High Holy Days 5786 - Congregation Am Tikvah

HIGH HOLY DAYS DETAILED INFORMATION

ELUL

Elul is the final month of the Hebrew calendar. It encompasses the weeks before Rosh Hashanah when Jews participate in rituals, prayers, contemplation, repentance, and other rites of passage to prepare oneself for the new year.

Southside Jewish Collective Elul Book Club - Meditations for Mortals
Join the Rabbis of the Southside Jewish Collaborative on a 4-week journey through Meditations for Mortals: Four weeks to Embrace Your Limitations and Make Time for What Counts by Oliver Burkeman. Starting on August 29th through September 19th, each Friday we will gather online at noon to discuss Burkeman's book.

Selichot Services with Ner Tamid
Join Rabbi Shana Chandler Leon and Rabbi Chayva Lehrman for Selichot at Ner Tamid, 1250 Quintara St, San Francisco.

Saturday, September 13th, 6pm
Program includes light dinner and dessert, John Lee on the piano, memorial plaque dedications followed by Selichot Service.

RSVP for dinner by Wednesday, September 3rd to Congregation Ner Tamid, 415-661-3383 or office@NerTamidSF.org.

HIGH HOLY DAYS

Erev Rosh Hashanah Catered Dinner
Join with family, friends, and community for a catered buffet dinner. This festive Rosh Hashanah meal will be vegetarian. It begins promptly at 5:30pm in the Social Hall (90 minutes before start of evening Erev Rosh Hashanah Services in the Sanctuary).

Monday, September 22nd, 6:00pm

We ask you to please register no later than Monday, September 15th at 3pm to allow time to plan. We cannot honor reservations after that time.

Rosh Hashanah Services and Offerings

Monday, September 22nd, 7:30pm - Erev Rosh Hashanah services @ Am Tikvah Sanctuary
Tuesday, September 23rd, 10am - Day 1 Services @ Am Tikvah Sanctuary
Wednesday, September 24th, 10am - Day 2 Services @ Ner Tamid

Tashlich
Tuesday, September 23rd, 4pm - Lake Merced Concrete Bridge

Meet at the Lake Merced Concrete Bridge to cast all your sins into the depths of the sea. Traditionally, bread is thrown as a symbol of your sins, but in an effort to be ecologically conscience (and to follow San Francisco ordinances), we will throw leaves, sticks, and small rocks into Lake Merced.

Parking is available off Lake Merced Blvd just south of Brotherhood Way or on John Muir Dr.

Rosh Hashanah Day 2 Creative Services - Ner Tamid
Wednesday, September 24th, 9:30am
Hosted at Ner Tamid, this creative day 2 service will feature the music of Leonard Cohen, Carole King, and Paul Simon.

Rosh Hashanah Day 2 Reflective Hike
Wednesday, September 24th, 3pm - Mori Point, Pacifica

Join Rabbi Chayva for a reflective hike on the Mori Point Loop Trail in Pacifica. This moderately challenging 2.6 mile route with 400ft elevation gain takes just over an hour to complete on average and dogs on leash are welcome. We will meet at the Mori Point Trailhead, located just off of Highway 1 and Mori Point Road.

Yom Kippur Services and Offerings

Wednesday, October 1st, 6:30pm - Kol Nidre

Thursday, October 2nd:
10am - Yom Kippur Morning Services
2pm - Workshops:
- 2pm: YK Workshop 1 - TBA
- 3pm: YK Workshop 2 - "QiGong "Let's Stretch" with Beth Weisberg
- 3:30pm: YK Workshop 3 - Meditation and Song led byRabbi Chayva & Ariela Morgenstern
4:30pm - Mincha Service
5:30pm - Yizkor Service
6:15pm - Ne'ilah
7pm - Break the Fast

HIGH HOLY DAYS WITH CHILDREN

Kids and Family Services

Monday, September 22nd @ 5pm - Kids & Family Rosh Hashanah Service
Wednesday, October 1st @ 5pm - Kids & Family Yom Kippur Service

We're so excited to welcome back Shiloh Atkinson as our Songleader for both services!

Register Here for all above services.

Childcare
Am Tikvah aims to welcome families of all shapes and sizes. We offer childcare in the Fireside Room while there is no Kids & Family Service and the Main Services take place in the Sanctuary. Childcare is available during the following services and times:

Erev Rosh Hashanah - Monday, 9/22/25, 7:30pm
Rosh Hashanah Day 1 - Tuesday, 9/23/25, 10am
Kol Nidre - Wednesday, 10/1/25, 6:30pm
Yom Kippur (3 sessions) - Thursday, 10/2/25
Session 1 - 10 - 1:30pm
Session 2 - 2 - 4pm
Session 3 - 4:30 - 7pm

We offer childcare for kids 2- 12. The suggested cost for childcare is $18 per service per child. For Yom Kippur only, choose 2 sessions for $27 per child or 3 sessions for $36 per child.

Please register your child(ren) if you are interested in utilizing this service so we can plan in advance to have enough childcare providers.

Please pack lunch for your child(ren). We will provide light snacks, juice, and water.

SUKKOT

Sukkot
Celebrate Sukkot with Am Tikvah! We'll build our sukkah in the Am Tikvah Courtyard, decorate it with the help of our younger community members and friends, and hold various events.

Sukkah Building Party
Sunday, October 5th, 12-4pm - Am Tikvah Courtyard

Sukkah Decorating Party
Monday, October 6th, 4-7pm - Am Tikvah Courtyard

Tuesday Morning Minyan & Potluck Brunch in the Sukkah
Tuesday, October 7th, 9am - Am Tikvah Courtyard

Young Adults Bagels & Beer
Thursday, October 9th, 7pm - Am Tikvah Courtyard

Casa Shabbat Sukkot
Friday, October 10th, 6pm - Erev Shabbat Services in a community member's sukkah
Registration coming soon!

Chammudim Cuties Tots Together - Sukkot
Saturday, October 11th, 10am - Am Tikvah Courtyard

Shabbat Sukkot and Community Potluck
Saturday, October 11th, 10:15am - Fireside Room and Am Tikvah Courtyard
Join us for Shabbat Services and Study in the Sukkah with guest speaker, Rabbi Zoe McCoon, joining us from Shalom Bayit. To honor the overlap of Sukkot and Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we will explore stories of women in our Jewish texts whose voices went unheard. As we explore these texts, we will learn how their stories apply to the experience of domestic violence today and how to support those who experience it.

Registration for the Potluck Kiddush appreciated.

10:15am	Services with guest Rabbi Zoe McCoon
12:45pm	Kiddush in the sukkah
1:15pm	Study in the Sukkah: Honoring our Ushpizot with Rabbi Zoe McCoon

Teen Sukkot Sleepover
Saturday, October 11th, 6pm - Sunday, October 12th

Empty Nesters Wine & Cheese Gathering
Sunday, October 12th, 5pm - Am Tikvah Courtyard

Shemini Atzeret Morning Service
Tuesday, October 14th, 9:30am - Ner Tamid

Simchat Torah Potluck, Service, & Candy Parade
Tuesday, October 14th, 5pm - Sanctuary & Social Hall
Join Am Tikvah as we celebrate Simchat Torah! We'll parade around the Sanctuary with our Torahs in seven hakafot with kids following and collecting candy then we'll unroll our Torah through the Social Hall.

5pm	Potluck Dinner
6pm	Service
6:30pm	Candy Parade & Torah Unrolling

Simchat Torah Morning Service
Tuesday, October 14th, 10am