Holidays and festivals form the circle of the Jewish year. From apples and honey to the seder table, holidays are rich with education, community, and traditions. They provide a rhythm to the Jewish year and bring us together to share the meaning and enjoyment of the traditions of our past.
When we think of the High Holy Days, we routinely consider Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur. But the High Holy Days are truly a season for reflection, and we look back at where we have been over the past 12 months.
Rosh HaShanah
Rosh HaShanah, which in Hebrew translates to “head of the year,” marks the start of the Jewish New Year. Rosh HaShanah marks the beginning of a 10-day period of prayer, self-examination and repentance.
Our Sanctuary is filled with congregants and community members, praying together and welcoming the new year. Customs associated with the holiday include sounding the shofar, eating a round challah, and tasting apples and honey to represent a sweet New Year.
Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur, or “Day of Atonement”, is the holiday that marks the culmination of self-reflection with rituals of fasting, repenting, and asking for forgiveness.
For more information about the High Holy Days at CBI, click here.
Sukkot is the 7-day harvest-time holiday that commemorates God’s protection of the children of Israel when they left Egypt.
We show our gratitude through song and prayer, shaking the lulav and etrog, and gathering in the sukkah.
Simchat Torah celebrates the completion of the annual reading of the Torah. As part of the celebration, the Torah scrolls are unraveled completely with each member of the congregation holding onto the Torah scroll as it creates a circle around the sanctuary.
Chanukah commemorates the victory of a small group of Jewish rebels (led by the Maccabees) over the armies of Syria and the subsequent liberation and “rededication” of the Temple in Jerusalem.
Purim is celebrated by reading the Scroll of Esther (M’gillat Esther). Our clergy and staff perform a fun and festive Purim Shpiel, geared towards all ages.
Pesach, known as Passover in English, is the festival commemorating the Exodus from Egypt over 3,000 years ago. On the first two nights of the holiday, the story of Passover is told through readings, songs, prayers, drinking wine, and eating specific foods.