YAMIM NORA'IM (HIGH HOLY DAYS) 5785/2024
Details on our High Holy Day services and learning sessions are in development. Watch this space.
Non-members are very welcome to all of our services and study sessions. There is no charge to attend any of our services. Please contact admin@kolnefesh.org.uk for venues, and to let us know you're coming for security purposes.
Note: One of our sessions during the Ten Days requires purchasing a theatre ticket in advance. Please see below under "Bridging the Yamim Norai'm: Ten Days of Learning and Reflection." The theatre outing and discussion will be on Thursday evening, October 10th.
Synagogue Services
Details of our Selichot service this year will be announced shortly. Last year's Selichot service was recorded. Here is a video of that service:
Erev Rosh Hashanah
Wednesday, October 2nd. Time and venue tbc.
A communal meal will follow the service.
1st day Rosh Hashanah
Thursday, October 3rd, 9:00 am. Venue: The Larches, 1 Rectory Lane, Edgware, HA8 7LF.
2nd day Rosh Hashanah
Friday, October 4th, 9:00 am. Venue: Jack Block House, Rectory Lane, Edgware, HA8 7LF.
Kol Nidrei
Friday, October 11th. 5:30pm. Venue: The Larches (address above)
Yom Kippur
Shabbat, October 12th, 9:30 am. Venue: The Larches (address above)
Everyone is invited to break the fast after the service. (Fast ends at 7:01pm)
Bridging the Yamim Norai'm
Our unique Ten Days of Learning and Reflection
This year, our Ten Day programme will be on the theme of Isaac and Ishmael. Most sessions this year will be in person, with a few on Zoom. Details will be posted as they become available.
Motzei Shabbat (Saturday night), October 5th
Details tbc.
Sunday, October 6th
Details tbc.
Monday, October 7th
Details tbc.
Tuesday, October 8th
Details tbc.
Wednesday, October 9th
Details tbc.
Thursday, October 10th
Theatre outing and discussion. Marylebone Theatre, 7.30pm. Please book your own tickets in advance.
The play: "What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank", written by Nathan Englander, based on his Pulitzer-finalist short story of the same name. A discussion led by Rabbi Joel will follow the performance. More information and booking details can be accessed here. (Make sure you book for the evening performance starting at 7.30pm, not the matinee.)
The play is based on Nathan Englander's short story, but has been updated to cover recent events, including the current war between Israel and Hamas. For those interested in reading the original short story, you can find it here.
High Holy Day Resources Available Online
In 2020, we created a set of resources for those unable to attend services in person. These can be accessed as follows:
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Rabbi Joel put together a series of texts and ideas for celebrating Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur at home. To learn how to ‘Take the Yamim Nora'im Home’, click here.
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Click here for a virtual Rosh Hashanah service, including sections of the liturgy, recordings of the leyening, and Rabbi Joel's dvar torah for Rosh Hashanah 2020.
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For a virtual Yom Kippur service, click here. This includes Rabbi Joel's drashah from our pre-Yom Kippur 2020 Zoom as well as his drashah on Yom Kippur, and Chazan Jacky's Kol Nidrei.
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For those wishing to recite prayers for those departed, a copy of our Yizkor booklet can be found here.
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Finally, click here to access a set of video and audiofiles we put together last year, including a series of videos from Rabbi Joel, podcasts by Jay Schlesinger about the High Holy Day liturgy, recordings of highlights from the liturgy by our Shlichei Tsibbur (prayer leaders), and more.
Blow Your Own Shofar!!
Daily Shofar-Blowing and Thought for the Day
During the last week of Ellul 2020 we came together on Zoom to hear the blasts of the shofar, together with a short piece of music from the Yamim Noraim, and an inspirational ‘Thought for the Day’.
All of the weekday Ellul zooms from 2020 were recorded and can be heard again here.
If you missed our ‘Blow your own Shofar’ teaching session, you can watch the recording from 2020 here: