High Holy Days 5787
L’shana tova u’metuka!
May you be written into the Book of Life for a good and sweet new year!
We are looking forward to seeing everyone for the High Holy Days this year! For most of our services, there will be two options for participation: indoors in our Sanctuary or online. Registration is required for both options.
- All members and guests must register to attend services.
- For capacity reasons, we ask that you only register for services you are certain you will be attending. If something changes post-registration and you are unable to attend, please let us know so that we may release your seats to other people.
- If you are not a member of NVHC or a guest of a member, please contact Joe Miller (joe@nvhcreston.org, 703-437-7733) for registration information.
- All services will be in person and streamed online with the exception of our Young Family services and Shofar & Tashlich service, which will not be streamed.
- While we do have a limited number of loaner prayerbooks, we assume our families have their own copies of Mishkan HaNafesh (our High Holy Day prayerbooks). We encourage you to order a set at the link in the side bar if you do not yet have yours.
If you will be visiting NVHC for the High Holy Days and are a member of another Reform congregation in good standing, click here to download and complete the URJ’s Reciprocal Seating Form. Please send your form to Mozelle Stanton at mozelle@nvhcreston.org or 1441 Wiehle Ave, Reston VA 20190.
Scroll down to view the schedule for each holiday.
Elul
The Hebrew month of Elul is the last month before the High Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. During this month, we can take time to prepare ourselves for those holidays. We can reflect on our process of teshuvah, the returning, renewing, and repenting that we each need to do for the past year in preparation for the coming year. We can review our actions, our lives, and engage in what our tradition calls cheshbon hanefesh – an accounting of the soul. We strive to elevate the spirituality in our lives, acknowledging our shortcomings and fragility, and apologizing to those we have wronged, including ourselves. We do all of this to grow as people and ready ourselves for the High Holy Days.
Elul Video Series in preparation for 5787
The High Holy Days invite us to pause, reflect, and make meaningful changes in our lives. Preparing for that journey begins long before we step into the sanctuary. Join the NVHC clergy for our annual Elul video series to help with your preparations, as they offer insight into the liturgy of the season. These short videos will center on the language and purpose of these prayers in order to help us better understand them and direct our focus. We hope you join us for these periodic videos, and maybe even find a chevruta study partner to continue your reflections and conversations throughout the month of Elul and into the holidays.
These videos will be sent via email, posted below, and will be on our YouTube channel (link in the sidebar).
High Holy Day Melodies
The uniqueness and awe of these sacred days are echoed in special sounds and melodies that we hear once a year. For either a little review, anticipatory listening or first-time learning, please click below to listen to some of these special High Holy Day melodies.
S’lichot Dinner & Service
Saturday, September 5
Dinner – 6:00pm, Service – 7:00pm
The High Holy Days ask key questions about our lives and our impact on the world around us. These can be challenging questions, and the pinnacle moment is meant to be when we hear the shofar at the end of Yom Kippur. This is a big climb, one we start at the beginning of Elul (40 days before Yom Kippur), and one we celebrate immediately after Yom Kippur through Sukkot and Simchat Torah.
A key moment on that journey is S’lichot, the time at the end of Shabbat before Rosh Hashanah when we first say many of the prayers and hear many of melodies special to the High Holy Day season. The service is beautiful and moving, the moment when we change the Torah covers to white and start moving our souls to purity step by step. Our S’lichot service will be Saturday night, September 5, at 7:00pm.
Join us for dinner followed by this meaningful, soul-filled service to help in our spiritual preparations.
The cost for dinner is $20 per person and reservations are required. Click here to register!
Rosh Hashanah
Friday, September 11
7:30-7:50pm – Memorial Service for the 25th Anniversary of 9/11.
In honor of the memories of those lost on September 11, 2001, we will be hosting a short service prior to Erev Rosh Hashanah services. During this time the sanctuary doors will be closed and additional seating will not be allowed until they reopen at 7:50pm. This will give us a chance to show respect for the tragedy of that day, while separating that observance from the theme of celebrating the New Year on Rosh Hashanah.
8:00pm – Erev Rosh Hashanah Service – In Sanctuary and online
Saturday, September 12
9:00am – Young Family Service (suggested through 2nd grade) – In person in the Multipurpose Room
*This year’s Young Family Service will be indoors. You must be registered to attend.
10:30am – Morning Service – In Sanctuary and online
3:30pm – Shofar and Tashlich Service – In person at Lake Fairfax Park
Yom Kippur
Sunday, September 20
8:00pm – Kol Nidre – In Sanctuary and online
Monday, September 21
9:00am – Young Family Service (suggested through 2nd grade) – In person in the Multipurpose Room
*This year’s Young Family Service will be indoors. You must be registered to attend.
10:30am – Morning Service – In Sanctuary and online
1:45pm – Afternoon Study – In person only
3:30pm – Afternoon Service – In Sanctuary and online
5:00pm – Yizkor – In Sanctuary and online
6:00pm – Neilah – In Sanctuary and online
7:00pm – Break Fast – In person in the Multipurpose Room (pre-registration required)
Break Fast
Monday, September 21 – 7:00pm (following Neilah)
Join us to break your fast after Yom Kippur! The catered menu will include a variety of salads, bagels and lox, and sweets. We also invite you to bring your own kugel, salad, vegetable dish, or dessert to share! For some of us, it just wouldn’t feel right if our favorite dish was not on the table. You will have a chance to tell us your plans when you RSVP.
The deadline to RSVP is 5:00pm on Monday, September 14 so we can successfully prepare for all guests. We will not be able to welcome last minute or day-of registration, and capacity is limited. The cost is $20 per adult, $10 per child (3-12 years old), free for children 2 years old and younger. The cost for non-members is $30 (adults) and $15 (children). Please reach out to Joe Miller (joe@nvhcreston.org) if you are in need of financial assistance.
Questions? Please reach out to Risa May (risanvhc@gmail.com).
We Need Your Help!
Support NVHC’s Annual High Holy Day Food Drive!
Our neighbors need our help! Again this year during the High Holy Days, we will be collecting non-perishable food and toiletries for the Cornerstones Emergency Food Pantry. Click here to see what items they need. Remember that low sodium, low fat, sugar free, and organic items are appreciated for their clients with dietary concerns.
Grab a grocery bag (or several!) on Rosh Hashanah, fill it with food, and then drop it off inside the lobby at NVHC any time between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Thank you for helping our neighbors in need!
Experiences for Older Kids
As in past years, this High Holy Day season, we welcome children (3rd grade and up) to join their families in the sanctuary as we pray, reflect, and sing together. As one multigenerational kehilah (community), we’ll move through the sacred liturgy of the machzor, modeling for our children what thoughtful, engaged Jewish adulthood can look like. Students who have already become BMitzvah in our community should bring their copies of Mishkan Hanefesh and tallitot.
During the morning service on both Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, children are also invited to move to a different space for a creative, hands-on experiences that explore the themes of the season — a meaningful opportunity to engage with friends and classmates in the spiritual work of the High Holy Days.
Together — across generations — we’ll bring the Days of Awe to life.
