High Holidays 5781 (2020)

Register for High Holidays

Welcome 5781 with Bonai Shalom

Join Bonai Shalom for our virtual offerings this High Holiday Season.

Our staff, clergy, and volunteers have worked tirelessly over the last few months to create a unique and memorable experience for High Holidays this year. Please consider making a donation to Bonai Shalom to support our community and help us continue to provide engaging programs.

Eating in the sukkah is happening!

From Erev Sukkoth October 3 thru Oct 8, the sukkah will be open from 8:30 AM - 9:00 PM (times subject to change). 

Everyone who desires it will have the opportunity to sit and have a meal in our beautifully decorated Sukkah. There will be timed seating with social distancing and reservations will be required. 

RSVP Your Time Slot - Space is limited!

Live Stream Shabbat - First Day of Sukkot | Saturday, October 3 at 9:30 am

2nd Day of Sukkot - Hallel & Havruta | Sunday, October 4 at 10:30 am
 - This is an in-person event, limited to 25 people - RSVP ASAP

Shemini Atzeret & Shabbat Service | Saturday, October 10 at 9:30 am
 - Includes Hallel, Tefillat Geshem, & Yizkor Services

Erev Simchat Torah Outdoor Service | Saturday October 10 at 7:30 pm | Boulder JCC Parking lot
 - This is an in-person event, limited to 100 people - RSVP ASAP

A High Holiday message from our Rabbi, Board, and Staff

High Holiday update - 8/17/2020

As we draw near to our holiest time of the year, we want to communicate Bonai’s High Holiday plans in light of this unprecedented time of COVID.  After much thought, Bonai Shalom along with most synagogues in the country will have mostly virtual services. There are more than a dozen of your fellow congregants including clergy and staff who have worked for months to plan a meaningful, spiritual, and safe High Holiday experience. While we will miss seeing and feeling one another’s presence, we have many creative opportunities for you to participate. These include pre-recorded readings and sing-alongs, video greetings, a live Shofar service, and volunteer support, and more. As always, we are dependent on our fantastic volunteers to infuse holiness and care into the preparations by volunteering to distribute machzorim, staff the outdoor Shofar service, and maybe even helping build our congregational sukkah. We would be honored to receive your assistance!

 High Holiday 5781 Registration is Open - Reserve Your Spot Today 

We also encourage our friends and family who might not be members to share in our High Holiday experience. You might also take this opportunity to invite family and friends who can’t usually share the holidays with you.  Though we are not charging for members or guests this year, we highly encourage everyone to make a donation to support all the work that has gone into the production of these events for this, our holiest season.

As mentioned, we are planning to have our Shofar service as our one communal gathering on the 2nd day of Rosh HaShanah (Sunday, September 20th, in the afternoon).  Please note that while we would like to accommodate more at the outdoor Shofar service, your safety is a priority.  There are a few staggered services on the lawn on a first registered, first assigned basis until the maximum number of slots are filled.  Parking for the majority of people will be at the Boulder JCC across the street, however, if you are auto-immune compromised, have disabilities, or are at risk, we encourage you to experience the service from your car or the safety of your own home. 

A message from our Board President – 7/9/2020

We have a very active High Holiday planning committee. As you can imagine this task is even more complicated this year than in years past.

Initially, we brainstormed 8 different scenarios for having High Holiday services. Everything from just Rabbi Marc leading services via Livestream like every Shabbat since March to a post-COVID “normal” scenario with everyone in attendance at the Boulder JCC. We have narrowed it down to 3 probable scenarios given what we know now about the local and federal guidelines as well as staying in touch with our fellow congregations both locally in Boulder and Denver as well as nationally.

The services will definitely be conducted online. What the committee is now determining is how and who is needed to participate. We are trying to develop as rich and meaningful an experience as possible. Jan Kirshner will be leading parts as he has done so wonderfully for the past 26 years. There will of course, also be youth service and educational opportunities being developed by our Education Director Esther Benari-Altmann. The committee is working on getting the full details to you by the beginning of August. While we will not have the same need for volunteers as we have in the past, we still might have some need for your help and will have sign up opportunities as part of the August announcement.

We appreciate your understanding and support throughout these uncertain times and are excited to welcome 5781 together as a community – whatever that may look like.