“We are creating a space where we can feel the electricity of each other’s presence, the comfort in each other’s faces, and that we are really in this together for the serious work of these holy days”
-Rabbi Stephanie Kolin
We are excited to invite you to a new High Holy Day Service called In the Round, which will take place in a visually transformed ballroom on Rosh Hashanah morning, Kol Nidre, and Yom Kippur morning. Services will be led by Rabbi Stephanie Kolin and Cantor Leslie Goldberg with Rabbi Evan Traylor co-leading on Yom Kippur morning.
About In the Round
In the Round will balance what is old and what is new, what is familiar, and what wakes us up to a new day, a new year, and a new self.
As we make our way through the ancient liturgies of the High Holy Days, much will feel familiar. But there will also be new creative elements woven through as well. Along the way, we will be using the Reform Movement’s Machzor (High Holy Day prayerbook), introduce some new songs and prayers, and gather in our space differently.
As the name suggests, we will sit in concentric circles with the Torah, Rabbi Kolin, Cantor Goldberg and a group of talented musicians at the center. Emanating out from there will be all of us as together we are enveloped by music, rhythms, and sacred words.
Throughout the services, we will engage in meaningful ritual, creative readings from the Machzor, purposeful participation, time for inward reflection, energizing collective singing, and accessible invitations to share a reflection with a neighbor.
There will also be a space in the room called a Makom, a word often used to mean holy space. Connected to the main service experience while spatially distinct, the Makom will be filled with cushions and pens and paper, offering a place to sit, reflect and gain a new perspective.
Wearing all white on Yom Kippur… For Kol Nidre and Yom Kippur morning, we encourage everyone attending In the Round to wear all white. Wearing all white on Yom Kippur is a beautiful custom that evokes the possibility of renewal. If you’re able, help us create this communal visual symbol of our teshuvah (return/repentance) as we pray in a sea of white garments. This service will feel less formal, so any white clothing that is dignified and comfortable will do. There’s no need to go out and buy something new or fancy. And of course, no one will be turned away for not wearing white; all are welcome just as you are.
By lifting us up, quieting the noise of the world around us, and bringing us closer to the poignancy of what it is to be a human being, In the Round creates space for the sacred work of reflection, repentance, return, and renewal that is at the heart of the High Holy Days.
Sermons will be the same across both services. Rabbi Timoner will deliver her sermon in-person on Rosh Hashanah morning and Kol Nidre in the Sanctuary and then come across the street to deliver the same sermon at In the Round. On Yom Kippur morning, Rabbi Kolin will give her sermon at the In the Round service and then cross the street to deliver the same sermon in the sanctuary.
Rosh Hashanah Day 1
Saturday, September 12
9:30 am | Ballroom
Kol Nidre
Sunday, September 20
7 p.m. | Ballroom
Yom Kippur
Monday, September 21
9:30 a.m. | Ballroom
While much may be familiar at the In the Round services, including, of course, the framework for our ancient journey into teshuvah (repentance), it can feel intimidating to step into a whole new space. With this in mind, we’ve scheduled three sessions during the preparatory month of Elul.
Attendance is not required but we hope you join us and take part in our creative process. And whether you are coming to In the Round or not, all are welcome!
Our Roadmap: Getting Comfortable with our Machzor
Wed, August 19
6:00 – 7:30pm
Being more comfortable with our Machzor could mean not feeling lost during the service, or – even better – getting lost on our own terms.
Our Soundtrack: Making the New Tunes and Rhythms Our Own
Wed, August 26
6:00 – 7:30 pm
Knowing our new tunes and rhythms can transform us from being a passive audience to being fully engaged such that the prayers can really lift us, or move us, or center us.
Our Journey: Who is the Future Me that I Want to Become?
Wed, Sept 2
6:00 – 7:30pm
Reflecting on which future version of ourselves we want to be could help us engage in our teshuvah this year with greater courage, clarity, and readiness.
FAQs
Yes. You can choose whichever service suits you for each holiday. For example, you can attend In the Round on Rosh Hashanah morning and the Sanctuary on Kol Nidre, or any other combination.
In the Round will be comparable in length to the Sanctuary service and is not intended as a shorter service option. It will conclude in time for the community-wide sounding of the shofar on the sanctuary steps.
Kids are, of course, welcome, but just like the Sanctuary service, In the Round is designed as a service oriented towards adults and teens.
In the Round uses the Reform Movement’s Mishkan HaNefesh Machzor, the same prayerbook formerly used at Union Temple. It differs slightly from the prayerbook used in the Sanctuary service, providing more modern readings alongside the traditional liturgy, reducing some repetition, and shifting some liturgical order. It functions a lot like our CBE Shabbat prayerbook, Mishkan Tefilah. To get more familiar with this Machzor, join us for our Elul preparatory session on Wednesday, August 19.
No preparation is required! We will offer three optional sessions during the month of Elul to introduce the Machzor, teach the new music, and help participants prepare spiritually for the High Holy Days. All are welcome to join.
Yes! For Kol Nidre and Yom Kippur morning, we are encouraging everyone attending In the Round to wear all white. Wearing all white on Yom Kippur is a beautiful custom that evokes the possibility of renewal. If you’re able, help us create this communal visual symbol of our teshuvah (return/repentance) as we pray in a sea of white garments.
This service will feel less formal, so any white clothing that is dignified and comfortable will do. There’s no need to go out and buy something new or fancy. And of course, no one will be turned away for not wearing white; all are welcome just as you are.
Yes. All In the Round services will be livestreamed. You can find the links on our website here.
We are committed to making In the Round accessible and welcoming to all. The Ballroom is accessible via a stairlift, and chairs with arms are available for those who would like additional support. We will also have noise-canceling headphones, large-print machzorim, and fidget spinners available. If you have specific accessibility needs or questions about accommodations, please contact Maribeth Batcha at mbatcha@cbebk.org.