Today is the twenty-seventh day of Elul. Rosh HaShanah begins Friday evening; after these weeks of preparation, we are almost ready to stand together at the threshold of 5787.

Our theme, Da lifnei mi atah omed, “Know before whom you stand,” asks us to enter these sacred days with yirah, a sense of awe. Yirah is sometimes translated as fear, but it can also describe the feeling of encountering something much larger than ourselves. It is the awareness that this moment matters, that the people beside us matter, and that the way we choose to live in the year ahead matters.

Awe helps us pay attention. It invites us to arrive as our full selves, carrying our gratitude and regret, our certainty and questions, our memories and hopes. We do not need to finish the work of teshuvah before walking through the doors. We simply need to arrive ready to begin it together.

A practice for this week, as a guide for the work of your cheshbon hanefesh: Before Rosh HaShanah, pause and ask yourself, “What do I want to be fully present for in the year ahead?” Carry your answer with you into the sanctuary, wherever your sanctuary may be.

Erev Rosh HaShanah worship begins Friday, September 11th, at 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, September 12th, Tot Worship begins at 8:45 a.m., Rosh HaShanah Morning Worship at 10:30 a.m., the Teen Experience at approximately noon, and Family Worship at 2:00 p.m. You can find our complete High Holy Days schedule here.

One final reminder: Yizkor photographs should be emailed to Karen Krosnick at karen@templejeremiah.org by tomorrow, Thursday, September 10th.

As we prepare to welcome the new year, here are three things to know:

  • Member and Guest Badge Pick-Up: Everyone attending in person must wear a High Holy Day name badge. Members should bring the badges they picked up in advance. Registered guests can pick up their badges at the Will Call table when they arrive for worship. If you have not yet registered your guests, please complete the guest registration form before coming to Temple Jeremiah.
  • Parking and Arrival: Both Temple Jeremiah parking lots will be open. There is no tent in the south parking lot this year. Parking is also available along the east side of Happ Road. Please enter through the south lot and follow the attendants to the next available space. All vehicles will exit through the north lot after worship. Accessible passenger drop-off is available in the circle drive at the Happ Road entrance. Please allow extra time for parking, security, and finding your seat. Watch our short parking video before you arrive.
  • Joining Us Online: The easiest way to participate remotely is to visit the Temple Jeremiah YouTube channel and select the live service. We will also send the direct worship link by text on the afternoon of Erev Rosh HaShanah, the morning of Rosh HaShanah, and the morning of Rosh HaShanah Day Two. Recordings will remain available on YouTube afterward. If you need assistance, contact our High Holy Day technical support team at techsupport@templejeremiah.org or 847-834-9246.

Additional information is available in our High Holy Days FAQ.

May we enter 5787 awake to the sacredness of the moment, open to one another, and ready for the work and joy of beginning again.

Shanah Tovah,

Rabbi Rachel Heaps