We Return to You and You Return to Us – הֲדַרַן עַלָךְ וְהֲדַרַך עֲלָן (hadran alakh v’hadrakh alan)

One year ends and another begins: a cycle completed. When the world may seem scary and unprecedented and uncertain, we return to community. We return to self, the Divine, and what sustains and grounds us. We honor and learn from the past as we move toward change and transformation.

The community we have all built together is the true heart of NSP.  With that spirit of togetherness, collaboration, and hope for the future, we’re thrilled to announce that registration is now OPEN for the High Holidays. We hope you can join us, in-person or online, as we usher in a new year, full of hope, joyful intention, and a renewed commitment to each other and ourselves.

Registration Information

Registration is now closed for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur to allow us time to prepare for these community events safely and deliberately.

in the upcoming weeks, please look out for forms to register for our incredible Sukkot and Simchat Torah celebrations!

While we are thrilled to be gathering together in-person this year, we remain mindful of the continued risk Covid-19 poses to our members and to the wider DC community. Click here for more information on NSP’s High Holidays Covid-19 safety measures.

This year we continue to embrace a hybrid approach: Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur adult services will be held both in person (indoors) and online. We will also be offering indoor children’s services; outdoor school-age kids’ programming; an outdoor, in-person shofar service and Tashlich ritual; and outdoor events with our Jews of Color Space. See details of the services below!

We are honored to welcome back Batya Levine, who will be co-leading all adult services with Rabbi Yosef, including the shofar service and Tashlich ritual. Read more about Batya and Rabbi Yosef here.

Our services and programming are open to everyone, but advance registration is required. Registration will CLOSE on August 31. An important note: August 31st is an ACTUAL DEADLINE, so that we have enough time to prepare for the joyful and momentous task of putting on High Holidays programming for our entire community

NSP High Holiday programs are free of charge to be as financially accessible as possible. We ask those who are able to support our programs by making a sliding scale donation when reserving your High Holidays ticket. NSP is a volunteer-driven, non-profit organization, and your support allows us to continue to serve our community and keep our services open and affordable to all.

Accessibility Information

We are committed to making High Holidays accessible and inclusive for all who wish to attend, including CART captioning, ASL interpretation, and wheelchair/mobility aid accessible locations.

For full details on how we are planning to meet our community’s access needs, please visit the High Holidays Accessibility Information page.

High Holiday Events and Services

All location details and Zoom links will be emailed to registered participants. Below is the quick summary of NSP’s rich schedule of events. Find more information on each event here!

Rosh Hashanah

    • Friday, Sept 15
      • 6:30 – 8:30 PM | Jews of Color & Multiracial Families Rosh Hashanah Dinner and Seder | In person (outdoors)
    • Saturday, Sept 16
        • 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM | Adult Morning Service & Kiddush | In person (indoors) or online
        • 9:30 – 10:30 AM | Children’s Morning Service (Ages 1-5) | In person (indoors)
        • 4:00 – 5:00 PM | School-Age Kids’ Afternoon Program | In person (outdoors)
    • Sunday, Sept 17
        • 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM | Jews of Color & Multiracial Families Seudah/Luncheon | In person (outdoors)
        • 1:00 – 2:00 PM | Shofar Service & Tashlich  (Casting Away) Ritual | In person (outdoors; bring your own picnic!)

Yom Kippur

    • Sunday, Sept 24
        • 10:00 – 11:00 AM | Kapparot (Mutual Aid Ritual) | In person (outdoors)
        • 6:30 – 8:30 PM | Kol Nidre (Yom Kippur Evening) Service | In person (indoors) or online
    • Monday, Sept 25
        • 9:30 AM – 1:30 PM | Adult Morning Service | In person (indoors) or online
        • 9:30 – 10:30 AM | Children’s Morning Service (Ages 1-5) | In person (indoors)
        • 1:00 – 6:20 PM | Yom Kippur Learning Spaces and Quiet Spaces | In person (indoors or outdoors)
        • 4:00 – 5:00 PM | School-Age Kids’ Afternoon Program | In person (outdoors)
        • 6:20 – 7:40 PM | Ne’ilah (Closing) Service | In person (indoors) or online
        • 7:40 – 8:30 PM | Break-fast | In person (outdoors)

Additional Offerings

Engaging with Elul

We will be creating a list of Elul programs and resources offered by communities in our wider network. Check back here in the coming weeks for opportunities to engage with the month of Elul!

Songs for Elul & the Days of Awe

Music is at the heart of NSP. Musical playlists will be available for you to listen and sing along to during this year’s High Holiday journey. Check here for new playlists in the coming days and weeks.

Volunteer Opportunities

NSP is a volunteer-driven community, and participation from our community is an essential part of making High Holidays run smoothly. If you are interested in volunteering for any of our services or programming, please indicate that when you register, or email us at highholidays@newsynagogueproject.org.

Frequently Asked Questions

Have a question? Find the answer here!