Holidays and Festivals
June 26, 2017The members of Congregation Beth Shalom celebrate the major Jewish holidays and festivals throughout the year.
Our High Holidays services in the fall are led by the Rabbi and a cantorial soloist. Our choir, Koleynu, led by Harvey Blau, sings at Erev Rosh Hashanah and Kol Nidre services. The prayer book used for these services is Mishkan HaNefesh: Machzor for the Days of Awe.
In the days before Rosh Hashanah, the Rabbi leads a Selichot learning program. In addition, a Kever Emet – Memorial Service is held at the congregation’s cemetery, Garden of Shalom, in the Fairview Park Cemetery in DeKalb .
Services are held on Erev Rosh Hashanah (with an oneg afterward) and on both days of Rosh Hashanah. The shofar is blown on both days, but we read Torah only on the first day. During the afternoon of the first day, a Tashlich ceremony is held during which congregants meet to symbolically cast away our sins in DeKalb’s Kishwaukee River. Yom Kippur services begin with Kol Nidre and continue throughout the day of Yom Kippur, including the Yizkor service. We conclude with Neilah and Havdallah.
Our observance of other holidays in the fall include building and decorating a sukkah for Sukkot and holding a potluck meal in the sukkah.
The Hanukkah Shop is open late in the year to supply congregants and members of the community with candles, menorahs, gelt, and gift items for the holiday. (A range of general Judaic items are also sold.) A Hanukkah party and potluck dinner, with latkes, is also held at which congregants sing Hanukkah songs and bring their own menorahs to light together. We also participate in the Great Menorah Showcase, in which congregants design and make their own menorahs.
Purim is another time of celebration. Like Jews everywhere, we delight in making noise at Haman’s name when the Megillah is read. Congregants dress up, may perform a spiel, enjoy a potluck dinner and partake of homemade hamantaschen.
On the second night of Passover, the Rabbi leads us as we take part in a congregational Seder, during which we read the Haggadah and sing, drink, and find the Afikomen.
From year to year, we also celebrate other holidays, including Tu B’Shvat, Lag B’Omer, and Shavuot.