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Yom Kippur

  • Ner Shalom 85 La Plaza Cotati, CA, 94931 United States (map)

High Holy Days 2023: Masking and Unmasking

9:15 am: Nitzanim Yom Kippur for Families

Free and open to families with young children. On site at Ner Shalom’s outdoor courtyard. Registration is required. Register by clicking here.

Led by Reb Mia and Rabbi Irwin, we explore Yom Kippur themes in kid-friendly ways, using song, story, and activity.

9:15 am: Teshuvah Meditation

In Person Only. Registration for Yom Kippur morning required.

Between judgment and compassion lies the heart we tap on to awaken during Yom Kippur.  Come and awaken the heart of longing and  connect to Source through meditation with Basha. 

10:15 am: Yom Kippur Morning Service

Registration Required. In person and in the High Holy Day Zoom Room.

We move deeper into our practice of teshuvah, finding the path back to our hearts, repairing our relationships with self, others, and Earth. We look at how we may learn to better drop our masks in these holy relationships.

The service will include beautiful music, traditional and familiar Yom Kippur prayers, and an engaging Torah reading about Moshe at the Burning Bush, where the Divine drops its masks.

3:00 pm: The Book of Jonah

Registration Required. In person and in the High Holy Day Zoom Room.

We gather for a group reading of the Book of Jonah and ask some key questions. What was the mask Jonah wanted to show the world, and how did it interfere with his ability to receive and respond open-heartedly to a Divine call?

4:00 pm: Healing Service

Registration Required. In person and in the High Holy Day Zoom Room.

Rita Rowan and Leiah Bowden lead us in a service to breathe into the healing we need, and address it with song, mindfulness, and prayer. Don’t miss this beautiful experience.

5:00 pm: Yizkor Service

Registration Required. In person and in the High Holy Day Zoom Room.

Together and individually we hold and honor the memory of our beloveds who played such key roles in our lives.

Join us for memory, story, and song, led by Stephanie Brown and Sharon Ziff.

If you wish your loved ones' names to be included in our annual Yizkor list, be sure to select the Yizkor item when you register and offer us the names you want included in this year’s ritual.

6:00 pm: Neilah Service

Registration Required. In person and in the High Holy Day Zoom Room.

The climax of Yom Kippur, the Neilah service is our last communal opportunity to make amends, to reach new resolve, to write our intentions in the Book of Life. The service. led by Reb Irwin and our Musical Team, is followed at 7:00 PM by a short havdalah in the courtyard.

Please join us for a break-the-fast potluck after havdalah. Bring a vegetarian or kosher fish dish to share in your own container, along with your own serving utensils. We’ll be serving inside and eating outside, so bring a jacket!

Folks attending by Zoom should be sure to have some food on hand so we can break our fast together.

Earlier Event: September 24
Kol Nidre
Later Event: September 29
Erev Sukkot and Shabbat