High Holidays
Each year, we offer a full schedule of services and activities on and around the High Holidays. Services will also be live streamed and available on our YouTube Channel. Our 2024 High Holidays schedule is listed below.
A guide to High Holidays at Temple Beth El 5785
Erev Rosh Hashana will be a Family Service for little ones at 5:00PM, Wednesday, October 2. We will gather for a short service, story, blow the Shofar and enjoy apples and honey.
On Thursday, October 3rd Rabbi Debbie Israel, and I will lead a full morning service beginning at 10:00am including the Torah reading of the Binding of Isaac, a message from our Temple President and the Shofar Service with Josh Mack as our Ba’al T’kiah-Shofar Blower. This service will last over two hours. In the afternoon Temple members are invited to a Children’s Tashlich
Service at 5:00PM. Call Temple in advance to RSVP and request the address.
Kol Nidre will Start at 7:00PM on Friday, October 11th with cellist Hannah Ettinger and her mother, Aya pianist. This service is about 2 hours long. Yom Kippur morning service begins at 10:00AM and includes an Avodah service, a Remembering our Ancestors meditation followed immediately by Yizkor. Service times are approximate. We request that you arrive early if you wish to observe the 1:00PM Yizkor service which will last about 30 minutes. The concluding services of Yom Kippur will begin at 5:45PM with a story for children and Neilah (closing service) for adults followed by our family Havdalah and Break-fast at sunset. Security and Ushers will be at the front door and on the premises before, during and immediately after services.
Our thanks go to our pianist, Rick Yramategui, the Ritual Committee: Jeff Segal, Nancy Mikita, Bryan Telford and Aileen Houston.
Rabbi Debbie Israel Returns for Yom Kippur Services
Rabbi Debbie Israel is Rabbi Emerita of Congregation Emeth, 2006-2020, Morgan Hill and Gilroy. She is currently a community rabbi and teacher in Santa Cruz County, and is the Executive Director, Interfaith CommUNITY of South County and Interfaith Clergy Alliance, serving Morgan Hill, San Martin, and Gilroy. Prior to rabbinic ordination, Rabbi Israel was Director of the Western Region of Jewish Women International and Publisher/Editor of NOAH’S ARK NEWSPAPER.
Rabbi Israel has been honored in Houston, Texas and nationally for her contributions to Jewish Education.