High Holy Days Season Events and Registration

High Holiday Events and Programs — Forms and Information

What to know what/when services/programs are available? Want to sign up? Here you are.

Please call the office (708.366.900) if you have questions or concerns or need a hand. Deadlines? If the form is not closed, you can still use it.

Celebrating Elul, the Last Month of 5784

• • Erev Shabbat, Friday, September 6  • 3 Elul:
    • Shabbat on the Lawn for Preschoolers with Ms Claudine, 5pm. (registration includes the BBQ meal)
    • Back to Shul BBQ, 5:30pm.  (registration)
    • Musical Kabbalat Shabbat, 6:30-7:30pm.  (no registration)
  • High Holy Days Workshop with Rabbi Glick and Cantor Figa, September 8 • 5 Elul, 9:30am. Offered as part of the Family School Building Your Jewish Workshop series, on the day of the first session of Koven Religious School for the 2024-2025 academic year. (no registration)
  • Note the new date! Shofar Walk and Ice Cream, September 15• 12 Elul, 3pm. (no registration)
  • Zing Mir A Lidele! — זינג מיר אַ לידעלע! — Sing Me a Song! (in Yiddish). An encore of Cantor Figa and colleagues August concert with YIVO Chicago. (registration)
  • Minyan & Kiddush in the Western Suburbs, September 22 • 19 Elul, at 10:30am. (registration)
  • High Holy Days Workshop for preschoolers, with Ms. Claudine, September 22 • 19 Elul, 10:30am. (registration)
  • Selichot Dessert and Service, September 28 • 25 Elul, dessert 8:30pm, musical service, 9pm.  (registration for dessert)
  • High Holy Day Story Time in the Library, with David Schwartz, September 29 • 26 Elul. (no registration)
    • 1-2 pm at the Oak Park Main Library, 834 Lake St., Oak Park, IL 60301
    • 3-4 pm at the Hinsdale Library, 20 E Maple St, Hinsdale, IL 60521

  High Holy Days 5785

• High Holy Days Service Calendars

  (Includes information on the services/supervision/care offered for children, during the main services.)

  • Rosh Hashanah Schedule – Wednesday evening, October 2, through Friday, October 4.
  • Yom Kippur Schedule – Friday evening, October 11, through Saturday, October 12.

  High Holy Days Special Programming for Children

  For Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Har Zion offers services for preschool children, childcare for children ages 18 months through 5 years,  and services and supervision for K-6 school-aged children. In all cases, there must be a parent or other responsible adult at the temple for each child under Har Zion’s care.

  • Camp Shana Tovah – Age-appropriate services for preschool children (with a responsible adult) and services and supervision for K-6 school-aged children. (requires registration)
  • Childcare for preschool children ages 18 months through 5 years.  Available for all  Rosh Hashanah services, for Kol Nidre, and all services on Yom Kippur.  (requires registration)

  Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur Admittance and Tickets

  Har Zion members in good standing are automatically eligible for High Holy Day tickets; pick them up from the usher station when you arrive for your first High Holy Day service.

  If you are not a member, please use the appropriate link below to purchase/request your Har Zion High Holy Day tickets. You also can pick up the tickets you’ve requested/bought tickets from the usher station when you arrive for your first High Holy Day service.

  • First time guest / Student / Preschool parents.  (Be our guests!)
  • Non-member, not first time attending High Holy Days at Har Zion.  (requires payment)
  • Guest of member.  (requires payment)
  • Online only for non-members.  (requires payment)
  • Yom Kippur Break Fast 5784.  (requires registration)

  Yizkor

  Yizkor is a time we remember and honor our departed loved ones. Each year Temple Har Zion produces a Book of Remembrance listing the names of our departed, including a list of all people who remembered with memorial plaques in the temple. This book is used four times each year: on Yom Kippur, Shemini Atzeret (8th day of Sukkot), the 8th day of Pesach, and the 2nd day of Shavuot.

  Including the names of our deceased loved ones in the Book of Remembrance is a meaningful tribute to them, “Ehtain Tzedakah bah-ah-dah…I will donate charity in her or his sake.”

  Form to add names to the Har Zion Book of Remembrance.

  Participating in the Services–Ushering, Honors, and Machzor for Virtual Services

  • Our volunteer ushers are an important part of our High Holy Day service. Please volunteer here.
  • Participating in the service with a Hebrew/English reading, Torah blessing/Aliyot, and Ark openings/closings. Please volunteer here.
  • Obtaining a machzor if you are attending virtually:
    • If you are local, you can borrow a machzor for the holiday season from us; please fill out this form to make your request. Be sure to return it after the holidays.
    • We are arranging to have an online PDF of the machzor for the people attending virtually; fill out this form to request access. Note that you must be connected to the internet to use this machzor.

  Sukkot and Beyond

• The Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret, and Simchat are livestreamed on Zoom at the Shabbat Morning Zoom ID: 242 651 284 and Har Zion password, and also on Facebook and YouTube.
  • Sukkot
    • Purchase Lulav, Etrog, and Schach from the temple. (deadline: Oct 8).
    • Erev Sukkot service, October 16, 6pm.
    • Sukkot service, October 17, 10am-12:30pm. (replaces minyan)
    • Sukkah Decorating Workshop for Preschoolers with Ms. Claudine, October 17, 10:30am.  (registration)
    • Sukkot service, October 18, 10am-12:30pm.  (replaces minyan)
    • Kabbalat Shabbat service followed by Salmon in the Sukkah, October 18, 7:30pm. (registration for meal)
  • Shemini Atzeret / Simchat Torah:
    • Shemini Atzeret / Yizkor, October 24, 10am-12:30pm.  (replaces minyan)
    • Simchat Torah of Resilience, October 24, 6:30pm a brief service; then at 6:45pm the Simchat Torah celebration with dancing, musicians, and dessert.  (no registration)
    • Simchat Torah, October 25, 10am-12:30pm. (replaces minyan)