Self-Guided Exploration

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High Holy Days

Self-Guided Exploration

Our library of interactive High Holy Day materials puts worship at your fingertips, anywhere, anytime. You can journey through the High Holy Days with our themes or build your own High Holy Day experience with the materials you find most meaningful.

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Click a topic for a curated step-by-step journey through a lens of your choice.



Reflection

Reflection

An 8-Step Journey Through the High Holy Days with a Reflection Lens

Musical

Musical

A 7-Step Journey Through the High Holy Days with a Musical Lens

Sacred Text

Sacred Text

An 8-Step Journey Through the High Holy Days with a Sacred Text Lens

Visual Art & Meditation

Visual Art & Meditation

An 8-Step Journey Through the High Holy Days with a Visual Art & Meditation Lens

Mishkan HaNefesh

Mishkan HaNefesh

An 8-Step Journey Through the High Holy Days with a Mishkan HaNefesh Lens

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How Awesome is This Place!

Genesis 28:16-18 Jacob awoke from his slumber and said, “Surely God is present in this place, and I…

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Mishkan HaNefesh: Closing the Gates

Mishkan HaNefesh, Yom Kippur, p. 621 This poem captures the urgency of the final moments of Yom Kippur….

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Have Mercy Upon Me

Psalm 51:3-6, 17-19 Have mercy upon me, O God, as befits Your faithfulness; in keeping with Your abundant…

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Adonai Alone is God!

1 Kings 18:39 וַתִּפֹּל אֵשׁ־יְהוָה וַתֹּאכַל אֶת־הָעֹלָה וְאֶת־הָעֵצִים וְאֶת־הָאֲבָנִים וְאֶת־הֶעָפָר וְאֶת־הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר־בַּתְּעָלָה לִחֵכָה׃ וַיַּרְא כָּל־הָעָם וַיִּפְּלוּ עַל־פְּנֵיהֶם וַיֹּאמְרוּ…

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Laying the Earth’s Foundations

Job 38:4-13 Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundations? Speak if you have understanding. Do you…

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Mishkan HaNefesh: Finding Your Space

Mishkan HaNefesh, Yom Kippur p. 198 We know the immense power of joining together in communal prayer. But,…

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Praise God!

Psalm 150 Hallelujah! Praise God in God’s sanctuary; praise God in the sky, God’s stronghold! Praise God for…

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Mishkan HaNefesh: Forgiveness

Mishkan HaNefesh, Yom Kippur, p. 293 All of us have made mistakes this year and we have also…

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“Why are You Here?” Asks the Still Small Voice

1 Kings 19:11-13 “Come out,” God called, “and stand on the mountain before the Divine.” And behold, God…

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Mishkan HaNefesh: Setting Intentions

Mishkan HaNefesh, Rosh Hashanah p. 138   The Hineni prayer is traditionally recited by the community’s prayer leader, humbly acknowledging their…

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Judgment and Mercy

Ramban’s Commentary on Psalm 47:6 עָלָה אֱלֹהִים בִּתְרוּעָה יְהֹוָה בְּקוֹל שׁוֹפָר God ascends amidst blasting; YHWH, to the…

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Who Am I?

Exodus 3:11-12 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and free…

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Majestic God, Today Enthroned המלך יושב על כסא

Mishkan HaNefesh, Rosh Hashanah p. 138 This text focuses on a small but meaningful High Holy Day adaptation…

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Mishkan HaNefesh: Praise

Mishkan HaNefesh, Rosh Hashanah p. 127 What constitutes a miracle? Do we reserve that word exclusively for events…

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Mishkan HaNefesh: Shofar

Mishkan HaNefesh, Rosh Hashanah, p. 136 As we are commanded to hear the blast of the shofar, we…

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N’ilah Sh’ma

At the very end of Yom Kippur comes the N’ilah service. We imagine standing before gates which slowly begin to…

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Achat Sha’alti

We begin with a niggun, a wordless melody, grounding us and preparing us for the spiritual work ahead. The words…

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Mishkan HaNefesh: Vulnerability

Mishkan HaNefesh, Yom Kippur p. 209   This year of all years, we are acutely aware that we…

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The Beauty of a Niggun

Reflection from Cantor Alicia Stillman on the prayer of Achat Sha’alti.

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Your Soul’s Alarm Clock

Reflection from Rabbinic Intern Andrew Oberstein on the sound of the Shofar.

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Metaphors for God

Reflection from Rabbinic Intern Andrew Oberstein on the words of Avinu Malkeinu.

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Accepting Responsibility, Together

Reflection from Rabbi Dan Slipakoff on the prayer Ashamnu.

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Ashamnu

At the core of our Yom Kippur experience is the vidui, or confession. We speak in the plural as…

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Avinu Malkeinu

Judaism’s understanding of God is multitudinous, with infinite metaphors implemented to comprehend that which is beyond comprehension. Avinu Malkeinu asks…

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Bar’chu

Before we begin to praise, we check in with ourselves: Am I awake? Am I prepared? Before we begin…

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Kol Nidre

Every year, we set our intentions for how we want to behave. We make promises to ourselves, to…

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Shofar Blast

There is nothing like the blast of a shofar. It is a primal call, an alarming burst of…

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Untaneh Tokef

Untaneh Tokef is perhaps the most haunting piece of Jewish liturgy. The words break down all of our illusions…

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Returning to Our Best Selves

Reflection from Rabbi Suzie Jacobson on the music of Kol Nidre.

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Grabbing Hold of the Open Hand

Reflection from Rabbi Dan Slipakoff on Neila and the final moments of Yom Kippur.

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A Gorge in the Mountains (Kauterskill Clove)

Year: 1862 Artist: Sanford Robinson Gifford This painting captures the openness and vastness we hope to cultivate in…

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Why We Give Praise

Reflection from Rabbi Elaine Zecher on the goodness of giving praise.

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Twilight on the Sound, Darien, Connecticut

Year: 1872 Artist: John Frederick Kensett Here, the artist captures magical liminal space,  as the sun sets over…

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The Return of Joseph

Year: 1720-70 Artist: John Michael Rysbrack Forgiveness is at the heart of the High Holy Days. We seek…

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Queen Esther Approaching the Palace of Ahasuerus

Year: 1658 Artist: Claude Lorrain (Claude Gelée) Our tradition uses such a wide variety of images and metaphors…

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Landscape with Stars

Year: 1905-1908 Artist: Henri-Edmond Cross (Henri-Edmond Delacroix) Is there anything that evokes a sense of praise more than…

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The Writing Master

Year: 1882 Artist: Thomas Eakins The High Holy Days require us to set our intentions from the beginning….

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Head of a Ram

Year: ca. 3500-3100 BCE Artist: Unknown The shofar is one of the most ancient rituals in Jewish life….

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Hagar in the Wilderness

Year: 1835 Artist: Camille Corot Here, we find the haunting biblical image of Hagar and her son, Ishmael,…

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Teshuva: Turning and Return

Poem written by Ann Bookman, used with permission from Points of Attachment (Finishing Line Press, 2012) In a synagogue of…

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From Generation to Generation

Poem written by Ann Bookman, used with permission from Points of Attachment (Finishing Line Press, 2012) In my mother’s house,…

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Perennial

Poem written by Ann Bookman, used with permission from Points of Attachment (Finishing Line Press, 2012) I dreamt it was…

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The Shimmering

Poem written by Ann Bookman, used with permission from Points of Attachment (Finishing Line Press, 2012) It was a humid…

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Hiking the Mountains of Moab

Poem written by Ann Bookman, used with permission from Blood Lines (Forthcoming, 2021) A woman alone in the desert, a…

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Visitation

Poem written by Ann Bookman, used with permission from Blood Lines (Forthcoming, 2021) The summer of Hurricane Carol: waves swallowed…

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Hymn To Be Sung At Astronomical Twilight

Poem written by Ann Bookman, used with permission from Blood Lines (Forthcoming, 2021) Lichen, all that remains green, clings to…

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Closing the Loop on the Year

“Closing the Loop of the Year,” first published in The Hudson Review Poem written by Wendy Drexler, used with…

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A Cricket Has Been Calling

“A Cricket Has Been Calling,” first published in Common Ground Poem written by Wendy Drexler, used with permission from…

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Light R48 on the Storrow Drive Underpass

“Light R48 on the Storrow Drive Underpass,” first published in Cider Press Review  Poem written by Wendy Drexler, used…

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Hydrangeas

“Hydrangeas,” first published in Before There Was Before (Iris Press, 2017) Poem written by Wendy Drexler, used with permission from…

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Beetle

Poem written by Wendy Drexler, used with permission from the author His black-shellacked body lay belly up on…

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All the Hours the Night Has Left

Poem written by Wendy Drexler, used with permission from the author What I’ll never have is close to,…

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Telescope on Brooklyn Sidewalk

“Telescope on Brooklyn Sidewalk,” first published in The Atlanta Review Poem written by Wendy Drexler, used with permission from…

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The Wind Will Dance With Me

Poem written by Wendy Drexler, used with permission from the author Tell me, is the caterpillar afraid when…

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Yes to the Way the Grass

“Yes to the Way the Grass,” first published in Solstice: A Magazine of Diverse Voices  Poem written by Wendy Drexler,…

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Speaking Truth to Power

Rosh Hashanah Morning Torah Reading, Genesis 18:16-28

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The Story of Hannah

Rosh Hashanah Haftarah Reading, 1 Samuel 1:1 – 2:10

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The Story of Isaiah

Yom Kippur Morning Haftarah Reading, Isaiah 57:14 – 58:14

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The Story of Jonah

Yom Kippur Afternoon Haftarah Reading, the Book of Jonah

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Kedoshim

Yom Kippur Afternoon Torah Reading, Leviticus 19:1-4, 9-18, 32-37

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Nitzavim

Yom Kippur Morning Torah Reading, Deuteronomy 29:9-14 and Deuteronomy 3-:11-20

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Grace

Poem written by Ellen Steinbaum, used with permission from the author blessed be the minutes blessed the breath…

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Here is the question

Poem written by Ellen Steinbaum, used with permission from the author and the time is getting late– what…

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A Small Prayer of Healing

Poem written by Ellen Steinbaum, used with permission from This Next Tenderness (2018) I. Peace may not be granted, may…

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The Sacrament of Soup

Poem written by Ellen Steinbaum, used with permission from the author This is what you do when the…

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Sometimes in September

Poem written by Ellen Steinbaum, used with permission from the author Every morning now we count the morning…

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Ever Since

Poem written by Ellen Steinbaum, used with permission from the author now in the fragile time between the…

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What the skin hungers for

Poem written by Ellen Steinbaum, used with permission from the author The heartfelt handshake, yes, or hug of…

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Prayer

Poem written by Em Meuller, used with permission from the author Forgive me for dyeing my gray, being…

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What We Call Weeds

Poem written by Em Meuller, used with permission from the author I hack the kudzo clogging the dead…

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Gathering of Geese

Poem written by Em Meuller, used with permission from the author This year the Canada geese have come…

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In Week’s Field

Poem written by Em Meuller, used with permission from the author With gulls and crows and my dog…

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Jacob’s Ladder

Poem written by Em Meuller, used with permission from the author This week we read about the time…

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Bathing: The Mikvah

Poem written by Em Meuller, used with permission from the author For my sixtieth birthday I submerged myself…

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Reclaiming Sin

Poem written by Em Meuller, used with permission from the author If you name it you can change…

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How We Get By

Poem written by Em Meuller, used with permission from the author See how the sun wants to get…

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