North Shore Synagogue welcomed the High Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah and the new year 5780 with prayer and majestic music touching the souls of the hundreds of congregants who filled the sanctuary and temple ballroom. For many participants it was the first time to enjoy to the beautiful voice of our multi-talented new cantor, Mariel Ashkenazy.
Jewish tradition teaches that during this ten day period, the Book of Life is open to the community for a time of reflection, repentance and renewal. Incorporating these profound themes, Rabbi Jaimee Shalhevet gave a very personal and meaningful sermon about beginnings and endings. There was much wisdom to contemplate in her thought-provoking message. Following a musically-infused open community service on the second day of Rosh Hashanah, congregants reconvened at Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park in Oyster Bay to participate in the annual tashlich ceremony. Tashlich, which means to “cast off” or “cast away,” is a ritual performed at a body of water. Congregants gathered in the park on the sunlight-dappled day to toss bread into the water, symbolically ridding themselves of sin from the previous year, wiping the slate clean to begin the new year afresh.
Rabbi Shalhevet and Cantor Ashkenazy led the assembly in prayers as the powerful sounds of the shofar resounded through the air. It was a shared, wonderful new beginning for our North Shore Synagogue community.
North Shore Synagogue is a reform Jewish congregation and member of the Union for Reform Judaism. For more information, go to www.northshoresynagogue.org and facebook.com/northshoresynagogue.
-Submitted by Scott Fisher of North Shore Synagogue
