Holidays at Temple Emeth

The many festivals and holy days from Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur in the fall through Shavuot in the spring, fill the seasons of our individual and communal lives with meaning. You will find the evening and morning services for all holidays including services on the Second Day of Rosh Hashanah and our Second Night Passover Seder noted on our calendar.

Pesach (Passover)

Pesach, known as Passover in English, is a major Jewish spring festival, commemorating the Exodus from Egypt over 3,000 years ago. The ritual observance of this holiday centers around a special home service called the seder (meaning "order") and a festive meal; the prohibition of chametz (leaven); and the eating of matzah (an unleavened bread). On the eve of the fifteenth day of Nisan in the Hebrew calendar, we read from a book called the hagaddah, meaning "telling," which contains the order of prayers, rituals, readings and songs for the Pesach seder. The Pesach seder is the only ritual meal in the Jewish calendar year for which such an order is prescribed, hence its name.

The seder has a number of scriptural bases. Exodus 12:3-11 describes the meal of lamb, unleavened bread, and bitter herbs which the Israelites ate just prior to the Exodus. In addition, three separate passages in Exodus (12:26-7, 13:8, 13:14) and one in Deuteronomy (6:20-21) enunciate the duty of the parents to tell the story of the Exodus to their children. The seder plate contains various symbolic foods referred to in the seder itself.

The URJ has Passover Materials and Resources, check for information, such as Glossary of Words and Terms for Jewish Living, V'Shinantam -The UAHC Teacher's Newsletter, The Jewish Parent Page, URJ Press, Transcontinental Music Publications, Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion, Haggadah Exhibit.

Shavuot

Temple Emeth holds an Erev Shavuot service with participation by member children who have completed their Confirmation requirements.

Selichot

Selichot is the evening that prepares us for the spiritual tasks of repentance and renewal on the High Holy Days, which challenge us to consider difficult theological questions and push us toward reconciliation with God and each other. The Selichot service reintroduces us to the words and melodies of the High Holy Days, and offers a beautiful opportunity to change our Torah covers to white.

Erev Sukkot

This season gives us much to be thankful for. As one who cares about the future of this congregation and the Jewish people, I am especially thankful for the new Religious School students who will be consecrated on the bimah at this service as they begin their religious education at Temple Emeth. Come on Erev Sukkot and welcome our new families. Afterwards, you can spend time in our beautiful new sukkah and shake the lulav and etrog.

Sukkot Morning Collaborative Service

The festivals are a time for the community to gather around the theme of thanksgiving. It will be the chance to see old friends and meet new ones and to celebrate all the blessings of our Jewish community.

Erev Simchat Torah

No holiday is more joyous than Simchat Torah, when we celebrate the Torah, the greatest gift that God gave to the Jewish people. Our Temple Emeth band will provide the music as we dance in procession with the Torah scrolls in our Social Hall. Every year we like to honor groups within the Temple that have made a positive impact on congregational life.

Simchat Torah Morning Service and Yizkor

The final holiday service of the fall is on Simchat Torah morning. This is our last service with the Torahs in their festival white covers. We will also remember our loved ones by reciting Yizkor memorial prayers.