The High Holy Days are coming. Susan and I are looking forward to sharing Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur with the members of Temple Beth Shalom. It has been delightful to meet so many congregants this summer. Though we did not have a chance to worship in our sanctuary, there was plenty of warmth and plenty of ruach at every location we gathered.
I am pleased to announce that I have ordered new prayerbooks for us for the month of Elul. Entitled, “Mishkan HaLev”, it is a companion book to Mishkan Tefillah, our Shabbat siddur, and Mishkan HaNefesh, the two machzorim for the high holidays. We used this book for many years at my congregation in Grand Rapids. Elul is the month that precedes Rosh Hashanah. It begins on Monday evening, September 2. If mazel (luck) is on our side we will have the books for the first Shabbat of Elul, September 6.
But Mishkan HaLev is not only used for the Shabbatot in Elul, it is also used at the Saturday evening service that precedes Rosh Hashanah called Selichot, this is the service that officially kicks off our sacred season. Selichot means forgiveness, and at this service we get a preview of some of the beautiful music of the holidays, and we move our hearts and our minds to a place of reflection, and prepare to welcome a new year, a few days later.
In the most traditional of congregations Selichot is celebrated
beginning at midnight, though in Reform communities the tradition is to have Selichot far earlier in the evening. Our Selichot Service will begin with Havdalah, on Saturday, September 28 at 6:45 PM. The Selichot Service itself is under an hour in length.
Susan and I are most appreciative of all the kindness extended to us since our arrival. To show our thanks we are going to host a pre-Selichot Wine & Cheese Reception at the Temple, beginning at 6:00 PM. We extend a very hearty invitation to the entire community to join us for some Israeli wine, non-alcoholic beverages, and plenty of noshes and snacks. If you are free, we would love to have you join us.
Thanks to everyone that has helped with the renovations of our
building. A great big thanks to Tisha Fleet for all her hard work and for all the energy she has devoted to this project. We all look forward to seeing the completed transformation.
My office is filled with books, and I am focused on the Days of Awe ahead.
Wishing everyone a wonderful month of September.
Rabbi Michael Schadick
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