High Holy Day Liturgy Discussions on Zoom.

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Session #1 – Unetaneh Tokef: Judgment Day
Sunday, August 16 at 10:00 AM.
Tuesday, August 25 at 12:00 Noon.
Tuesday, August 25 at 7:00 PM.

“Who Will Live and Who Will Die?” - powerful, perplexing and persuasive, yet controversial. How do we make sense of the imagery so core to our prayers?

Unetaneh Tokef
  Life and Death
  Yom Hadin – Trial and Judgment
  Prayer, Repentance and Tzedakah
  The Legend
  Signing our Names
Class Handout (If possible, please print out this handout before class).

Session #2 – Kol Nidrei
Sunday, August 23 at 10:00 AM.
Tuesday, September 1 at 7:00 PM.
Thursday, September 3 at 12:00 Noon.

A Medieval Aramaic text which defies logic; a text which sages have tried to eliminate for hundreds of years. What is really going on? Why do we continue to say it? Why is it so popular?

Kol Nidrei
Moshe Koussevitsky Sings Kol Nidrei
Overview
     Problems
     Opposition
 The Importance of Vows
      From Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur  
 Change of Tense
The Text vs. the Music of Kol Nidrei
The Prelude
Links to the Past
Modern Times
Class Handout (If possible, please print out this handout before class).

Session #3 – Confessionals: Ashamnu & Al Cheit
Sunday, September 6 at 10:00 AM.
Tuesday, September 8 at 7:00 PM.
Thursday, September 10 at 12:00 Noon.

Divine reward and punishment…an archaic idea? Yet, these two confessionals are liturgical staples are recited 10 times each on Yom Kippur. What message should we walk away with?

Ashamnu & Al Cheit - Returning To God
High Holiday Repentance a. Biblical Times – vicarious atonement b. Rabbinic radical innovation
Repentance enters the Siddur a. Daily usage b. Standardization
Yom Kippur  a. Tonal shift throughout the day b. Justice and Mercy c. Letters  
Sin a. Self-Focus, Alienation, and Realignment
     b. Teshuvah
         i. First with others (Elul)
         ii. Then with God (High Holidays) 
     c. Why in the plural?
     d. Why two different formats? (Ashamnu and Al Cheit)
     e. Striking Our Breasts
Reconnection
Al Cheit
Class Handout (If possible, please print out this handout before class).

Session #4 – Neilah: The Gate Closes
Sunday, September 13 at 10:00 AM.
Tuesday, September 15 at 7:00 PM.
Thursday, September 17 at 12:00 Noon.

There is a heightened fervor to the service with which we finish Yom Kippur. The Ark is open, all are standing, a final blast of the shofar. Can we really wipe our slates clean?

Neilah
Closing of the Jerusalem gates and those of heaven
Preparing for Death/Returning to Life
   Aron – Holy Ark or coffin?
   Denial of life affirming behaviors
   Wake Up!
Atah Notein Yad - will we accept G-d’s help?
The Sliding Door – opportunities gained or lost
Eil Norah Alilah
   Selicha vs. Mechilah
   Exile
The Grand Conclusion
   Achav and Jezebel confront Elijah
   Parallels to the end of life
   We are all newborns
Class Handout (If possible, please print out this handout before class).