Kids & Family

Jewish Service Schedules Ready as Holidays Approach

Local synagogues will be holding services for the Jewish High Holidays.

The Jewish High Holidays are coming up, beginning Monday, and many synagogues, both in Bridgewater and the surrounding area, are offering services to members and non-members alike who are looking for a place to pray during Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, begins at sundown Sunday, and lasts through sundown Tuesday. The holiday is observed on the first day of Tishrei, the first month in the Hebrew calendar, and observers spend the day praying in the synagogue and listening to the sounds of the shofar, before enjoying meals with their families, including the traditional apples and honey to symbolize a sweet new year.

Yom Kippur, also known as the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, and follows 10 days after Rosh Hashanah, after a time known as the Days of Repentance. Jews observe the day with a 25-hour fast and a day of prayer to ask forgiveness for the past year's sins and to ask to be inscribed in the Book of Life for the coming year.

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Read on for a breakdown of services and opportunities offered at four area synagogues serving Bridgewater residents.

, North Bridge Street

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  • Services Erev Rosh Hashanah [sundown the night before the first day] begin at 7 p.m. and last until 9 p.m. Sunday.
  • Services on the first day of Rosh Hashanah, Monday, begin at 8 a.m., and children’s services begin at 11 a.m. Tashlich will be held at Peter’s Brook from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. This service is traditionally held near a body of water as each person's sins are symbolically thrown into the water. Evening services begin at 6:30 p.m.
  • Services on the second day of Rosh Hashanah, Tuesday, begin at 8 a.m., with children’s services again at 11 a.m.
  • On Yom Kippur, Kol Nidre services will begin at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 25. Services will continue the following morning at 8:30 a.m., with the children’s service beginning at 11 a.m. The Yizkor memorial service will be held about 12 p.m., followed by afternoon services at 4:45 p.m. and Neilah at 6:15 p.m., leading to the end of the holiday.

For more information about attending services, visit the temple’s website.

Congregation Knesseth Israel, 229 Mountain Avenue, Bound Brook

  • Erev Rosh Hashanah services will be held Sunday at 7:30 p.m.
  • Services on the first day of Rosh Hashanah, Monday, will begin at 9:30 a.m., with the junior congregation services beginning at 10:30 a.m., and Tashlich services beginning at 2 p.m.
  • On the second day of Rosh Hashanah, services will begin at 9:30 a.m. No tickets are required on this second day.
  • Yom Kippur services begin with Kol Nidre at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 25. Services continue Sept. 26 at 9:30 a.m., with the junior congregation service at 10:30 a.m. The Yizkor service will be held at 12:30 p.m., and afternoon services will resume at 5:15 p.m. with the fast ending at 7:30 p.m.

For more information about attending services, visit the temple’s website.

Temple Beth El, 67 US Highway 206, Hillsborough

  • The synagogue will be holding services Sunday evening,Monday  and Tuesday for Rosh Hashanah, as well as services the evening of Sept. 25 and all day Sept. 26 for Yom Kippur.
  • For more information about times of services and how to get tickets, call the synagogue at 908-722-0674.

Chabad Jewish Center in Basking Ridge, 3048 Valley Road, Basking Ridge

  • Erev Rosh Hashanah services will begin Sunday at 6:30 p.m.
  • Rosh Hashanah services will begin Monday at 9 a.m., with youth services from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The shofar blowing will be at 11:30 a.m., with a Kiddush luncheon at 11:30 a.m. Tashlich services will be held from 2:30 p.m. to 3 p.m., with a walk to the nearby river. Evening services will begin at 6:30 p.m.
  • The second day of Rosh Hashanah, services will be held at 9 a.m., with youth services from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Shofar blowing will be held at 11:30 a.m. again, with a second Kiddush luncheon at 1:30 p.m.
  • For Yom Kippur, Kol Nidre services will begin at 6 p.m. Sept. 25. On the day of Yom Kippur, Sept. 26, services will begin at 9:30 a.m., with youth services from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Yizkor memorial service will be held at 12:15 p.m., with adult education from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., and the break fast at 7:11 p.m.

For more information, visit the website at chabad.org.

Did we forget any services in your area? Let us know in the comments!


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