Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur at The Emanuel Synagogue
September 6, 2021 by Community Editor
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With the impending High Holy Days being online, the Rabbis and administration team at Sydney’s The Emanuel Synagogue have embraced technology successfully creating a richly rewarding audiovisual experience for all their members.
Rabbi Ninio
“We are endeavouring to provide inspiration through learning, discussion, prayer and music,” said Rabbi Jacqueline Ninio.
The prolonged period of lockdown has highlighted the importance of connectedness and the clergy has recognised the fundamental need to feel part of a community and to unite in prayer and song.
The team resolved to foster connection between members by creating an artistic, comprehensive High Holy Days portal, filled with options and activities in preparation for the forthcoming days of worship. The portal includes recipes, music, messages from the clergy and meditation. In addition, a variety of special guests have been asked to share their personal thoughts and reflections regarding this special time.
“The month of Elul, according to our tradition, is a time for preparation and reflection when we begin to find meaning in this season and enrich our experience of The High Holy Days. There is also a whole section with crafts and activities for children, to keep them occupied and to connect with this time in our calendar,” Rabbi Ninio continued.
An entire section of the website is devoted to emotive orchestral and choral music, creating the sense of sitting in a synagogue.
The children’s hub caters for children from year K through to year 8 and each section is filled with music, songs, easy recipes, quizzes, puzzles and resources to explain the history, tradition and meaning of each holiday.
An ‘inspiration’ section incorporates a meaningful thought of the day, music, dance and stories from members of the clergy and well-known public identities.
A beautifully compiled comprehensive booklet covers topics from ideas for the home to blessings, poems and reflections, and delves more deeply into the significance and sequence of The High Holy Days.
The Emanuel Synagogue caters for three strands of religious worship; Masorti, Progressive and Renewal and the program page displays service times for each element as well as the children’s service.
For more details, click on https://emanuel.org.au/hhd
