Schedule of Services, Tishrei 5782 תשרי

Rosh HaShanah

Yom Kippur

Hybrid Services תפילה

This year, all services will be streamed online on our Facebook page and Temple Sinai Website. If you are unvaccinated, under 12 years of age, immunocompromised, or feeling sick, please stay home and partake of our streamed services.

Masks are Required מסכות

We are so grateful we can meet in person for services this year. In order to keep everyone safe, we are requiring that everyone who attends wear a mask at all times.

NO Babysitting ילדים

Unfortunately we are not able to offer babysitting this year. We hope all children and families will join us for our special Family Services on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur afternoon. Masks are required for all!

Book of Memory
& Slideshow מסכות

We want your loved one to be remembered with the Temple Sinai community. The Book of Memory will only include names which you specifically request be included.b> We will also create a slide show this year. See the form below for all the information you need.

Important Worship Info תפילה

Please see below for details about our worship this year. As always, we want you to be prepared and aware of issues of timing and content in all of our High Holy Day services.

Opportunities to Learn לימוד

Stay tuned for details about our Yom Kippur afternoon learning opportunities, both of which will be online-only Zoom experiences. Stay tuned for the Zoom links and class details.

Worship Information

Streaming of High Holy Day Services

All of our services are now streaming on to Facebook! You can watch at www.facebook.com/HoustonSynagogue/ or on the Temple Sinai webpage. Simply click the “Live” button on the top right corner during service times to tune in!

Family Services

Families, we have heard you—the timing of the morning services did not work. We have moved the service to 3 PM so that everyone can avoid the worst of rush hour. We hope you, your children or grandchildren can join in our engaging, interactive, and musical services while being able to look up at the rabbi, musical soloist, and projected prayer book with our “Visual T’filah.” Children’s Services for both Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur will begin at 3:00 p.m. on the afternoon of the holiday. Masks are required for all and social distancing will be followed. Vaccination is not required for this service.

COVID Protective Measures

In order to keep our congregation safe, we are asking that all attendees wear masks. If you are unvaccinated, under 12 years old, immunocompromised, or feeling unwell, we ask that you stay home and join our evening and morning services online.

What is Tashlich?

According to ReformJudaism.org, Tashlich means "casting away;" and is “A traditional ceremony held during the Yamim Nora-im (Days of Awe), usually on the first day of Rosh HaShanah, in which individuals symbolically ‘cast away’ their sins or wrongdoings from the past year by throwing breadcrumbs into a flowing body of water.”

Last year, we started a new tradition responding to the demands of this challenging era in our history. We felt that a pandemic demanded a little bit more from Tashlich--and sadly that demand (and the reason behind it) remains. I don’t really feel like just casting away my sins... I feel like casting away the challenges from the past year, the frustration, the sorrow, the pain, the anger, and so, so much more. The past year-and-a-half has been incredibly challenging, and therefore I want Rosh Hashanah to start with a sense of new beginnings and new promise, even though I know we will still face challenging times ahead. Perhaps you feel the same way.

That is why we are gathering outdoors for a special Tashlich, Havdalah (end-of-Rosh Hashanah brief service), and Shofar blowing on Tuesday, September 7, 2021 at 6:o0 PM. If you can join us, please bring your completed “Tashlich~Prayer of Release” form. Whatever it is that you wish to release, please write it on the bottom of the form. Cut it out and fold it in half. We will collect it (and of course not read it!) for this year’s special Tashlich of Release and Renewal.

Book of Memory

With the coming of the High Holy Days this fall, Temple Sinai will once again offer congregants the opportunity to memorialize loved ones in our Book of Memory. The Book will be distributed during our moving Yizkor Memorial Service on Yom Kippur afternoon.

Due to printing deadlines, the form below must be received in the temple office by Friday, September 10, 2021. The names will be printed exactly as you write them on the form, so please be sure they are legible.

We are also asking that you email pictures of your loved ones to be shared during our streamed Yizkor service. Please email your pictures to rabbi@temple-sinai.org by Friday, September 3, 2021.

Please note that this year the Book of Memory will only include names you specifically request on this form so please be prompt in your response. If you have any questions, please contact Cindy at 281/496-5950.