High Holidays at Kol Ami

High Holidays at Kol Ami 5782/2021

Come experience the Reconstructionist difference! High Holiday programming and services at Kol Ami are meaningful and musical, inclusive and participatory, with something for everyone!

Our plans for High Holidays this year, 2021/5782, are firming up, and we are delightedly anticipating returning in person to the beautiful Sanctuary of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington.  Guided by the church’s conditions and safety precautions, the following requirements will be in place:

Our plans for High Holidays this year, 2021/5782, are firming up, and we are delightedly anticipating a partial return to the beautiful Sanctuary of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington.  Guided by the church’s conditions and safety precautions, the following requirements will be in place:

— Masks:  Everyone attending services or moving about the building will need to wear a mask, unless actively leading a service.  (This is a UUCA requirement.)  Service leaders, musicians, singers, Torah readers, and shofar blowers must be vaccinated to participate.

— Seating:  We will encourage everyone to leave at least one seat between each “pod,” and our Kol Ami ushers will remind and assist attendees in achieving that.

— Our More Vulnerable Folks:  We encourage members and guests who are not fully vaccinated or who are immuno-compromised to take advantage of livestreaming, or if attending services in person, to sit at a distance and stay fully masked at all times, and if possible, to take a rapid antigen test prior to services.  We may have additional space in Fellowship Hall to enable our more vulnerable folks to sit at a considerable distance from others.

–– Food:  The church is not allowing any food inside the building, so a Yom Kippur break-fast will not be possible this year.  We are, however,  hoping to have kiddush outdoors on Erev Rosh Hashanah and Rosh Hashanah morning.

— Shofar blowing on Rosh Hashanah morning will be held outside the UUCA building as a precautionary measure.

— Children/Family Services will be led by Carol Boyd Leon once again; the format is still under deliberation.

We are aware that circumstances can change before September, and we will be monitoring the situation closely.  We appreciate your flexibility and support if we decide that all services need to be on Zoom again this year.

For the full High Holiday Service Schedule, please click HERE.

For Rabbi Gilah’s High Holiday message, click HERE.

We welcome back Carole Boyd Leon to lead our Children’s Services for the third year in a row.  Find details of dates and times HERE.  Here is a sample of what to expect during our service for families with young children: