This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

Doors Open Wide During Jewish High Holidays

Jewish New Year signals a time to "start anew" for many in Naperville.

As the Jewish High Holidays begin, the doors will open just a little wider in order to welcome the larger than usual crowds for worship services in Naperville and many other communities.

"Every Jew wants to be connected to God. Rosh Hashanah gives us the special opportunity when the doors to heaven are open," said Rabbi Mendy Goldstein of the Chabad Jewish Center of Naperville. "God opens the doors to everyone and it's a time for us to come and start over." 

The High Holidays mark the most significant and sacred time on the Jewish calendar. The observance begins with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, which leads into the 10 Days of Awe. This period culminates with Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. This year the holidays, which are based on the lunar calendar, begin at sundown on Sept. 8.

Find out what's happening in Napervillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The High Holidays are "the focal point of Jewish identity," said Cantor Hasha Musha Perman, musical director of Congregation Beth Shalom in Naperville. The holidays mark a time beginning with spiritual awakening, followed by a period of reflection and concluding with restitution and atonement, she explained.

While many area Jews attend Sabbath worship services throughout the year, others attend only intermittently. The High Holidays mark the one time during the year when even the least observant comes to a synagogue to pray.  

Find out what's happening in Napervillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"It is the one holiday when you can be sure that everybody will show up. It's the one time when I see everybody at once," said Rabbi Marc Rudolph, the spiritual leader at Congregation Beth Shalom. "It's the one time of the year when we all raise our voices in prayer together — young and old, every member of the congregation. Everybody is all in the building, praying together. That happens at no other time during the year."

Integral to the significance of the High Holidays is the sense of "starting anew," Rabbi Rudolph said. "Starting our lives anew, starting the year anew. Doing that in a communal setting is a very powerful experience."

Rabbi Rudolph cited the history of the High Holidays as a major source of inspiration for Jews to come to the synagogue to worship.

"It's important because this is an ancient celebration dating back to Biblical times," he said. "Throughout all these years, the Jewish community has gathered on these holidays to take stock of themselves as a community and as individuals; to take stock of our relationship with God."

Many people are drawn to the synagogue during the High Holidays because of the especially beautiful liturgy and music heard during this time. The liturgy of the High Holidays "is the most profound and the most serious," said Mark Greenberg, a member of Congregation Beth Shalom.

"First of all, it's because of the meaning of the days themselves, and also the seriousness with which people approach these days," Rudolph said. "But also, of course, because there will be so many people there. It doesn't mean that these are the best sermons of the year … but they are the best prepared sermons."

Congregation Beth Shalom recruits the participation of individuals in the congregation for much of the High Holiday services.

"It's a wonderful feature of the service," Rabbi Rudolph said. "We don't want congregants to be spectators; we want them to be participants. By participating in the services, it reminds us that we all have an active part to play in our prayer life in our community."

Congregation Beth Shalom has a choir comprised mostly of congregants that performs during the High Holidays. There also are family services, tailored more for young attention spans. These encourage parents and children to worship together.

"Of course, that keeps with the values of educating the young and fostering family togetherness and family life," Rabbi Rudolph said.

"Seeing people and being part of the community is important," Greenberg said. "I think gathering together, even if it's only this one time of year, effectively is a reaffirmation of who we are."

For more information, call Congregation Beth Shalom at 630-961-1818 or visit www.napershalom.org; or call Chabad Jewish Center of Naperville at 630-778-9770 or visit www.chabadnaperville.com.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?