WEST BRATTLEBORO — At sundown on Sunday, Sept. 9, Jewish people all over the world will welcome Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish year 5779. Rosh Hashanah begins a sacred period known as the Days of Awe that culminates 10 days later on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, observed this year on Sept. 19.
Laura Berkowitz and Stephan Brandstatter, co-presidents of Congregation Shir Heharim, announced in a news release that the Brattleboro Area Jewish Community will offer Rosh Hashanah services beginning at 7 p.m. on Sept. 9 at the West Village Meeting House of All Souls Church on South Street in West Brattleboro and continuing there the next day at 9:30 a.m.
On Tuesday, Sept. 11, at 10 a.m., there will be a special service commemorating Sept. 11, 2001, mixing traditional and alternative prayers with reflections on combatting hatred. This service takes place at the BAJC synagogue on 151 Greenleaf St. in West Brattleboro.
Yom Kippur services begin Tuesday evening, Sept. 18, at 7 p.m., at the West Village Meeting House with the beautiful and haunting Kol Nidre prayer and continue there the next day at 9:30 a.m.
There is a Yizkor service at about 11:30 a.m. that day with special memorial prayers remembering and honoring the departed, a traditional Musaf service at around 12:30 p.m., and a late afternoon service with a reading from the Book of Jonah at 5 p.m., followed by Ne'ilah, the closing service, at 6 p.m.
Congregation Shir Heharim's high holiday services will be led by Cantor Kate Judd, the congregation's spiritual leader. Cantor Judd was ordained by Hebrew College in Newton, Mass., a pluralistic seminary, where she also received a Master's of Jewish Education.
Cantor Judd has performed throughout New England as oratorio and operatic soloist and was a service leader at several synagogues before becoming the spiritual leader of the Brattleboro Area Jewish Community six years ago. She will be assisted by several community members who will co-lead parts of the service.
The Days of Awe are marked by contemplation, introspection, confession, and prayer. Reflecting upon the past year, Jews around the world ask forgiveness from family, friends, and other people they may have hurt. Tradition teaches that once this is accomplished, forgiveness from God will follow.
The season is regarded as a time of judgment, when people seek atonement and pray to be inscribed in the Book of Life for another year. On Yom Kippur, 24 hours are spent in prayer and contemplation, with no food or drink from 7 p.m. Tuesday night until after sunset on Wednesday night.
As the long day ends, the Ne'ilah service portrays the Gates of Heaven slowly closing as the last prayers of atonement are offered to God. Like people everywhere, Jews are comforted by the hope that if they really strive to make themselves better than they were in the past, God will forgive them and grant them life.
BAJC welcomes all to attend high holy day services. New prayer books have the full service in Hebrew, with both English translation and transliteration, along with interpretative study texts. All the Hebrew prayers are transliterated so that people who don't read Hebrew can follow and participate.
BAJC doesn't require tickets or reservations, but it is hoped that guests will help cover the expenses of making the services available to all.