The good news is that this year’s service will be broadcast from the sanctuary, and we will share Tashlich together at the Old North Bridge! (All those attending must wear masks.)
Members and non-members must register to attend any service, and each individual attendee or family should register independently. After you complete this registration form, you will need to then separately register to receive a Zoom link to use for all services and events. (The Zoom registration link and the instructions for registering for Zoom are provided at the end of this registration form.) After you register, you will receive the link, which will be resent to you just before the start of both Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
CLICK HERE for a printable schedule.
- The National Park Service has advised that due to the high water and swift current, we refrain from going near the bulkhead and shoreline, for safety reasons.
- Please don’t throw breadcrumbs into the river as they disrupt the ecosystem.
- Instead, we ask that you please bring more environmentally friendly pebbles, birdseed, twigs, leaves, or other organic matter to cast off.
CLICK HERE for the Erev Rosh Hashanah Mahzor pages
CLICK HERE for the Rosh Hashanah Morning Mahzor pages
CLICK HERE for the Erev Yom Kippur (Kol Nidre) Mahzor pages
CLICK HERE for the Yom Kippur Mahzor pages
CLICK HERE for Shir Ha-Lev, the High Holy Days Prayer Book Supplement
Community Morning Services, led by Rabbi Darby and KS Cantor Rosalie Gerut, will begin at 10:00 am. Conducted in a mixture of English and Hebrew (all transliterated), these spiritually fulfilling services will engage the multi-generational span of our community. Morning Community Services will end around 12:15 pm. On Yom Kippur, the Community Service will continue without pause into Yizkor, the Memorial Service.
Tashlich will be held on the first day of Rosh Hashanah, rain or shine, at the Old North Bridge in Concord. We cast small stones, sticks, or leaves into the moving water to symbolically release last year’s regrets and contemplate what we wish to draw from the water to nourish us as we enter the New Year. (Please note that this service will not be available online.)
Second Day Rosh Hashanah morning services will be led by long-time Kerem Shalom member David Orlinof. David has led this illuminating, uplifting service for more than 30 years. It’s a great way for adults and families to more fully experience the start of our new year.
Yizkor, the Memorial Service immediately after the morning service on Yom Kippur, provides an opportunity to witness the ongoing presence of our now-deceased loved ones in our lives. The service will again include an online slideshow where members can share a picture of each person they are remembering. Please watch for emails with more details on how to submit those photos and the deadline for doing so.
Torah Study and Mindfulness Meditation You are invited to sustain the contemplative mood of Yom Kippur with Torah Study, led on Zoom by Rabbi Sam Pollak, our Director of Congregational Learning, and Mindfulness Meditation, also on Zoom, led by Scott Sancetta and Cheryl Steinberg.
The Musical Musaf Service, with the Tiferet String Ensemble, will provide a restful and spiritual prelude to Mincha and Neilah.
Mincha, the afternoon service, will include a creative reading of the Book of Jonah that will appeal to people of all ages.
Neilah, “the Closing of the Gates,” is the last service of Yom Kippur, completing the arc of the High Holy Days. It is a meaningful, moving, and fulfilling service for all ages. Everyone is warmly encouraged to return (on Zoom) for this moving service.
YIZKOR SLIDE SHOW PHOTOS
This year’s Yizkor (service of remembrance on Yom Kippur) will again include a visual memorial to the loved ones KS members are remembering.
If you submitted a photo last year, we will be using it again, and there’s no need to resubmit it.
If you would like to add an additional photo to the slide show, please send it in as soon as possible—by Friday, September 3, at 10 am, at the latest.
Submission of new photos:• Email to as an attachment OR
• Upload it to the cloud app of your choice (Google Photos, DropBox, etc.), and send an email to including a link to the photo. (Please remember to include login permissions or credentials if required.)
• Please include the name of the person in the photograph.
If the photo is not in a digital form, you can:
• Scan it OR
• Take a picture of it with your phone
Email to
Need help? Email:
HIGH HOLY DAYS APPEAL
We are counting more than ever on the generosity of our members to provide voluntary donations to fill the gap in our annual operating budget. As in prior years, we hope you will consider giving in two ways. First, please consider making a voluntary donation to support the 5782 High Holy Days Appeal; we suggest a donation of $486 per family, but any amount is welcome. In addition, if you will be joined by an adult family member (post Bar/Bat Mitzvah) who is not living at home or a non-family guest for our High Holy Day services, we ask that you make a donation of $180 for each non-resident member of your extended family and $360 for each adult non-family guest.
Thank you for supporting KS!
CLICK HERE TO READ FULL APPEAL LETTER
JOIN US ON SUKKOT
Please join us at Kerem Shalom as we celebrate Sukkot!
Join us for our Sukkah Raising Party, Tot Shabbat, & Community Dinner in the Sukkah!
Read more!
WATCH FOR INFORMATION ABOUT SIMCHAT TORAH
Simchat Torah (“Joy of Torah”) celebrates the completion of the annual cycle of reading the Torah and the beginning of a new cycle. Kerem Shalom will celebrate Simchat Torah on Friday evening Oct. 1. Plans for how we will do so—— including whether and how we might come together in person—are still being developed. Watch for emails and visit Kerem Shalom’s website for more information.
QUESTIONS?
If you have any additional questions about the High Holy Days, please contact Kerem Shalom Administrator Robyn Barabe, at (preferred method) or by phone at 978-369-1223 ext 0. (Please note, however, that office will be closed the week of August 23.)
We always look forward to seeing you, other members, and special guests at the High Holidays. This year, of course, it will be especially sweet to see everyone, both in-person at Tashlich and online at our services.
With our best wishes to you and your loved ones for the coming New Year,
High Holy Days Committee
Elisabeth Sackton(Co-Chair)
Marty Plotkin (Co-Chair)
Deborah Alevy
John Langell
Howard Lefkin
David Luberoff
Marla Richmond
Debbie Simon
Lloyd Simon
Jon Sutton