Weekly Bulletin

Cantor George will lead us in Shabbat prayer with Rabbis Emily and Steven by his side. Our Torah discussion will leave space for personal exploration of our fourfold songs based on the Rav Kook teaching that Rabbi Emily spoke about in her Rosh HaShanah sermon. See the sermon here: https://youtube.com/watch?v=QAL67i1back&si=mxAzHzIaaxEictDt

Torah Portion of the Week

Ha’azinu (First Triennial Cycle) (Deuteronomy 32:1–52)

Our Torah portion for Shabbat Shuvah, the “Sabbath of Return,” is Moses’ final song, Ha’azinu. After the song, YHVH tells Moses to climb Mount Nebo, from where he can view the promised land that he will not be allowed to enter. Shabbat Shuvah takes its name from a verse in the day’s haftarah: “Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have fallen because of your sin” (Hosea 14:2).

Food Drive for Yom Kippur

As in previous years, we will be collecting food for donation to our neighbors in need during this High Holy Day season. The Maryland Food Bank accepts canned foods, dried foods (such as packaged rice, pasta, breakfast cereal, raisins, and nuts), dairy or plant-based milk in aseptic containers, and toiletries (toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, and feminine hygiene products). Please bring your donations on Yom Kippur, when baskets will be set up in the sanctuary. If you prefer, donations in honor of Kol HaLev can easily be made on the Food Bank website.

Yom Kippur

The holiest day of the Jewish year, a day of fasting and repentance. According to tradition, God judges all living beings on the New Year, writing their fates in a great heavenly book. The book is sealed on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.

We may view this day as an opportunity to look at ourselves as a whole, to look at our lives as a whole. And we consider our families and communities as well. What has fragmented us, what has broken us in the past year? How might we restore wholeness in the coming year?

Services originating in the CHC sanctuary will be live streamed. The link for each service will go live approximately 30 minutes before the service. Please note that live streaming is not interactive.

If you’re driving to services, please turn from W. Seminary Ave. into the driveway farther from Bellona Ave. and park in the back parking lot. There are handicapped spaces in the front for those who need them. The address of the Church of the Holy Comforter is on the website.

(CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR SERVICES AND THE BREAK FAST)

Kol Nidrei Service

Sunday, September 24, 6:30 pm

CHC Sanctuary and live stream (https://youtube.com/live/DNMIRSOodZI?feature=share)

We will begin with Shira Ahava Kurrus on viola as she plays one of the most powerful and beloved melodies of the High Holy Day season— Kol Nidrei— followed by Cantor George's vocal rendition. Join Cantor George, Rabbi Emily, and the Kol HaLev community as we sing and pray ourselves into a state of wholeness through the Yom Kippur liturgy and introspection.

Yom Kippur Day Services

Monday, September 25, 10:00 am to sundown

CHC Sanctuary and live stream

(From 10 am until the break, https://youtube.com/live/_7lnf1FMRXc?feature=share; from 3 pm to the end, https://youtube.com/live/I7hENeal0Ek?feature=share)

A full day of services and meaningful programming.

10:00 am

Yom Kippur Morning Service

On Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement—also known as the Day of At-One-Ment—we gather to explore the themes of our unity and our responsibilities to the world.

This service will feature many voices from our community, including original prayers and liturgy from our congregants. We look forward to hearing from our president, Alan Silver, and from beloved member and lawyer Doug Colbert as he reads our haftarah from Isaiah.

We are honored to have Dr. S. Todd Yeary, the senior pastor of Douglas Memorial Community Church, as our speaker. Dr. Yeary is an adjunct professor in the College of Public Affairs at the University of Baltimore. He holds a Master of Divinity Degree from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, as well as a Graduate Certificate in African Studies and a Ph.D. in the area of Religion in Society and Personality from Northwestern University.

1:00 pm

Yizkor: A Service of Remembrance

Led by Reb Tova Dodi and Helene Miller

See Reb Tova’s letter to the Kol HaLev community reflecting on this service and inviting everyone to attend.

Dear KHL Family,

There is a very special service that takes place on Yom Kippur afternoon. Many of you don't know about this service. Many were taught that you needed to leave the service if you had not experienced the loss of a loved one; that attendance would bring on tragedy. This is not true! IT is a “bubba-meiseh,” a tall tale that grandmas would tell. In fact, you perform a mitzvah by staying with the mourners. As mourners, we need the strength of others to stand by us and to respond to our prayers.

I am inviting all of you, whether or not you have been touched by death, to stay for this service. Many have said how meaningful it was to have been there for others.

Wishing you all an easy fast, a good sealing in the Book of Life, and a good and healthy year.

Reb Tova Dodi

Community Remembrance Booklet

Our Yizkor booklet this year will be virtual, and we are asking that you send the names of your loved ones to us for our Yizkor remembrance service. We will remember our loved ones: family, friends, and people we hold dear. Click here to email your list of names to Amy.

3:00 pm

The Book of Jonah

Cantor George will chant the tale of the reluctant prophet in English, after which Rick Reiches will lead a discussion of this parable as seen through the eyes of classical Jewish commentators.

4:15 pm

Meditation with Betsy Wexler

Join our community for this contemplative practice on the transformative possibilities of Teshuva.

5:00 pm

Reflections on Rabbi Emily’s Rosh HaShanah Sermon

An open discussion led by Rabbi Emily. The sermon can be found here: https://youtube.com/watch?v=QAL67i1back&si=mxAzHzIaaxEictDt

5:30 pm

Healing Service with Rabbi Jacke Schroeder

In keeping with our tradition at Kol HaLev, we will have a final opportunity, during our Healing Service, to get in touch with the personal repair that’s needed this year before the gates of Heaven close. Rabbi Jacke will guide us through a special story, a recitation of Psalm 27, and contemplation. The experience will build, so please join at the start.

6:45 pm

Neilah (Closing Service)

The sun is setting, and the gates of repentance are closing, but we’re here with you. As the High Holy Day services come to a close, we honor the experience of a long day of deep soul work. The Neilah service will be filled with original and traditional liturgical music, as well as poetry, as we bid farewell to this Yom Kippur day.

Neilah will be followed by a joyous Havdalah conducted by Cantor George and Ricki.

7:45 pm

Break Fast

We continue to rejoice as we share food, conversation, and warmth with one another. All are welcome! Just be sure to register if you haven’t already. If you want to contribute food or drink to our vegetarian repast, please note on the form what you’ll be bringing. If you’d like to help coordinate, set up, or clean up afterwards, please contact Rabbi Emily.

Sukkot

The time of our rejoicing, when we are commanded to “dwell” in booths (sukkot)—fragile structures whose roofs are open to the sky. The Silvern family is graciously making their sukkah available for many of our Sukkot events. It is located at 429 E. Lake Ave., around back.

Please check each individual event for the location.

Building the Sukkah

Tuesday, September 26, 3 pm or later

We need three people (any more than that would be tripping over each other) to help raise the roof on the Sukkah. To volunteer, please contact Rabbi Steven.

Kabbalat Shabbat and Sukkot Service

Friday, September 29, 7 pm - virtual

Join Cantor George online to welcome in Shabbat and Sukkot!

Shabbat and Sukkot Morning Services

Saturday, September 30, 10 am

In the Sukkah

Making It Real

Sunday, October 1, 10:00–11:30 am

In the Sukkah

Kol HaLev’s intergenerational educational program.

Presentation about The Associated

Monday, October 2, time TBD

In the Sukkah

Staff of The Associated, Baltimore's Jewish Federation, will speak about this community resource.

Interfaith Potluck

Wednesday, October 4, 6pm

In the Sukkah

We’ll be sharing food and conversation with members of the Church of the Holy Comforter, our host congregation.

Simchat Torah Service and Celebration

Saturday, October 7, 7 pm

CHC Parish Hall

We’ll finish reading the last parshah of Deuteronomy and begin again with the first parshah of Genesis. And we’ll dance with the Torah!

An Ongoing Practice

Let’s Gather for Achat Sha’alti (Psalm 27)! with Rabbi Jacke

Every night through Saturday, October 7

9:45 pm

Do you want a new approach to prepare for the High Holy Days, or to prepare for the first time? Do you want to feel more spiritual? In an effort to encounter the Holy, I invite you to join me in a spiritual practice for the New Year. (And I invite you to invite your adult and older adult family members to gather with us, too.)

The historical custom is to recite the psalm for a total of 50 consecutive days: 29 days during the month of Elul (leading to Rosh HaShanah in the month of Tishrei) through the Yamim Noraim (the Ten Days of Awe from Rosh HaShanah to Yom Kippur), 4 days of transition, and then every day of Sukkot until the day before Sh’mini Atzeret–Simchat Torah. Fifty days, with heart, reading the same fourteen verses of the Bible.

Following the inspiration offered by Rabbi Debra Robbins in her book Opening Your Heart with Psalm 27: A Spiritual Practice for the Jewish New Year, we will extend the practice of reading Psalm 27 beyond the traditional 50 days, into a 51st day of joyous celebration and then into a 52nd day of transition.

We will meet via Zoom every night at 9:45 pm EST.

You will have the option either to participate only in reciting the psalm or to take 5 or 10 minutes after the recitation to jot down what you experience or a response to a prompt I may offer. For anyone who might enjoy sharing their experience and/or any insight they gain, we will stay and listen for another few minutes. We will end no later than 10:15 pm.

If you would like to receive the Zoom link to join in, or if you have any questions, please email Rabbi Jacke at jacke.schroeder.appointment@gmail.com.

Chesed Network

The Chesed Network provides an opportunity to show kindness and compassion to those Kol HaLev members in need of support by offering caring, connection, and help.

Website

Check out the updated Kol HaLev website at www.kolhalevmd.org!