BZBI, where you worship

High Holy Days 2024/5785

    Important Reminders

    • Ordering Your Lulav & Etrog
      The deadline to place orders is Monday, September 23 
      Click here to get yours today! 
    • High Holy Days Honey Fundraiser 
      We are very excited to announce that the Happy Rosh Hashanah Honey Fundraiser is back again for another year and the website for it is now live! Send some holiday cheer while also supporting BZBI’s programming. The BZBI Ritual Committee is once again sponsoring the Rosh Hashanah Honey from the Heart Fundraiser. Each BZBI membership household will receive a jar of Kosher honey and an email containing a list of those who donated in their honor. It’s so easy to participate. It’s only $5/jar to send to a few BZBI friends or colleagues or it’s $360 to send to the entire congregation! Honey jars will be available for pickup in the Temple office when you pick up your High Holy Day Name Tag Tickets and continuing throughout the High Holy Day season. Please let us know in the admin notes box on the form if you do not plan to pick yours up. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact the office at 215-735-5148 or at Templeoffice@bzbi.org. Thank you so much for supporting our community while also wishing everyone a sweet New Year! You can participate anytime before Friday, September 27th at 12:00 PM. Click here to send your honey today!
    • Reverse Tashlich 2024 
      Sunday, September 29 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at Schuylkill Banks at Lloyd Hall Recreation Center
      Temple Beth Zion – Beth Israel and Repair the Sea | Tikkun HaYam invites you to participate in Reverse Tashlich. Join Jewish communities around the world as we reverse the Tashlich tradition and pull our “sins” (debris) from local environments. BZBI will be providing those who volunteer with canvas bags packed with trash bags, gloves and water bottles. Click here to sign up.
    • RH2 in Rittenhouse Square is Back for its Tenth Year
      Wednesday, October 2 at 5:00 PM in Rittenhouse Square. Celebrating the High Holy Days is as easy as a walk in the park. Join us for the 10th year of music in Rittenhouse Square with an evening of spirited music and payer. Bring a blanket, lawn chairs, a picnic dinner and listen to wonderful music created by Dan Blacksberg + his extremely talented band of musicians. Your assistance is essential in enabling the larger community to enjoy the concert. Click here if you would like to be a part of sponsorship for RH2. 

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    High Holy Days Name Tag Tickets

    This year you will notice something a bit different with our High Holy Days ticketing. In an effort to be both more secure and more warm and welcoming, we will be issuing Name Tag Tickets this year.

    We kindly request that everyone wear their name tag to synagogue during the entirety of the High Holy Days. This will enable our guards and ushers to clearly recognize you as someone who belongs in our building. It will also enable you to easily converse with those around you as you will no longer need to try to remember their name. Our hope is that it will enable those who are new to us, whether as new members or as guests for the High Holy Days, to feel more comfortable.

    Starting September 18, 2024 members who ordered High Holy Days Name Tag Tickets can pick them up at the Temple Office at BZBI (300 South 18th Street) during normal business hours. Name Tag Tickets WILL NOT be mailed.

    There will also be an opportunity to pick up Name Tag Tickets at Will Call, however to avoid a line and long wait we suggest arranging to pick them up from the office beforehand.

    Member Name Tag Ticket information:
    Click here to request Member Name Tag Tickets

    Name Tag Tickets will be issued to all BZBI members and dependents who are aged 13 and above. Children under the age of 13 do not need High Holy Days Tickets, but their names will need to be included on the Name Tag Ticket request form. You must be a member in good standing to receive High Holy Days Name Tag Tickets. If you need to make payment arrangements, please contact Leslee Schwartz.

    If you prefer a version of the form that you can download and print, click here.

    Guest Name Tag Ticket information:
    Click here to request Guest Name Tag Tickets 

    BZBI has a limited number of guest Name Tag Tickets available. These may only be purchased by BZBI members for relatives who are visiting for the High Holy Days. You must be a member in good standing to purchase guest Name Tag Tickets. Name Tag Tickets are for the entire High Holy Days and cannot be prorated.

    If you prefer a version of the form that you can download and print, click here.

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    High Holy Days Childcare and Youth Programming Registration:

    Families with children aged 2 years through 7th grade and teens may now register for our High Holy Days Childcare and Youth & Teen Programming. Your children and teens are invited to hang out with friends, participate in age-appropriate youth services and engage in experiential learning about Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur through games, interactive discussions and other fun activities.

    • Childcare: 2 to 4-year olds – Please provide diapers and wipes, if necessary 

    • Youth Programming: Kindergarten to 7th Grade

    Please register your children and teens by Friday, September 6, 2024 by clicking here. In order to have an engaging and safe program, children who are not pre-registered may not attend High Holy Days Childcare or Youth Programming.

    Who is eligible to join us for Childcare and/or Youth Programming? 

    To participate in Childcare and/or Youth Programs, children must:

    • Be at least two years old.
    • Be a member of a household that has BZBI High Holy Days tickets and is on the premises for the duration of childcare.
    • Be pre-registered for Childcare/Youth Programming.

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    HIGH HOLY DAYS SCHEDULE 2024 / 5785

    Selichot Musical Program: Shabbat, September 28

    7:45 PM Community Selichot at Society Hill Synagogue, 418 Spruce Street

    ROSH HASHANAH

    Erev Rosh Hashanah: Wednesday, October 2

    5:00 PM RH^2 Concert in Rittenhouse Square

    6:30 PM Maariv in Rittenhouse Square

    First Day of Rosh Hashanah: Thursday, October 3 

    8:30 AM Service in Goldberg Sanctuary

    9:00 AM Service in Kahaner Auditorium

    9:00 AM Service for Families with Young Children (Infants to PreK)

    9:00 AM Pre-Registered Child Care (2-4 year olds) and Youth Supervision / Program (Kindergarten – 7th Grade) Begins

    11:00 AM Teen Programming (8th-12th Grade) Begins

    5:00 PM Community Tashlich at the Schuylkill River at Locust Street

    Second Day of Rosh Hashanah: Friday, October 4

    9:00 AM Service in Goldberg Sanctuary

    9:30 AM Service for Families with Kindergarten – 5th Grade

    9:00 AM Pre-Registered Child Care (2-4 year olds) and Youth Supervision / Program (Kindergarten – 7th Grade) Begins

    11:00 AM Teen Programming (8th-12th Grade) Begins

    YOM KIPPUR 

    Kol Nidre: Friday, October 11 

    5:30 PM Pre-Registered Child Care (2-4 year olds) and Youth Supervision (Kindergarten – 7th Grade) Begins

    5:30 PM Youth Service (Kindergarten – 7th Grade)

    5:45 PM Service in Goldberg Sanctuary

    Yom Kippur: Saturday (Shabbat, October 12) 

    9:00 AM Service in Goldberg Sanctuary

    9:00 AM Service in Kahaner Auditorium

    9:00 AM Service for Families with Young Children (Infants to PreK)

    9:00 AM Pre-Registered Child Care (2-4 year olds) and Youth Supervision / Program (Kindergarten – 7th Grade) Begins

    All Youth Programming will conclude at the end of Sanctuary Services

    11:00 AM Teen Programming (8th-12th Grade) Begins

    2:30 PM Profiles in Mental Health Courage with Stephen Fried in the Klinghoffer Chapel 
    BZBI member and bestselling author Stephen Fried discusses his latest book, co-authored with Patrick J. Kennedy
    3:00 PM Yoga with Deb Glassman in Kahaner Auditorium 
    3:30 PM Volunteer Experiences in Israel with Eileen Dwell in the Klinghoffer Chapel 
    BZBI board member Eileen Dwell shares her recent experience volunteering in Israel and ways we can support Israelis in a time of ongoing struggle and uncertainty.

    4:30 PM Pre-Registered Child Care and Youth Programming Resumes

    4:30 PM Mincha in Goldberg Sanctuary

    6:00 PM Neilah in Goldberg Sanctuary

    7:06 PM Fast Ends

    Break-the-fast in the Kahaner Auditorium

    SUKKOT, SH’MINI ATZERET, AND SIMCHAT TORAH

    First Day of Sukkot: Thursday, October 17 

    9:30 AM Service in Goldberg Sanctuary

    11:15 AM  Sukkot for Tots in Klinghoffer Chapel

    Services followed by Kiddush – Sponsorship available, contact Aleksandra in the Temple Office 

    Second Day of Sukkot: Friday, October 18 

    9:30 AM Service in Goldberg Sanctuary

    Services followed by Kiddush – Sponsorship available, contact Aleksandra in the Temple Office 

    Hoshana Rabbah: Wednesday, October 23

    7:45 AM Service in the Klinghoffer Chapel

    Sh’mini Atzeret: Thursday, October 24 

    9:30 AM Service with Yizkor and October 7th Memorial in Goldberg Sanctuary

    11:15 AM Shmini Tot-zeret in Klinghoffer Chapel

    Services followed by Kiddush – Sponsorship available, contact Aleksandra in the Temple Office 

    Simchat Torah Evening: Thursday, October 24 

    5:45 PM Community Seudah Shelisheet Dinner

    6:45 PM Maariv Service in the Klinghoffer Chapel

    7:00 PM Hakafot (Torah Dancing) in the Kahaner Auditorium

    Simchat Torah Morning: Friday October 25

    9:30 AM Service in the Goldberg Sanctuary

    10:30 AM (approx.) Hakafot (Torah Dancing) in Rittenhouse Square

    11:00 AM (approx.) Return to BZBI for Torah reading and Musaf

    Services followed by Kiddush- Sponsorship available, contact Aleksandra in the Temple Office 

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