Chabad of Orange County invites all to celebrate the High Holidays

Chana Burston instructs Hebrew School students about the tastes and traditions of Rosh Hashanah at Chabad Hebrew School Children are an integral part of Judaism and Chabad wants to make sure that children will also feel welcome. There will be a special service for children. “Bring your children to services. They will have a blast!” Rabbi Pesach jokes.

Chabad of Orange County, led by Rabbi Pesach and Chana Burston, invites the community to celebrate the New Year together. Chabad’s spacious 10,000 square foot Center for Jewish Life is located at 94 Gilbert Street in the Village of Monroe. No tickets, membership or paid seats required.

Chabad offers its High Holiday Services free of charge, is open to all and no membership is required to join. “Our goal is to make experiencing High Holidays as accessible as possible and not make finances a condition of joining,” Rabbi Pesach explained.

Chabad is offering several options for services: The traditional service offers interactive and engaging prayer services. Rabbi Pesach offers commentary and instructions throughout the service. Hebrew/English prayer books are provided. On Rosh Hashanah, snacks and bottled water is provided during the services, and a Kiddush lunch is offered after the services.

The Youth Service offers interactive and exciting games, prayers, songs and snacks to engage youth in the services. This is a separate program, also held at Chabad, and is held simultaneously to the traditional services. The 45-minute family-style service will include the sounding of the shofar – the central observance of the holiday – as well as selected prayers from the High Holiday liturgy. It will also include prayers for the wellbeing of all humanity—a key theme of Rosh Hashanah. There will also be a buffet with Rosh Hashanah traditions including apples and honey as well as honey cake. High Holiday Schedule:

· Traditional Rosh Hashanah Services Day 1 & 2 – Saturday, September 16, & Sunday, September 17, 9:30 am – 12:00 pm. Interactive and engaging services led by Rabbi Pesach. Books and snacks provided. · Youth Program Rosh Hashanah Day 1 & 2 – Saturday, September 16, & Sunday, September 17, 11 am – 12:30 pm. Children’s program led by Morah Chana. Books and snacks provided. · 45-Minute Family Holiday Experience – Rosh Hashanah Day 2 – Sunday, September 17 4:00 pm. Holiday Highlights including: Shofar sounding, Rosh Hashanah Traditions (apples & honey, honey cake), Holiday songs and stories. Geared for all ages. Families sit together. · Tashlich Ceremony – Sunday, September 17, 1:30 pm at Chabad. Short, interactive ceremony for all ages. (Tashlich is a customary Jewish atonement ritual where we symbolically “cast away” our sins in the water). · Feast Before the Fast & Yom Kippur Eve – Sunday, September 24, 5:30 pm dinner feast before the fast. Yom Kippur eve Kol Nidrei: 6:30 pm. · Yom Kippur Services – Monday, September 25: Traditional Yom Kippur Services 10am-12pm. Yizkor Memorial Service: 11:30 am. Evening & Closing Service 5:30 pm, followed by buffet break-the-fast. · Yom Kippur Youth Program – Monday, September 25, 11:30 am to 1:00 pm. Children’s program led by Morah Chana, followed by a show with a professional entertainer. Snacks and drinks provided. Registration and Information There is no charge for seats, but reservations are required. Donations are optional but greatly appreciated. For more information, registration for services, for holiday resources contact Rabbi Pesach and Chana Burston at 845-782-2770 or visit www.ChabadOrange.com

About Chabad of Orange County Chabad of Orange County offers Jewish education, outreach and social-service programming for families and individuals of all ages, backgrounds and affiliations. For more information visit www.ChabadOrange.com

About Rosh Hashanah Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, begins this year at sundown on September 15 and concludes nightfall on September 17. Literally meaning “head of the year,” the two-day holiday commemorates the creation of the world and marks the beginning of the Days of Awe, a 10-day period of introspection and repentance that culminates in the Yom Kippur holiday. For more information about Rosh Hashanah, visit www.ChabadOrange.com/MyHighHolidays

About the Shofar The shofar is the central symbol of Rosh Hashanah, which is celebrated near the beginning of each fall. Synagogues blast the shofar every day for a month leading up to the holiday, culminating with a sequence of 100 blasts during the Rosh Hashanah services, which take place this year on Sunday 17. (Shofar is not sounded this year on the 1st day of Rosh Hashanah, in observance of the Shabbat). The cry of the shofar is a call to repentance as Jews look back at misdeeds of the past year and resolve to improve during the coming one. “The Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory, considered the most influential rabbi in modern history, insisted that the observance of hearing the Shofar— the key observance of Rosh Hashanah—be made accessible to all Jews even those not attending synagogue,” Rabbi Pesach Burston explained. “Chabad has always prioritized making Judaism available to all.” -------------Photo Descriptions---------- Photos courtesy of Rabbi Pesach & Chana Burston, Chabad of Orange County

Chabad Teen Haley Olstein of Monroe and Chabad Hebrew School student Emma Orman of Goshen learn about the Shofar and Rosh Hashanah at Chabad Hebrew School The Shofar (ram’s horn) is sounded on Rosh Hashanah. The shofar is the central mitzvah (commandment) of Rosh Hashanah. Synagogues blast the shofar every day for a month leading up to the holiday, culminating with a sequence of 100 blasts. In addition to alerting the Jewish community to the approaching holiday, the sound of the shofar is also a reminder of G-d’s kingship and a call to repentance. Chana Burston instructs Hebrew School students about the tastes and traditions of Rosh Hashanah at Chabad Hebrew School Children are an integral part of Judaism and Chabad wants to make sure that children will also feel welcome. There will be a special service for children. “Bring your children to services. They will have a blast!” Rabbi Pesach jokes.

Chabad Hebrew School students Julianna Loftus and Lily Rosenthal, both of Goshen, display the honey cakes they made for Rosh Hashanah at Chabad Hebrew School Eating apples, as well as challah-bread, dipped in honey, or eating honey cake, is customary on Rosh Hashanah to symbolize the hope for a sweet year.

Rabbi Pesach Burston sounds the Shofar (ram’s horn) while teaching about Rosh Hashanah at Chabad Hebrew School The Shofar will be sounded this year on the second day of Rosh Hashanah, Sunday, September 17. All are welcome to join the services at Chabad. There is no charge for services, but reservations are required

_______ Rabbi Pesach Burston Chabad of Orange County 845-782-2770 rabbi@ChabadOrange.com www.ChabadOrange.com