Holidays
2008/2009 Village Temple Holiday Schedule
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Slichot: Preparing for the Holidays
Saturday, September 13
7:00 pm: Havdallah Join us for coffee and dessert at our special Havdallah to say a sweet goodbye to Shabbat .
8:00 pm Slichot Service: A spiritual tune-up for the High Holy Days. Traditionally, the Slichot service is held late in the evening when the sanctuary is dark and solemn as we prepare ourselves for the coming Days of Awe.
High Holy Days: Contact the Village Temple office regarding tickets
* Services marked with an asterisk are open to all, with no tickets required
Rosh Hashanah
Monday September 29
8:00 pm: Erev Rosh Hashanah Services at Cooper Union (7 East 7th Street)
Tuesday, September 30
10:00 am: Rosh Hashanah Morning Services at Cooper Union (7 East 7th Street)
2:00 pm: Community Childrens’ Rosh Hashanah Services at Cooper Union*: A special prayer book for children has been written and each child receives their own Shofar during the service. The service features the VT Children’s choir led by Anita Hollander and children may sit on the floor to pray, sing, hear stories and see the Torah as Rabbi Koster, Cantorial Soloist Daniel Leanse and our Religious School Educator, Alex Tansky, lead them in this most participatory service. Afterward, snacks are served, while parents and children from the religious school are available to answer questions about our program.
4:00 pm: Community Tashlich Services at Hudson River and 10th Street*: Immediately following the Children's Service, We will walk as a community to the NY riverfront to sing, pray and toss pieces of bread into the water, symbolizing the sins and insecurities from which we want to rid ourselves.
Wednesday, October 1
10:00 am: Second Day Rosh Hashanah Services at the Village Temple*: Reform Judaism does not usually celebrate two days of Rosh Hashanah, but here at the Village Temple, one day is not enough to say all we feel. It has become a tradition to create a less formal service in our home sanctuary, where Congregants perform their own readings and music, while still following the liturgy in our mazor, Gates of Repentance. Last year, members of our community presented their thoughts on "Why be Jewish?"
Yom Kippur
Wednesday, October 8
8:00 pm: Erev Yom Kippur, Kol Nidre Services at Cooper Union (7 East 7th Street)
Thursday, October 9
10:00 am: Yom Kippur Services at Cooper Union (7 East 7th Street)
2:00 pm: Community Children’s’ Yom Kippur Services at Cooper Union*
3:45 pm: Community Yizkor Services at Cooper Union*
4:45 pm: Afternoon Service and Neilah at Cooper Union*: With the Great Hall of Cooper Union darkened, the children of our congregation lead us with penlights into a beautiful and moving Havdallah ceremony marking the end of Yom Kippur services.
Sukkot
Sunday, October 12
Religious School Sukkot Fair: RS kids come help decorate the VT Sukkah!
Monday, October 13
6:00 pm: Kid's Feast in the Sukkah! VT kids are invited to dine under the Sukkah (decorated by our religious school students) with Rabbi Kostor and Cantorial Soloist Daniel Leanse.
7:30 pm: Erev Sukkot Services: Celebrate Sukkot with the VT community! On Erev Sukkot, the Rabbi also gives a special blessing to all the new children who have come into our lives.
Shemini Atzeret
Tuesday, October 21
12 noon: Shemini Atzeret Yizkor
Simchat Torah
Wednesday, October 22
Don’t miss this wonderful evening of prayer and celebration, culminating in a unique ceremony and dancing in the streets. An enlightening and spiritual experience for children of all ages...
6:00 pm: Pot luck dairy dinner (reservations required)
7:00 pm: Havdallah Service
8:00 pm: Simchat Torah: We celebrate the ending of the yearly Torah-reading cycle and the beginning of the new one. Our celebration will begin in the sanctuary and continue as we carry our sifrei Torah (Torah scrolls) out onto East 12th Street (closed to traffic, of course!), where we will dance with our sifrei Torah to the superb sounds of a live Klezmer band. Come dance like you’ve never danced before as we celebrate the beauty of the Torah and our timeless link to all Jews through the ages.
Chanukah
Friday, December 19
6:30 pm: Synaplex Shabbat Chanukah Family Service Join us and the Village Temple Children's Choir for our Chocolate Shabbat to celebrate to sweet season of Chanukah.
8:00 pm: Synaplex Shabbat Chanukah Dinner. $20 for adults, children free. Reserve through the Temple office.
Saturday, December 20
10:30 am: Synaplex Shabbat Oneg Shabbat Service
7:00 pm: Synaplex Shabbat Havdallah
Sunday, December 21, Erev Chanukah
11:00 am: Chanukah Carnival
2:00 pm: Sisterhood Chanukah Brunch
Tu B’Shevat and Shabbat Shirah
Friday, Febraury 6
6:30 pm: Kabbalat Shabbat Family Services, Shabbat Shirah and Tu B’Shevat Seder: Shabbat Shirah, the Sabbath of Song, is when we read the Song of the Sea in the Torah. Come celebrate with our Children’s Choir and special guests as we usher in Jewish Music season with a Kabbalat Shabbat Family service, followed by a congregational Tu B’shevat seder. In preparation and celebration of new life in the Spring we plant the seeds and hopes and ideas that we want to bloom in our future.
Saturday, February 7
10:30 am: Oneg Shabbat, Shabbat Shirah, Tu B’Shevat and Beshallach
Purim
Sunday, March 8
11:00 am - 1:00 PM: Religious School Purim Carnival
Monday, March 9
7:00 pm: Megillah Reading and Service: With a grogger-spinning congregation of little kings and queens in costume, and some, not so little, blotting out the name of Haman, enemy of the Jews of ancient Persia.
7:45 pm: Purim Shpiel: Madness and mayhem reign in Shushan as our clergy, teachers, building staff and members of all ages join reenact the Purim story in their own inimitable style. Past productions include Avenue Jew and Schlep-a lot.
Pesach
First Seder: Wednesday, April 8
Second Seder: Thursday, April 9
Ninth Annual Women’s Seder: Saturday, April 4th, 6 PM
In the tradition of the May’an Seders, join together as we celebrate a night that is truly different from all other nights. This year’s theme is "Tikkun Olam", the role of Jewish Women in mending the moral and physical fabric of the world. The Women’s Seder includes the participatory reading of a specially prepared Woman’s Haggadah, a delicious catered Seder dinner, beverages and wine, plus live music and even livelier dancing. Open to women over the age of 16, Village Temple members, their family, friends and members of the community.
