// High Holy Days Guide //
Watch Services & View Schedule
Click the icon above to view our Temple Emanu-El High Holy Day videos and schedule. All services will also be streamed on our Facebook page.
Click the icon above to view our Temple Emanu-El High Holy Day videos and schedule. All services will also be streamed on our Facebook page.
View schedules, activities, playlists, and more for Teens and Young Families by clicking the icon above!
Click the icon above to view our prayer books and other High Holy Days resources.
Find out how to access online services, who may be allowed inside the sanctuary, how to register for certain temple programs, and more by clicking the icon above.
Click the icon above to view events, discussions, mailings, and in-person offerings just for Temple Emanu-El members.
A gift to the Temple Emanu-El Philanthropic Fund demonstrates community, commitment, and compassion in a way that is unique amongst synagogues as these monies provide humanitarian support within our city, around our nation, and abroad.
Click above to learn more about Shofar in the Streets with Rabbi Davidson.
Whether you want to worship in our sacred spaces or simply long to join a caring community, we welcome you.
Click to learn more about our COVID-19 safety procedures, with everyone’s safety in mind.
“Finding meaning in Rosh Hashanah amid a pandemic”
It is our tradition during Yom Kippur to read a list of names of the recently deceased from our temple family.
Click to learn more about our COVID-19 safety procedures, with everyone’s safety in mind.
Click to check out these Fall Streicker Center events.
Are you offering in-person services?
After careful consideration and advice from expert medical counsel, the Board of Trustees has decided to offer robust, virtual services to the majority of the congregation. With health and safety as our highest priority, we are unable to welcome all, or even a large portion of, congregants back into the building for in-person worship.
However, Temple Emanu-El has been open for the High Holy Days For 175 years, and we want 5781 to be no exception. Therefore, we are inviting up to 100 temple members to join us for services, assuming conditions remain safe for a smaller gathering. In a special gesture to honor members most profoundly affected by the pandemic we invite those who are:
If you are within this cohort, we invite you to express your interest in joining us here.
Do I need to register for in-person services?
Yes. In order to maintain the highest levels of safety and security, we are asking all members to express their interest in joining us for High Holy Day services this year. We will be in touch as additional details become available. Twenty-four hours prior to each in-person service, all attendees will be required to fill out a health screening form. No one will be admitted without both a ticket and an approved health screening form which was filled out no longer than 24 hours before arrival.
When will I receive my tickets?
Members attending services this year will receive tickets via email a few days prior to the service. Each ticket will have an entry time and location, as we work to minimize the number of people in our lobby spaces at any given time.
Will I be able to sit in my regular seat(s)?
Due to social distancing guidelines and the fact that services will be held in our Fifth Avenue Sanctuary only, we are unlikely to be able to accommodate members’ regular seating assignments this year. We will work hard to ensure that all members are seated with respect to their regular seating sections.
How will health and safety be managed during in-person services?
In-person services will strictly adhere to State and City Department of Health guidelines. Should those guidelines or circumstances change, our plans will be modified accordingly. Appropriate safety measures will be taken, including mandatory:
What questions will be asked on the health screening form?
Anyone who wishes to enter the synagogue (including members, staff and clergy) is required to fill out a health screening form within 24 hours prior to entry. You will be asked to take and record your temperature, and answer the following questions:
How will guest tickets and reciprocity be affected?
Unfortunately, we will not be able to welcome member guests this year, nor are we able to make in-person tickets available to non-members (including Saviv, college students, U.S. military personnel or URJ reciprocity).
Can I still gain entrance with a college or military ID?
Unfortunately, we will not be able to welcome member guests this year, nor are we able to make in-person tickets available to non-members (including Saviv, college students, U.S. military personnel or URJ reciprocity).
Do I have to be a member to watch services online?
No. We are fortunate to be able to be able to broadcast our worship services to anyone who wishes to join us. We are regularly joined by Jews around the world, from Australia to Brazil, from Russia to South Africa.
How can I access the livestream?
You can access the livestream here. We invite all those who wish to join us (members and non-members alike) to register for services. This will allow us to send you reminders shortly before the start of services so that you can easily access the link. To sign up for Temple emails, click here.
How can I access the prayer book(s)?
So that we might lift our voices together, all member families were mailed a soft-cover edition of our new Temple Emanu-El High Holy Day prayer book in August. This beautiful machzor was made possible through a generous donation from the family of Kim and Alan Hartman, in honor of Emanu-El’s 175th Anniversary.
The machzor is also available online, to anyone who wishes to pray with us.
What can I expect from the online experience?
We are working closely with Interface Media Group (IMG) to create vibrant and dynamic virtual worship experiences for our congregational community. Members will have the opportunity to gather in small groups throughout the Days of Awe, to celebrate, reflect, learn and participate in services together. More details coming soon!
Will I be able to interact with other members during online services?
We look forward to offering an opportunity for small groups of people to come together online. More details coming soon.
Will there be other opportunities to connect in person?
Yes. We look forward to inviting small groups of people to mark Tashlich together as part of our #EmanuElEverywhere initative.
How can I send Temple Emanu-El Roll of Remembrance information?
At Temple Emanu-El, it is our tradition during Yom Kippur to read a list of names of the recently deceased from our temple family. To have a name added to our Roll of Remembrance, please complete this form. Forms were also mailed to all temple members in August.
Requests for 5781 must be submitted by September 14, 2020. Note: Only the names of those who have passed away since October 9, 2019, can be read on Yom Kippur.
Will the Temple still be taking donations during the holidays?
We are very proud of our unique and longstanding tradition of raising funds on Yom Kippur that are allocated throughout the year to programs and services for those in need. Each year, the Congregation raises and allocates approximately $1 million to worthy causes. Your gift to the Philanthropic Fund provides support for:
While we may not be gathering together in person this year, we invite you to contribute to this year’s Philanthropic Fund Appeal. Your gift is more important than ever and we appreciate your generosity.