service begins at 6:45 pm on Sunday, September 24 at the Buffalo Grove Community Arts Center.

Kol Nidre Adult Worship: This service is geared toward 6th-grade students and up. Kol Nidre, the prayer which releases us from vows made to God in the past year, will be chanted. This solemn service is a powerful way for our community to offer teshuva, returning together. Kol Nidre worship begins at 8:15 pm on Sunday, September 24 at the Buffalo Grove Community Arts Center.

Yom Kippur Youth Worship and Programming: Led by Rabbi Prass and our Youth Song leader, this service and program is geared towards those in grades K- 5th. Our students pray, learn, and enjoy this interactive, special Holiday time. Reservations are required to make sure we have enough staff and program materials. Youth Worship and Programing begin at 9:00 am on September 25 at the Buffalo Grove Community Arts Center.

Tot Yom Kippur Experience: This half-hour song, prayer, and story-filled time is geared towards our youngest friends and their families and begins at 11:00 am on September 25, at the Buffalo Grove Community Arts Center. All Welcome!

Yom Kippur Early Morning Worship: This service of prayer, contemplation, teshuva (returning), and repentance runs concurrently with our Youth Service and Programming. Rabbi Bellows, Cantorial Soloist Todd Kessler, and the Choir will lead our Yom Kippur Early Worship at 9:00 am, September 25 at the Buffalo Grove Community Arts Center.

Yom Kippur Late Morning Worship: This service of prayer, contemplation, teshuva (returning), and repentance begins at 11:45 am on September 25, at the Buffalo Grove Community Arts Center, and is led by Rabbi Bellows, Cantorial Soloist Todd Kessler, and our Tefillah (prayer) Band.

Yom Kippur Yizkor Morning Worship: Yizkor, the solemn service of remembrance, will take place immediately after Late Morning Worship. Rabbi Bellows and Cantorial Soloist Todd Kessler will lead this service.

Yom Kippur Meditation and Healing Service: We will begin at 3:00 pm with fifteen minutes of mindful meditation. Our service of Healing will start at 3:15 pm. This service is filled with songs, prayers, and poetry on healing the mind, body, and spirit. All are welcome.

Yom Kippur Afternoon Service: The Afternoon service begins at 4:00 pm, on September 25 at the Buffalo Grove Community Arts Center, and continues the themes of repentance and prayer. Torah will be changed, and selections from the Book of Jonah will be recited. The liturgy of this service allows one to go deeper into repentance, relationship with God, holy community, and renewal.

Yom Kippur Afternoon Yizkor Service: Yizkor, the solemn service of remembrance, will take place after our Afternoon Worship service. Rabbi Bellows, Cantorial Soloist Todd Kessler, and the Beth Am Choir will lead this service at the Buffalo Grove Community Arts Center.

Yom Kippur Neilah Service: This service, the last service of Yom Kippur, is powerful, as our last prayers of the Yamim Noraim, Days of Awe, are uttered. At the conclusion of Neilah, we invite all who wish to join us on the bima (where the Ark and Torahs are) for Havdalah (concluding worship with Candle, wine, and spices), Shofar sounding, and a breaking of the fast with Motzei and Challah. If you have a shofar, bring it to this service!