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help us plan the high holy days

08/07/2020 12:08:40 PM

Aug7

 Jewish Community of Greater Stowe



Dear JCOGS family,

For many of us, the High Holy Days are the highlight of the Jewish year. We all appreciate the familiarity of our JCOGS traditions, the opportunity to reconnect and schmooze with fellow members, and the ruach — the spirited energy that fills our sacred physical space more than at any other time in the year.
 
Due to the lifesaving measures established to keep us safe from exposure to COVID-19, we recognize that this year’s holiday experience will differ from our usual traditions. Indeed, before we can effectively plan and outline what this year’s holidays will look like, we feel it’s necessary to first acknowledge — as a unified JCOGS community — the loss this year of the typical High Holy Days with which we are so familiar. We will not experience an overflowing sanctuary this year, nor be uplifted by the collective harmonies, nor witness multiple shofar blowers up on the bimah, at least not in our traditional ways.

Our High Holy Day taskforce has been hard at work reimagining the High Holy Days in this era of COVID-19. We now turn to you, our community, to help us understand what the High Holidays mean to you. This brief survey will help us plan for this year's holidays and to dream about how we might create a meaningful, connective, and safe Days of Awe for each of us and collectively.

In the survey, you will learn more about what we are planning. While these holidays will certainly not be the same, in spite of the difficulties, we believe these will be very moving holiday experiences for all. We highly encourage you to fill out the survey, both to learn more about our ongoing plans, and also to help us plan further and meet our community’s needs. The deadline is THIS MONDAY AT NOON, but why not just get this off your to-do list now?

We pray that next year we will fully gather together safely and with abundant health, in community.

With hope and gratitude,

The High Holy Day Taskforce
Rabbi David Fainsilber, Susan Bauchner, Willa Bruckner, Rachel Funk, Aron Temkin, and Claudia Woodward

Thu, March 28 2024 18 Adar II 5784