Holidays

Rosh Hashanah

Erev Rosh Hashanah: Friday, September 15 at 8:00pm

Rosh Hashanah Morning Service: Saturday, September 16 at 10:00am
Family Service: Saturday, September 16 at 2:30pm
Tashlich: Saturday, September 16 at 3:45pm at Windmill Club

2nd Day Rosh Hashanah Study and Discussion with Rabbi Strom: Sunday, September 17 at 10:00am

Rosh Hashanah, celebrating the birthday of the world, marks the beginning of the new year. On Rosh Hashanah we offer a Family Service for families with children up to age 10. Through prayers, music, interactive discussion and sometimes a story, this  service introduces children to the themes of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Tashlich is a service held on the banks of one of Armonk’s beautiful ponds and is very special for the entire family.

Yom Kippur

Kol Nidre: Sunday, September 24 at 8:00pm

Yom Kippur Morning Service: Monday, September 25 at 10:00am
Yom Kippur Conversation with Fred and Barby Siegel: Monday, September 25 at 12:45pm
Family Service: Monday, September 25 at 2:30pm
Afternoon Experience: Monday, September 25 at 3:30pm
Memorial and Closing Service: Monday,  September 25 at 4:30pm

Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement. Yom Kippur is a day of introspection and fasting when we measure our shortcomings and seek a whole sense of ourselves. At our Memorial Service we remember the loss of those whom we loved deeply, and the great losses suffered by our people. The Closing Service provides a meaningful link with the Memorial Service and puts us in touch with the great themes of the Days of Awe as we prepare to greet the world at sunset, renewed and ready for the new year ahead.

Sukkot 

Friday, September 29

Sukkot, which begins five days after Yom Kippur, recalls the harvest in the land of Israel. On Erev Sukkot we gather to decorate the Sukkah, and we enjoy a community dinner and singing together.

Simchat Torah

Saturday, October 7

A simcha is a celebration and Simchat Torah is a celebration of continuity. We conclude our yearly reading of the Torah by reading the final verses of Deuteronomy, the last book of the Five Books of Moses. We then begin again immediately by reading the story of Creation from Genesis at the beginning of the Torah. On Simchat Torah, we welcome our newest families into our community in a service of consecration. The families are blessed by the Rabbi and Cantor. Then they lead our congregation in hakafot, processions around the sanctuary in which we carry Torahs and paper flags, and sing songs. Simchat Torah is a service for all to enjoy.

Chanukah

December 7 - December 15

Chanukah, our Festival of Lights, is a family celebration where we retell the story of the recapturing of Jerusalem by the Maccabees. The victorious Maccabees cleansed the Temple and re-lit the great Menorah. According to tradition, a tiny amount of oil, enough to burn in the Menorah for only one day, miraculously lasted eight days. That is why Chanukah menorahs have eight branches plus a shamas, or servant, to light the others.

Tu B’Shevat

Wednesday, January 24, 2024

Tu B’Shevat is the new year of trees. It is commemorated by planting trees to symbolize the renewal of life and reawakening of soil. We encourage the planting of trees in Israel in honor of joyous occasions or in memory of solemn ones.

Purim

Saturday, March 23, 2024

Purim recalls the deliverance, over 2000 years ago, of the Jews of Persia from persecution. We celebrate Purim retelling the story of the beautiful Esther, bride of King Ahashuerus, Esther’s cousin Mordecai, and the wicked Haman. Our Purim service is a time for revelry, a wild and crazy Purim play, a time to do what we would normally not do during a service: pass out noisemakers and make noise! at the mention of the name of Haman.

Passover

April 22 - April 30, 2024

Passover is our springtime festival of freedom. We read the Haggadah, recalling the exodus from Egypt. We retell the story of the days of slavery, the ten plagues and the dramatic crossing of the Red Sea. We remember the haste of the exodus by eating matzah during the seven days of the festival.

We celebrate Passover with seders in our homes. We regularly offer a special session with tips on how to conduct a more meaningful seder.

Yom HaShoah 

Sunday, May 5, 2024

Yom Hashoah is the day dedicated to the memory of all who died in the Holocaust. We send home with our older students a special yellow yahrzeit candle and a home ritual for family remembrance of this important day.

Yom Ha’Atzma’ut  

Sunday, May 12, 2024

Yom Ha’atzma’ut means “day of independence” and commemorates the date of Israel’s independence in May 1948. 

Shavuot

Thursday, May 25, 2023

Shavuot occurs seven weeks after Passover. Our tradition teaches that Moses received the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai on this day.