Holidays & Festivals

Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, marks the beginning of the High Holy Days — a sacred ten-day period of reflection, renewal, and return. We gather to hear the ancient call of the shofar, recite Unetaneh Tokef, and remember that each new year is both a gift and a second chance. The holiday invites us to look honestly at the year that has passed and to imagine the people we want to become. Together, we pray, sing, and recommit ourselves to one another and to the values that guide our lives. Shanah Tovah — may you be inscribed for a good year.

Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day of the Jewish year — a solemn and sacred time for reflection, repentance, and renewal. We come together to fast, pray, and open our hearts in the ancient rites of Kol Nidre and Neilah. Yom Kippur invites us to honestly examine our actions, seek forgiveness from those we have wronged, and commit to a better path in the year ahead. It is a day of deep spiritual power, reminding us that change is always possible and that we are never beyond the reach of forgiveness. G’mar Chatimah Tovah — may you be sealed for a good year.

Purim is a joyful, high energy holiday that comes from the Book of Esther (Megillat Esther), where Queen Esther and Mordecai help save the Jewish people in ancient Persia. We celebrate by hearing the Megillah read aloud, showing up in costume, sharing treats and gifts with friends (mishloach manot), and making sure those in need are cared for through gifts to the poor (matanot l’evyonim). Beneath the fun, Purim reminds us that courage can be hidden, ordinary people can change the outcome, and community responsibility is part of the celebration.