Shabbat Shuvah/Yom Kippur

Rabbi Meir of Premishlan taught that the entire message of Yom Kippur can be summed up in a single phrase from the book of Yonah, which we read on Yom Kippur afternoon: “Mah l’kha nirdam? – Why are you sleeping?” Those are the words that the captain of the ship shouts at Yonah as the ship is being tossed by the storm.

Yom Kippur is a wake-up call for all of us. At some level, we all know what our true priorities ought to be, what really matters in life. But we let ourselves be lulled to sleep by our routine, even as the ship is blown off course. The purpose of Yom Kippur is to awaken us, to remind us of what we already know. All of the rituals and symbols of the day are for that single purpose, to shake us out of our complacency so that we see our lives more clearly, and remember who we ought to be.

May this Yom Kippur be a time of re-awakening for all of us, so that we can make our lives a source of blessing in the coming year.

• Candle lighting this Friday evening September 22, is at 6:06 pm
• The New Shul’s Shabbat morning service is from 9 to about 11:45 am, followed by a kiddush-lunch open to all. This Shabbat, September 23, the kiddush-lunch is sponsored by Ada Anbar in memory of her husband Michael Anbar.
• Yom Kippur begins on Sunday evening September 24. Join us for Kol Nidrei, followed by the service for the eve of Yom Kippur beginning at 5:45 pm.
• Our service on the morning of Yom Kippur begins at 8:15 am. The day ends with the blowing of the shofar at 7 pm, followed by a break-fast open to all. Complete information on our services for Yom Kippur is available here.