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 2011/5772 -- Shalom u'vrakha - peace and blessings

Tuesday, August 30th begins the month of Elul – the last month of the Jewish year. Jews around the world use the 29 days of Elul to ready themselves spiritually for the coming transition to a new year. Rituals include reciting Psalm 27 each morning through the end of Sukkot, blowing or hearing the sound of the shofar each morning (except on Shabbat), and most importantly, engaging in a cheshbon nefesh, a soulful accounting of your year. Click here to hear the shofar!

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

Click on each link below to find information regarding the High Holy Days that begin on September 24 with S'lichot and end on October 20 with Simchat Torah/Shemini Atzeret.

Dowloadable forms will be posted shortly!
Please remember to return any form for Courtesy tickets, the Memorial Roll and childcare reservations to the synagogue office no later than September 6, 2011. 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 9.

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

S'lichot: Saturday, September 24, 8:00 pm
At this candlelit service, we reflect on the year that is closing, and we ready the Torahs for the impending holy days by changing their mantels (coverings) to white.

Tashlich (back to top)

• On the first day of Rosh Hashanah, we celebrate Tashlich 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 this time of individual and communal reflection.

• On the second day of Rosh Hashanah, join us for a hike in Tennessee Valley, on Friday, September 30. 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”.

Receptions - everyone is welcome! (back to top)

Rosh Hashanah receptions
Thursday, September29, Civic Center & Synagogue

Rosh Hashanah Children’s Service reception
Thursday, September 29, Synagogue courtyard

Second Day Rosh Hashanah light breakfast
Friday, September 30, 9:00 am, Synagogue front patio

Break-the-Fast celebration
Saturday, October 8, 6:30 pm
Redwood Foyer 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.

Yom Kippur (back to top)
We will continue to offer morning services at both Rodef Sholom and the Civic Center.

• In the afternoon, the adult discussion will be led by Rabbi Doug Kahn in the Civic Center Auditorium at 2:30 pm.
• The teen program (8th through 10th graders) will be led by Midrasha teacher Day Schildkret beginning at 3:30 pm. Teens will meet in the Lounge at the Osher Marin JCC – make sure to wear comfortable walking shoes. 
• Healing Service will be led byCantor Margule.: 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. 
• Afternoon services (Mincha), Yizkor and N’eila. We are once again offering concurrent services on Yom Kippur afternoon at both the Civic Center and in the Sanctuary. Starting around 3:30 pm at the Civic Center, and 4 pm in the Sanctuary, we will offer afternoon services (Mincha), Yizkor and Ne'ila (concluding services) at both locations.
• Break-the-Fast: Immediately following the final blowing of the shofar everyone is invited to break-the-fast at the Civic Center in the Redwood Foyer and the adjoining outdoor Redwood Terrace.

High Holy Day Food Drive

When a person eats and drinks at a festival, s/he is obligated to provide food for the stranger, the orphan, the widow, the poor and the despondent. — Maimonides Mishnah Torah 6:18

Too many people are still going hungry in Marin. You can help by bringing a contribution of non-perishable food for the Marin Food Bank and JFCS Food Pantry for the barrels located in front of the Civic Center auditorium and the synagogue. Last year we contributed over a ton of food – the Food Bank and the JCFS Food Pantry are counting on us. Dig deeply. Give generously.

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
Thursday, October 13
10:30 am Sukkot Festival services

Friday, October 14
6:15 pm Shabbat Services followed by a congregational potluck dinner. We will be providing chicken – please bring a non-dairy dish to share.

Simchat Torah
Wednesday, October 19, 5:30 pm for learning; 6:30 pm for services and dancing

The High Holy Days come to a close with a bang. Come early and enlighten your eyes with a little Torah and then celebrate with a little dancing! After taking out all of the chairs out of our sanctuary to create a huge dance floor, our very own Rodef Sholom musicians will provide raucous and energetic music for dancing with our Torahs! This holiday is one of the highlights of the Jewish calendar--plan to come with your whole family.

Shemini Atzeret
Thursday, October 20
10:30 am Yizkor services
One of four special services throughout the year, Yizkor is a time to remember and honor our loved ones, may their memories be a blessing.

High Holy Day Ticket Policy information (back to top)

High Holy Day Admittance Policy & Information
Congregation Rodef Sholom's policy regarding 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. There is no charge for HHD tickets for Rodef Sholom members.

Member Information

1. Members who have fulfilled their 2010-2011 membership commitment and who have made a financial commitment for fiscal year 2011-2012 will automatically receive HHD tickets. Members' tickets are to be used by members only. Please contact our Executive Director, Michael Kamler, at 415.479.3441 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , 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.
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. To meet special circumstances, courtesy tickets for the entire High Holy Days may be purchased by Rodef Sholom members at $180 per person. However, should visitors be members in good standing at another synagogue, they will be admitted at no additional charge.* These courtesy ticket special circumstances include 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.

As seating is limited, ticket requests must reach the office by September 6. Please send your payment along with your request or your ticket request cannot be processed. 

All High Holy Day tickets will be mailed on September 9, 2011.
 

Non-member Information
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 Pete at 415.479.3441 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: Pete.

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