ROSH HASHANAH
October 2 – 4, 2024
Erev Rosh Hashanah – WED, OCT 2
Evening Service
6:30 to 8:30 PM
Main Sanctuary
Followed by an outdoor Oneg
20s and 30s Evening Service with Wine & Dessert Reception
7:30 to 9:30 PM
Schafler Forum • Register ›
Members who need the promo code for free tickets should refer to their emails or email hhd@crsnyc.org.
Rosh Hashanah | Day 1 – THU, OCT 3
Family Service (Pre-K to Grade 6)
9:00 to 10:00 AM
Main Sanctuary – Unreserved Seating
The Meaning of Shabbat Shuvah: How the Days of Awe Help Guide Us
9:00 to 10:15 AM
Leader Board Room
Did you know that the Shabbat between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur has a special name? Shabbat Shuvah, the Shabbat of Return, is an important part of the Days of Awe. What is this Shabbat? What texts do we read, and why? How will this year’s Shabbat Shuvah on Oct. 4 be different than any other in history? Join us to study a lesser-known piece of High Holy Day tradition; no prior knowledge needed.
Morning Service
10:30 AM to 1:00 PM
Main Sanctuary
Followed by a sweet treat on the sidewalk with your fellow congregants to celebrate the new year.
Rosh Hashanah | Day 2 – FRI, OCT 4
Morning Service
10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Main Sanctuary – Unreserved Seating
Shireinu Service for Families with Special Needs*
11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Schafler Forum
*ASL Interpreted
Tashlich Gatherings
12:00 to 12:45 PM
For Adults and Families
Central Park
Erev Rosh Hashanah – WED, OCT 2
Rosh Hashanah | Day 1 – THU, OCT 3
The Meaning of Shabbat Shuvah: How the Days of Awe Help Guide Us
9:00 to 10:15 AM
Watch on the Member Portal ›
Did you know that the Shabbat between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur has a special name? Shabbat Shuvah, the Shabbat of Return, is an important part of the Days of Awe. What is this Shabbat? What texts do we read, and why? How will this year’s Shabbat Shuvah on Oct. 4 be different than any other in history? Join us to study a lesser-known piece of High Holy Day tradition; no prior knowledge needed.
Rosh Hashanah | Day 2 – FRI, OCT 4
YOM KIPPUR
October 11 – 12, 2024
Kol Nidrei – FRI, OCT 11
Early Evening Service*
5:30 to 6:40 PM
Schafler Forum – Unreserved Seating
*ASL Interpreted
Evening Service
7:00 to 9:00 PM
Main Sanctuary
20s and 30s Kol Nidrei by Candlelight
8:15 to 9:45 PM
5th Floor • Register ›
Members who need the promo code for free tickets should refer to their emails or email hhd@crsnyc.org.
Yom Kippur – SAT, OCT 12
Family Service (Pre-K to Grade 6)
9:00 to 10:00 AM
Main Sanctuary – Unreserved Seating
Liturgy and Torah in Conversation: A Yom Kippur Text Study with Rabbi Juli Karol
9:30 to 10:45 AM
Leader Board Room
As liturgical detectives, we’ll examine selections from our machzor (High Holy Day prayerbook) and consider how the language of our prayers is inspired by our Yom Kippur Torah reading, parashat Nitzavim. No prior knowledge necessary. All are welcome!
Morning Service
11:00 AM to 1:30 PM
Main Sanctuary
From The Depths – The Song of Jonah
Yom Kippur Afternoon
1:45 to 2:40 PM
Main Sanctuary
Join us for the tale of Jonah as you’ve never experienced it before. This new musical cantata, written and composed by our Cantorial Intern Justin Callis, will be performed for the first time on Yom Kippur. Spiritual, emotional, and poignant, this piece will feature our cantors, a 16 voice choir, and a 12-piece orchestra, all coming together to move us into the depths of this season. Conducted by our beloved Music Director, J. David Williams.
Afternoon Service with Jonah Haftorah
3:00 to 4:30 PM
Main Sanctuary – Unreserved Seating
Open to all members
Afternoon Service
3:00 to 4:30 PM
Schafler Forum
Open to members and the community
Yizkor
4:45 to 5:45 PM
Main Sanctuary
Neilah
5:45 to 6:45 PM
Main Sanctuary
Havdalah
6:45 to 7:00 PM
Outdoors on 83rd Street
Kol Nidrei – FRI, OCT 11
Yom Kippur – SAT, OCT 12
Liturgy and Torah in Conversation: A Yom Kippur Text Study with Rabbi Juli Karol
9:30 to 10:45 AM
Watch on the Member Portal ›
As liturgical detectives, we’ll examine selections from our machzor (High Holy Day prayerbook) and consider how the language of our prayers is inspired by our Yom Kippur Torah reading, parashat Nitzavim. No prior knowledge necessary. All are welcome!
From The Depths – The Song of Jonah
1:45 to 2:40 PM
Watch on the Member Portal ›
Join us for the tale of Jonah as you’ve never experienced it before. This new musical cantata, written and composed by our Cantorial Intern Justin Callis, will be performed for the first time on Yom Kippur. Spiritual, emotional, and poignant, this piece will feature our cantors, a 16 voice choir, and a 12-piece orchestra, all coming together to move us into the depths of this season. Conducted by our beloved Music Director, J. David Williams.
Havdalah & Selichot Service
SEP 28 at 8:15 PM • IN-PERSON & ONLINE
An overture to the High Holy Days, Selichot opens the penitential prayers. We welcome the power of the High Holy Days to guide, challenge, and inspire us. Join us for Havdalah followed by the Selichot Service in the Schnurmacher Chapel.
Justin Callis (he/him), our Cantorial Intern, is a fourth-year student at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in the Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music. He is the recipient of the Reuben Peretz Abelson Prize for dedication to Yiddish Song, the Temple Israel of Boston Cantorial Prize, and the Lee Gura Memorial Prize for Aptitude in Synagogue Choral Music.
Known for his sweet and “sumptuous” (New York Times) tone, American-born Doori Na took up violin at the age of four and began his studies with Li Lin at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. He quickly made his first performance with orchestra at age seven with the Peninsula Youth Symphony as the first prize winner of the concerto competition. Thereafter Mr. Na went on to win top prizes in The Sound of Music Festival, The Korea Times Youth Music Competition, the Chinese Music Teacher’s Association, The Menuhin Dowling Young Artist Competition, The Junior Bach Festival, VOCE of the Music Teacher’s Association of California, and The Pacific Musical Society. Receiving full scholarships to private high school Crossroads School of Arts and Sciences in Santa Monica, he moved to Los Angeles to study with renown violin teacher, Robert Lipsett, at The Colburn Music School. There he appeared as soloist with the Palisades Symphony, Brentwood Symphony, and Torrance Symphony. During that time, the summer of 2004 was Mr. Na’s first time at the Perlman Music Program where his expression and musical identity were greatly influenced. He has been a part of the program ever since and participated in many of their special residencies in Florida, Vermont, New York, and Israel.
Violinist Michael Roth is a native of Scarsdale, NY and received his early musical training with Frances Magnes at the Hoff-Barthelson Music School. He attended Oberlin College and Conservatory, continuing his studies with Marilyn McDonald. At Oberlin, he won the Kaufman Prize for violin and First Prize in the Ohio String Teacher’s Association Competition. He completed his Master of Music degree at the University of Massachusetts where he worked with the distinguished American violinist and pedagogue Charles Treger and was a recipient of the Julian Olevsky Award. Mr. Roth is currently associate concertmaster of the New York City Ballet Orchestra and has appeared in chamber music and as a soloist with the company, most recently in the debut of “Slice Too Sharp”, a ballet of Biber and Vivaldi violin concerti, and “After the Rain”, violin music of Arvo Part. In addition he is a member of the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra, Principal 2nd violin of the Westchester Philharmonic, the American Composers Orchestra and the New York Pops. He was concertmaster of the Vermont Mozart Festival Orchestra for many years and often appeared as soloist there, as well as at the Caramoor and Bard Music Festivals. He has played and toured internationally with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and the New York Chamber Soloists.
Sarah Adams, viola, performs locally with the New York Chamber Ensemble, the Claring Chamber Players, the Sherman Chamber Ensemble, the Friends of Mozart, and the Saratoga Chamber Players.
Praised by the New York Times as “irresistible in both music and performance.” flutist, 
Rabbi Mira Weller (she/her) received her ordination at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles in May 2022. She studied Culture and Politics at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and received her Master’s in Jewish Education at the Rhea Hirsch School of Education at HUC-JIR. She is the proud recipient of awards for her studies in rabbinic literature, her work in Jewish education, and she was granted the Myrtle Lorch Pfaelzer-Monroe Pfaelzer Award for an Outstanding Female Rabbinical School Student (2022). Rabbi Mira speaks Hebrew and Spanish (so please practice with her!). She has a passion for uncovering new possibilities in the great wealth of our tradition and for making music inspired by Judaism’s many cultures. Her guilty pleasures include cupcakes, classical music, and philosophy.
Alan Goodis is a touring Jewish musician playing over 150 events a year. Born and raised in Toronto, Alan is a proud product of URJ Goldman Union Camp Institute. Noted for his dedication to building relationships and community through music, Alan tours throughout the US to serve as an Artist-In-Residence and performer at Temples, Youth Conventions and Jewish summer camps.
Julie Silver is one of the most celebrated and beloved performers in the world of contemporary Jewish music today. She tours throughout the world, and has been engaging audiences with her gorgeous compositions and liturgical settings, her lyrical guitar playing, her dynamic stage presence, and her megawatt smile for over 25 years.
Dan is a product of the URJ Jewish camping movement. He has toured Jewish summer camps across North America for the last 15 years. A classically trained singer, Dan received his Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance at the University of North Carolina. In 1995, realizing the potential of music to make powerful connections with Jewish youth, Dan established the Jewish rock band Eighteen. Since that time, Dan and Eighteen have released 13 albums. Songs like, L’takein, B’tzelem Elo-him, Kehillah Kedoshah, Chazak, Sweet As Honey, and Asher Yatzar have become Jewish communal anthems throughout North America.
Naomi Less is an internationally celebrated singer/songwriter, ritualist and educator. Beloved for her warm smile and inviting presence, communities celebrate her imagination and innovation, tenderness and pizzazz! Her original music is sung in worship communities worldwide. Naomi serves as Co-Founder, Ritual Leader and Associate Director of Lab/Shul and is a leader in amplifying women’s voices through her work at Songleader Boot Camp and her Jewish Women Rock show on Jewish Rock Radio. Naomiadvocates for people struggling with fertility journeys as a performance artist and speaker for Uprooted: A Jewish Response to Fertility Challenges. Fun fact: Naomi and her husband wrote the song shine/Yivarech’cha, a Friday night blessing, specifically composed for URJ Crane Lake Camp, sung every Friday night in the dining hall.
Her destiny became obvious to Joanie Leeds’ parents when, at the tender age of 2, Joanie grabbed the performer’s mic at a party and belted out the entire song“Tomorrow” from Annie. Jaws dropped! No one could remember ever hearing a big voice like that coming from one so tiny and certainly no one would have thought she would one day earn a GRAMMY® Award for her original music.
A composer, multi-instrumentalist, and prayer leader, Elana Arian is one of the leading voices in contemporary Jewish music. Elana’s music is part of Jewish life across the globe, and her compositions are sung in spiritual communities, summer camps, and synagogues from Louisville to London, from Chicago to the CzechRepublic, and everywhere in between. Elana just released her fourth album of original music, The Other Side of Fear, and her compositions have been published in countless Transcontinental Music collections. Elana serves proudly on the faculty of Hava Nashira (Oconomowoc, WI), the Wexner Heritage Foundation (Aspen, CO), Shirei Chagiga (London, England), and as an instructor at the Hebrew Union College in New York, where she teaches in the Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music. Elana has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Tanglewood, and perhaps most memorably, five separate appearances at the (Obama) White House. She lives in New York with her wife, Julia, and their two daughters, Maya and Acadia.
Known for his unique, engaging, and deeply soulful approach, Noah Aronson is considered one of the most sought after Jewish musicians in North America, making over 65 community appearances each year.
There is a reason why Time Magazine has listed Michelle in their Top Ten list of Jewish rock stars.
Kol B’Seder has been composing and performing contemporary Jewish music since the early1970s. Rabbi Dan Freelander and Cantor Jeff Klepper met as college students; over the past 50years they have released numerous CDs and songbooks. With Debbie Friedman (z”l) and others, they forged a new musical sound for American Jewish camps, schools and synagogues. Their songs, such as “Shalom Rav,” “Modeh Ani,” and “Lo Alecha,” have become traditionalJewish melodies around the world. They are delighted to be inaugurating their fiftieth anniversary celebration by appearing in support of URJ camps, where they first composed and incubated many of their early songs.
New York bassist Roger Wagner enjoys a long and diverse career. As soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral bassist, Mr. Wagner has appeared on many of the world’s great concert stages.
Margaret Kampmeier, 
Leonard Bernstein described 
Sarah Adams 
Michael Roth
Our initiative for young children and their grown-ups provides a slate of offerings including Shabbat and holiday celebrations, music, classroom readiness programs, and new parent experiences. During the pandemic, we have leaned on $1m of seed funding for Sholom Sprouts established through this campaign as we offer age-appropriate virtual programs for our families with young children, who are the future of our community. We look forward to welcoming our littlest members and their grown-ups back to our new fifth floor, as well as hiring a Program Assistant to increase the capacity of Sholom Sprouts to grow. This program provides a crucial entry-point to the congregation and membership for young families.
