Early October is a special time for the Jewish community. Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, begins on October 2nd, at sundown and it concludes at nightfall on October 4th. It’s packed with mitzvahs, special foods and traditions, and it’s one of the most important holidays in the Jewish calendar. Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, follows 10 days later on October 11th.
Rosh Hashanah is a subdued and contemplative holiday. It commemorates the creation of the world and marks the beginning of the Days of Awe, a 10-day period of introspection and repentance that culminates in the Yom Kippur holiday. During Rosh Hashanah circular foods such as Challah bread braided in a circle, are served to represent the year. Honey cake is also a tradition, as are apples and honey, a tradition that dates back hundreds of years.
Congregation Beth El-Ner Tamid’s (CBENT’s) new rabbi, Michal Morris Kamil, explained that Yom Kippur is an opportunity to hold a mirror to ourselves. “It is a time for reflection and to ask ourselves if we’ve done enough to get back on track, which includes resolving areas of conflict. In order to crack open one’s heart, one must do deep internal work,” she said. “Be vulnerable and fragile. And, when going through this self reflection process,
the community plays a significant role.”
For Rabbi Michal Morris Kamil, life has been a series of callings. Becoming a rabbi was not only one of those callings, but also a second career for her.
“Being a rabbi now is exactly where I need to be,” she said. As Congregation Beth El-Ner Tamid’s (CBENT’s) new rabbi, Michal hopes to create a community that welcomes all people with respect, openness, involvement and engagement in the community.
Dr. Marc Belitsky, a longtime member of the congregation, said that Rabbi Michal’s goals align with CBENT’s mission. CBENT’s core values are Community and Inclusivity, Religious Connection and Spirituality, Lifelong Learning and Inspiration, Traditional and Modern Values and Social Action (Tikkun Olam). “We are a welcoming, vibrant and inclusive Jewish community blending the traditions of the Conservative movement with progressive teachings,” he said. “We like to say: ‘this is not your grandfathers’ synagogue.”
The time between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is a time of teshuvah, the act of self-reflection and turning inward. We look back and ask ourselves: What could we have done better? and Who can we say we are sorry to? Rabbi Michal shared that God has many names, one of the beau-
tiful names is ‘Hamakom,’ which speaks of space and time within the universe’s presence. “If one is going to ask forgiveness from God, one has to repair what is immediately in front of you. Only when you can do that repair, can you be closer to God,” she said.
Congregation Beth El-Ner Tamid is located on Paxon Hollow Rd in Marple and is a place where the Jewish community can gather to give thanks, offer respect, and stay connected to the ancient and modern traditions that shape Jewish life and identity. CBENT is an inclusive Jewish community blending the traditions of the Conservative movement with progressive teachings. They will offer Rosh Hashanah services on October 2nd and 3rd and Yom Kippur services on October 11th and 12th.
The High Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are filled with beautiful and inspired music, meaningful worship, engaging sermons and memorable family experiences. It is their holiest time of the year. Although everyone observes a little differently, it’s a meaningful time to turn inward.