Rodef Sholom: A Reform Jewish Congregation in Marin County, California

To allow all of our members to worship together as a community, traditional Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services are held at the Marin County Civic Center auditorium. In addition, to accommodate the spiritual needs of our diverse community, we offer an additional High Holy Days service on the first morning of Rosh Hashanah and on Yom Kippur morning in the Rodef Sholom sanctuary. These services are lay-led and are rich in song and teaching. Congregation Rodef Sholom also holds age-specific children's services in both the sanctuary and the Hoytt Theater of the Osher Marin JCC that are open to the public.

High Holy Days 2009/5770 -- Shalom u'vrakha - peace and blessings

Here is a brief overview of the High Holy Days and to connect you with people and programming that we hope will focus our individual communal journeys toward Yom Kippur and beyond.

Click on each link below to find information regarding the High Holy Days that begin on September 18.

Please remember to return any form for Courtesy tickets, the Memorial Roll and childcare reservations to the synagogue office no later than September 1. Our fax number is 415.479.9220.  High Holy Day tickets and Courtesy tickets will be mailed to all members in good standing on September 4.

We look forward to sharing a wonderful High Holy Days together!

S'lichot
We are pleased to announce that due to the generosity of fellow congregants we are able to invite Artist-in-Residence Dan Nichols to join us for a second year. The S'lichot service and program takes place on Saturday, September 12, 8:30 pm.

Tashlikh (back to top)
On the first day of Rosh Hashanah, we celebrate Tashlikh by symbolically casting our transgressions upon the water. It is held immediately following morning services, at approximately 12:30 pm, at the pond near the Civic Center. Both children and adults are encouraged to join us at the time of individual and communal reflection.

Rabbi Emeritus Michael Barenbaum will lead Second Day Rosh Hashanah services.

On the second day of Rosh Hashanah, join us for a hike in Tennessee Valley on Sunday, September 20. We will leave Tennessee Valley parking lot at 3 pm sharp. Bring your friends, your family, and your walking shoes and we'll bring the bread for the symbolic casting away of our "transgressions".

Rosh Hashanah receptions
Saturday, September 19, Civic Center & Synagogue

Rosh Hashanah Children's Service reception
Saturday, September 19, Synagogue courtyard

Second Day Rosh Hashanah light breakfast
Sunday, September 20, 8:45 am, Synagogue

Break-the-Fast celebration
Monday, September 28, 6:30 pm
Redwood Foyer & Terrace behind the Civic Center auditorium

Children's Services (back to top)
Children's services for those six years of age and under will be held in the Hoytt Theater at the JCC. Jonathan Bayer, our beloved Tot Shabbat leader, will be co-leading these services. For those children ages seven through eleven years old, services will be held concurrently in the Rodef Sholom sanctuary with our artist-in-residence, Dan Nichols. Both children's services (on both Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur) will begin at 1 pm. A reception will follow our children's Rosh Hashanah services in the courtyard.

Sanctuary services
As before, we are offering an additional service on the first morning of Rosh Hashanah and the morning of Yom Kippur in the Rodef Sholom sanctuary. These services also begin at 9:30 am and require High Holy Day tickets.

Yom Kippur (back to top)
We will continue to offer morning services at both Rodef Sholom and the Civic Center. In our effort to meet the needs of our entire community, we have decided to move all the afternoon discussions and Yizkor and N'eila (concluding services) back to the Civic Center. New: Yizkor will begin at approximately 4:30 pm this year and we will conclude with a break-the-fast at the Civic Center.
• Healing Service
(led by Rabbi Friedman and Cantor Margules)
The renewal of body and spirit is central to the High Holy Days. Through song, meditation, prayer and silence, we will bring wholeness and healing into our lives and into the New Year. This service will be held at 1 pm in the Green Room at the Civic Center.
• Beit T'shuvah (in Hebrew, literally "house of return")
T'shuvah is often translated as "repentance" but it really means to return, as in returning to a holy path, the major theme of the High Holy Days. Beit T'shuvah is a residential treatment center for drug and alcohol addiction as well as a synagogue in West Los Angeles. Come to this presentation to hear stories of return, redemption and reflection as we focus on making right the wrongs we have done in our lives.
• N'eila (concluding services)
We are excited to announce that at the end of the service all children will again be invited up on the Civic Center stage for the final blowing of the shofar.
• Break-the-Fast
Immediately following the final blowing of the shofar we are excited to announce that everyone is invited to break-the-fast at the Civic Center in the Redwood Foyer and the adjoining outdoor Redwood Terrace.

Yom Kippur Afternoon (back to top)
• Adult discussion with Rabbi Doug Kahn, 2:30 pm, Green Room Civic Center
• Beit T'shuvah program, 2:30 pm, Civic Center auditorium
• Teen discussion, 3:30 pm, Toyon Room, Civic Center
• Afternoon services, Yizkor & N'eila (concluding services), 3:30 pm, Civic Center auditorium

High Holy Day Food Drive
This year the need is greater than ever because the demand is higher than ever. Bring a contribution of non-perishable food for the Marin Food Bank for the barrels located in front of the Civic Center auditorium and the synagogue.

Childcare (back to top)
Childcare is available and limited to members of Rodef Sholom. We strongly suggest that parents of young children choose childcare if they feel that their children will not be able to sit quietly through the adult services.

Sukkot
• Erev Sukkot, Friday, October 2
6:15 pm Shabbat services followed by our first Friday congregational dinner
• Saturday, October 3
10:30 am Shabbat & Sukkot Festival services
• Simchat Torah, Friday, October 9
6:15 pm Shabbat & Simchat Torah services
The High Holy Days officially end with the joyous dancing on Simchat Torah. Mark this day on your calendar and plan to come with your whole family.
• Saturday, October 10, 10:30 am
Shabbat & Yizkor services

High Holy Day Ticket Policy information (back to top)

Ticket Policy & Info for Members
At High Holy Day Services there is a large demand for seats; therefore, we issue tickets. There is no charge for tickets for Rodef Sholom members. To meet special circumstances, courtesy tickets for the entire High Holy Days may be purchased by Rodef Sholom members at $150 per person. However, should visitors be members in good standing at another synagogue, tickets will be offered at no charge. See * below.

1. Members who have fulfilled their 2008-2009 financial commitment, who have made a financial commitment for fiscal year 2009-2010 and who are members in good standing, will automatically receive tickets. Members' tickets are to be used by members only. Please contact our Executive Director, Michael Kamler, at 415.479.3441, if you have a question about your financial commitment or status.
2. In regard to your High Holy Day tickets, your family membership includes all unmarried children through age 26, wherever they live, and all other dependents that live with you, regardless of age. You will receive adult members' tickets and they include entrance into HHD Services for your children. No separate children's or dependent's tickets will be issued. In addition, a one-year courtesy membership is available to members' children who are married by a member of the clergy of Congregation Rodef Sholom.
3. Parents, adult children over 26 years of age, and other relatives who do not live with you but reside in the Bay Area must have separate memberships to obtain tickets.  Courtesy tickets are not intended for friends, neighbors, or others residing in the local area. Those persons interested in attending should be asked to call the office to inquire either as to membership, or alternatively, concerning synagogue policies as to non-member access to High Holy Day services.
4. Courtesy tickets will be issued on an "as available" basis to meet special circumstances, such as for visitors who do not reside in the Bay Area, members of the Armed Services stationed in this area, and students attending college in this area.
5. As seating is limited, ticket requests must reach the office by September 1. Please send your payment along with your request or your ticket request cannot be processed.
6. Member High Holy Day tickets and courtesy tickets will
be mailed on September 4, 2009.

Ticket Policy & Info for Non-Members
Congregation Rodef Sholom's policy regarding non-member
admittance to High Holy Day Services is designed to ensure that families who have committed to supporting our synagogue in all aspects, throughout the entire year, will be seated at services and have the best possible worship experience during the High Holy Days.

Access to evening High Holy Day services, either Erev Rosh Hashanah or Kol Nidre (Erev Yom Kippur) is for synagogue members only.

Non-members shall be permitted to attend our morning High Holy Day services (both first day Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur), at either the synagogue or the Civic Center, on a space available basis, for one year. That access shall be permitted (as in the past) after completion of a registration form and presenting photo I.D. at the Guest Table.

Any non-member who attended any of the morning High Holy Day Services (as a non-member) in a prior year will be expected to join Congregation Rodef Sholom as a member should they wish to participate in this year's High Holy Day Services.

Members who will be out of town during the High Holy Days
If you are a member in good standing and would like to attend services at another Reform congregation during the High Holy Days, we can request tickets for you. Please provide the name of each family member, the name of the congregation you wish to visit, the services you will be attending, the name of any member(s) of that congregation that you will be accompanying, and the fax number of the congregation to Sonja at 479.3441 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , and we will make the ticket request on your behalf.

*The same is true if you have friends or family visiting for the High Holy Days and they belong to another congregation; have their congregation fax the same information requested above to us at 479.9220, attention: Sonja.

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