 | This week's start of the holy month of Elul is our gateway into the Season of Meaning. This monthly Rabbi's Corner column is dedicated to the upcoming High Holy Days of 5785 – our theme, our music, what to expect, and how to make the most of this poignant season at a most pivotal time. |
By Rabbi David Evan Markus
Happy September, Shir Ami!
Exactly on cue, Labor Day's unofficial end of summer leads into Rosh Hodesh Elul, our sacred month of teshuvah in preparation for the High Holy Days. This year's first shofar blasts will come during our Repentance and Repair session of September 3, then again at Shabbat services on September 6 as we return to our home at First Presbyterian. Soon autumn will make her presence seen and felt.
It's time. The Season of Meaning is upon us.
I dedicate my Rabbi's Corner column this month to the upcoming High Holy Day journey – our theme, our music (including new tunes to hear in advance), what to expect, and how to make the most of this poignant season at a most poignant moment in our cultural, national and global life. This column attempts to be comprehensive, so thank you in advance for taking the time to read it.
From my heart to yours, I send blessings for a שנה טובה ומתוקה / shanah tovah um'tukah – a good and sweet new year filled with love, resilience and promise.
Our Theme for the High Holy Days 5785
In one sense, the approach of 5785 is much like the approach of any Jewish new year. This season's turning will shift our gaze inward toward ourselves. We'll sense inconvenient truths of our lives, our missteps and missed opportunities. We'll align with our people locally and globally, balm hurts and reconnect relationships in the holy tradition of our ancient calling. Ancestral sounds, tastes and feelings – Avinu Malkeinu, apples and honey, Kol Nidre, the call of conscience, our very mortality – will help inspire us renew our lives for goodness.
In another sense, however, the approach of 5785 is very different from years past. For the first time since her founding in 1948, the State of Israel approaches the new year while at war. U.S. antisemitism is more widespread than at any time since the early 1960s. Two months from now, U.S. elections will be what experts call the most pivotal since World War II. Our planet is reaching what climate scientists call a tipping point.
The confluence of these High Holy Days and this pivotal moment for the Jewish people, Israel, the U.S. and our planet means many things. One thing is clear: whatever our personal beliefs, politics and practices, whoever we are and however we're wired, the fact of our shared fate is palpable and undeniable Existentially, who we are hangs in the balance.
Each year, I offer a theme for the High Holy Days, an orientation to help steer us like a gentle river current through the season's landmarks in time and spirit. This year, I struggled to find one theme adaptable, meaningful and resilient enough to meet this moment, until I recalled that much of what makes this year so important is, in many ways, what the Israeli 1950s and U.S. 1960s faced. Their high-stakes turbulent times inspired music to uplift values and society.
What was that era's most prevalent theme of popular political music? Love. "What the world needs now / is love, sweet love." "C'mon people now / smile on your brother / everybody get together / try to love one another right now." Erev shel shoshanim's "Night falls slowly, and a wind of rose blows. Let me whisper a song for you slowly, a song of love."
As for them then, so for us now. This year's High Holy Day theme will be love.
As Rabbi Shai Held put it, "Judaism is Love." But the love at Judaism's core is not primarily emotion, and isn't easy, and sometimes must hurt. This kind of love is existential – a life orientation, a way of being, a claim on hearts and minds, a transforming alchemy for priorities and values, a power to dare, a calling both soft and tough, a portal in time, a fractal of soul.
I contend that the only way through the madness of this moment is with fierce, brave and contagious love that confronts head-on the existential challenges of our times. It's a lot to ask. What does love ask of us if it's not reciprocated? amidst antisemitism? amidst political schism? amidst cruelty? amidst war? amidst climate change?
This kind of love is not "blind," and this love doesn't mean "never having to say you're sorry." This moment needs a love of clear vision and an urgency to change.
What is that love? We'll explore it together, for Rabbi Shai Held is right: Judaism is love. This theme will wend through our liturgy, every sermon and every teaching, evolving as we too must evolve from this moment.
What to Expect for the High Holy Days 5785
Unchanging are Shir Ami's physical prayerbook, musical director (Andrew Yeargin) and vocal quartet, Kol Nidre cellist (Kate Dillingham), Torah readers (David Green, Rick Lake and Barbara Salop), and full Yizkor experience. All of these will continue like last year.
Musically, a few vocal quartet settings that predated "The Davids" (me and interim Rabbi David Levy) will come back. Last year's Return Again and an Ahavat Olam setting that we've used on and off also will return.
Also musically, this year will bring two new tunes by nationally renowned Jewish musicians: folks are invited to listen and learn in advance. I arranged for us and the quartet modified versions of Joey Wiesenberg's gentle Nishmat Kol Hai (liturgy) and Josh Warshawsky's energetic Yah Ribon (dating to 1500s Sefardic influences). Both will debut Selihot evening (Sep. 29), when we'll co-write part of our Yom Kippur liturgy together.
About the pianos. Feedback from last year was that the keyboards sometimes were not well calibrated and, in particular, the electric keyboard was too loud. The piano at Round Hill will be tuned, and we'll do a full sound check on both keyboards this year to modulate and better "mix" the sound. On a few pieces I'll switch to guitar, keeping in mind that guitar isn't my first instrument.
Rosh Hashanah will shift a bit. Unlike last year, Erev Rosh Hashanah and Rosh Hashanah Day 1 won't fall on Shabbat. As a result, Erev Rosh Hashanah will be shorter, and traditional elements like Avinu Malkeinu, the Shofar Service and Tashlikh will return to Rosh Hashanah Day 1, giving that day a more familiar and somewhat more formal feel. In alignment with tradition, Rosh Hashanah Day 1 also will have a "lighter" feel. Rosh Hashanah Day 2, in turn, will be more innovative and participatory, but also in some ways more traditional and solemn befitting the Akeidah (Binding of Isaac) reading of Torah. Rosh Hashanah Day 2 also will be shorter (unless inclement weather requires us to move Tashlikh from Day 1 to Day 2).
On Yom Kippur, due to earlier sunsets, Erev Yom Kippur (Kol Nidre) will start and end earlier, and Yom Kippur will end earlier. The musical rendition of Kol Nidre itself will be by me, the quartet, and the cellist. Yom Kippur afternoon will feature a special teaching and discussion about atonement in alignment with Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg's Repentance and Repair. The mid-afternoon readings will be shortened. Jonah plans are still in progress: stay tuned!
Congregational participation will be similar in some ways, and shift subtly in others. As in past years there'll be plenty of ways to assist hands-on during services (e.g. opening/closing the Ark, lighting candles, precessing and lifting Torah, aliyot to Torah on Rosh Hashanah Day 1 and Yom Kippur morning, undressing and re-dressing Torah). Most English readings will be collective rather than assigned, to simplify flow and reduce the number of moving parts.
Slides will continue to provide transliterations and translations sometimes missing from the prayerbook, along with supplemental visual experiences. Much that we do together will be word-for-word from the prayerbook, so everyone can choose how they participate to suit their personal preference.
Hakarat HaTov - Gratitudes
Last but certainly not least, please join me in showering some Shir Ami love on the village of folks that will help make this year's holidays possible:
Postscript: A Few Suggestions and Requests
I'll mention these during the holidays themselves, but please note these suggestions and requests to make the most of everyone's time and the magic of this season:
Happy September, Shir Ami!
Exactly on cue, Labor Day's unofficial end of summer leads into Rosh Hodesh Elul, our sacred month of teshuvah in preparation for the High Holy Days. This year's first shofar blasts will come during our Repentance and Repair session of September 3, then again at Shabbat services on September 6 as we return to our home at First Presbyterian. Soon autumn will make her presence seen and felt.
It's time. The Season of Meaning is upon us.
I dedicate my Rabbi's Corner column this month to the upcoming High Holy Day journey – our theme, our music (including new tunes to hear in advance), what to expect, and how to make the most of this poignant season at a most poignant moment in our cultural, national and global life. This column attempts to be comprehensive, so thank you in advance for taking the time to read it.
From my heart to yours, I send blessings for a שנה טובה ומתוקה / shanah tovah um'tukah – a good and sweet new year filled with love, resilience and promise.
Our Theme for the High Holy Days 5785
In one sense, the approach of 5785 is much like the approach of any Jewish new year. This season's turning will shift our gaze inward toward ourselves. We'll sense inconvenient truths of our lives, our missteps and missed opportunities. We'll align with our people locally and globally, balm hurts and reconnect relationships in the holy tradition of our ancient calling. Ancestral sounds, tastes and feelings – Avinu Malkeinu, apples and honey, Kol Nidre, the call of conscience, our very mortality – will help inspire us renew our lives for goodness.
In another sense, however, the approach of 5785 is very different from years past. For the first time since her founding in 1948, the State of Israel approaches the new year while at war. U.S. antisemitism is more widespread than at any time since the early 1960s. Two months from now, U.S. elections will be what experts call the most pivotal since World War II. Our planet is reaching what climate scientists call a tipping point.
The confluence of these High Holy Days and this pivotal moment for the Jewish people, Israel, the U.S. and our planet means many things. One thing is clear: whatever our personal beliefs, politics and practices, whoever we are and however we're wired, the fact of our shared fate is palpable and undeniable Existentially, who we are hangs in the balance.
Each year, I offer a theme for the High Holy Days, an orientation to help steer us like a gentle river current through the season's landmarks in time and spirit. This year, I struggled to find one theme adaptable, meaningful and resilient enough to meet this moment, until I recalled that much of what makes this year so important is, in many ways, what the Israeli 1950s and U.S. 1960s faced. Their high-stakes turbulent times inspired music to uplift values and society.
What was that era's most prevalent theme of popular political music? Love. "What the world needs now / is love, sweet love." "C'mon people now / smile on your brother / everybody get together / try to love one another right now." Erev shel shoshanim's "Night falls slowly, and a wind of rose blows. Let me whisper a song for you slowly, a song of love."
As for them then, so for us now. This year's High Holy Day theme will be love.
As Rabbi Shai Held put it, "Judaism is Love." But the love at Judaism's core is not primarily emotion, and isn't easy, and sometimes must hurt. This kind of love is existential – a life orientation, a way of being, a claim on hearts and minds, a transforming alchemy for priorities and values, a power to dare, a calling both soft and tough, a portal in time, a fractal of soul.
I contend that the only way through the madness of this moment is with fierce, brave and contagious love that confronts head-on the existential challenges of our times. It's a lot to ask. What does love ask of us if it's not reciprocated? amidst antisemitism? amidst political schism? amidst cruelty? amidst war? amidst climate change?
This kind of love is not "blind," and this love doesn't mean "never having to say you're sorry." This moment needs a love of clear vision and an urgency to change.
What is that love? We'll explore it together, for Rabbi Shai Held is right: Judaism is love. This theme will wend through our liturgy, every sermon and every teaching, evolving as we too must evolve from this moment.
What to Expect for the High Holy Days 5785
Unchanging are Shir Ami's physical prayerbook, musical director (Andrew Yeargin) and vocal quartet, Kol Nidre cellist (Kate Dillingham), Torah readers (David Green, Rick Lake and Barbara Salop), and full Yizkor experience. All of these will continue like last year.
Musically, a few vocal quartet settings that predated "The Davids" (me and interim Rabbi David Levy) will come back. Last year's Return Again and an Ahavat Olam setting that we've used on and off also will return.
Also musically, this year will bring two new tunes by nationally renowned Jewish musicians: folks are invited to listen and learn in advance. I arranged for us and the quartet modified versions of Joey Wiesenberg's gentle Nishmat Kol Hai (liturgy) and Josh Warshawsky's energetic Yah Ribon (dating to 1500s Sefardic influences). Both will debut Selihot evening (Sep. 29), when we'll co-write part of our Yom Kippur liturgy together.
About the pianos. Feedback from last year was that the keyboards sometimes were not well calibrated and, in particular, the electric keyboard was too loud. The piano at Round Hill will be tuned, and we'll do a full sound check on both keyboards this year to modulate and better "mix" the sound. On a few pieces I'll switch to guitar, keeping in mind that guitar isn't my first instrument.
Rosh Hashanah will shift a bit. Unlike last year, Erev Rosh Hashanah and Rosh Hashanah Day 1 won't fall on Shabbat. As a result, Erev Rosh Hashanah will be shorter, and traditional elements like Avinu Malkeinu, the Shofar Service and Tashlikh will return to Rosh Hashanah Day 1, giving that day a more familiar and somewhat more formal feel. In alignment with tradition, Rosh Hashanah Day 1 also will have a "lighter" feel. Rosh Hashanah Day 2, in turn, will be more innovative and participatory, but also in some ways more traditional and solemn befitting the Akeidah (Binding of Isaac) reading of Torah. Rosh Hashanah Day 2 also will be shorter (unless inclement weather requires us to move Tashlikh from Day 1 to Day 2).
On Yom Kippur, due to earlier sunsets, Erev Yom Kippur (Kol Nidre) will start and end earlier, and Yom Kippur will end earlier. The musical rendition of Kol Nidre itself will be by me, the quartet, and the cellist. Yom Kippur afternoon will feature a special teaching and discussion about atonement in alignment with Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg's Repentance and Repair. The mid-afternoon readings will be shortened. Jonah plans are still in progress: stay tuned!
Congregational participation will be similar in some ways, and shift subtly in others. As in past years there'll be plenty of ways to assist hands-on during services (e.g. opening/closing the Ark, lighting candles, precessing and lifting Torah, aliyot to Torah on Rosh Hashanah Day 1 and Yom Kippur morning, undressing and re-dressing Torah). Most English readings will be collective rather than assigned, to simplify flow and reduce the number of moving parts.
Slides will continue to provide transliterations and translations sometimes missing from the prayerbook, along with supplemental visual experiences. Much that we do together will be word-for-word from the prayerbook, so everyone can choose how they participate to suit their personal preference.
Hakarat HaTov - Gratitudes
Last but certainly not least, please join me in showering some Shir Ami love on the village of folks that will help make this year's holidays possible:
- Shir Ami Officers Marie Orsini Rosen, Jackie Marschall, Abby Ross and David Green for coordinating the whole (and many individual parts!).
- Rick Mason and Jenny Lake and Jackie Marschall for technical wizardry ensuring that sound and visuals will best serve our community.
- Dahni Nisinzweig, for leading physical set-up at our Round Hill holiday home.
- David Green, Rick Lake and Barbara Salop, for gracing us with their Torah readings.
- Fran Pribish and Abby Ross for planning our holiday foods and for personally creating and donating holiday honey cake and other yummies.
- Rick Lake and Sherrill Cropper for blowing Shofar.
- Eric Birnbaum and his grandson for our Yizkor memorial stones.
- An expanded ritual team of Sherrill Cropper, Joan Green, David Green, Marie Orsini Rosen, Abby Ross, Howie Ross, Barbara Salop, Evan Salop, Peggy Sturman and Jerry Sturman for advising on ritual matters large and small this holiday season.
Postscript: A Few Suggestions and Requests
I'll mention these during the holidays themselves, but please note these suggestions and requests to make the most of everyone's time and the magic of this season:
- Please don't wear perfumes or cologne to services. This request is in honor of all the vocalists (myself included) and anyone with sensitivities. Thank you for helping make our space as inviting and welcoming to all as possible.
- Services will start on time. Given sunset times, services need to start when they're scheduled to begin. That means intro music will start at 6:25pm before the 6:30pm start of Erev Rosh Hashanah, and 5:55pm intro music for a 6:00pm start to Kol Nidre. Morning services will start 10:00 a.m. Thank you for helping keep us moving forward together.
- "When is Yizkor"? As always, the short answer is, "Well, it depends." The goal is for Yizkor to begin around 4:30pm on Yom Kippur afternoon, so that Neilah can begin at 5:00pm and end "on time." Yizkor might start earlier, however, based on the flow of the Afternoon Service, which begins at 3:00pm. Folks choosing to leave and return for Yizkor are encouraged to arrive early to avoid missing any part of Yizkor, and to enter as quietly as possible because the Afternoon Service will be in progress.
- Self Care on Yom Kippur. Fasting on Yom Kippur is an important custom for some, but please put self care first. Anyone who needs to drink or eat on Yom Kippur is welcome to do so (and, to me, required to do so). The only request is to please consume any food and beverages outside the Sanctuary in honor of anyone who is fasting. Folks with questions, or who wish to add meaning to their Yom Kippur food/drink practice, are invited to please contact me. Similarly, I encourage folks to pace themselves on Yom Kippur: take time for self care. Use the beautiful RHCC campus for a gentle stroll, hang out on outdoor benches, take secluded time upstairs, take a break – whatever would best serve body and spirit. That said, there can be a tremendous uplift mid-afternoon for those who stay the full day. Again, please let wisdom and health be your guides, and be in touch with me if I can support your discernment.
- Wearing white. I will wear white for all of the holidays. I invite everyone to consider wearing white particularly on Kol Nidre evening and Yom Kippur. This custom has deep meaning in Jewish life – whether to remind us of our essential core that includes every color, symbolize ascent above routine time, map to the angelic sphere or, soberingly, remind us of our mortality. (Jews traditionally are buried in simple white shrouds.) All of these are particularly resonant on Yom Kippur, so I invite everyone to consider wearing white: imagine a whole congregation wearing white! I also will abstain from wearing leather on Yom Kippur (my shoes will be canvas), and I invite that practice as well.
- Tallitot. If you have a tallit (prayer shawl), you may wish to have it for Rosh Hashanah mornings, Kol Nidre evening and Yom Kippur morning. Tallitot are not required for anyone at Shir Ami.
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