The Reconstructionist Congregation of Detroit & Congregation T'chiyah

are pleased to invite you to spend the Yamim Noraim/Days of Awe 5779 with us!

RSVP By September 1st

Services are free and open to all, but registration is required. If you are coming to any service, please RSVP just once, but do RSVP by Sept. 1 so our volunteers can prepare accordingly. See below. For Frequently Asked Questions, please click here. 

Teshuva, Tefilah & Tzedakah: Notes on our Services

The High Holiday liturgy stresses the importance of teshuva (repentance or "return"), tefilah (prayer) and tzedakah (justice) as the guiding themes of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Whether this is your first or forty-second Rosh Hashanah/Yom Kippur with us, we hope that our services provide a taste of each of these elements. Some notes to help you get oriented: 

We strive to create a meaningful, accessible experience for all! Our services are a mix of traditional Hebrew liturgy and contemporary English-language poetry / inspirational material. Hebrew readings are supplemented with translations and transliteration, and our service leaders work to help attendees access the essence of the liturgy that lies beneath the words. 

There will be lots of singing! Please take time to familiarize yourselves with some of our tunes by going to http://www.tchiyah.org/music. Services will be accompanied with guitar and percussion to help deepen the collective experience. If you're a shofar-blower, please feel free to bring yours! 

In keeping with our annual tradition, we invite you to bring canned/boxed foods or non-perishable household items (i.e. toilet paper, soap) to donate. These will go to Yad Ezra, our local Kosher Food Distribution Center.

Volunteering, Childcare & More

Our services depend on the enthusiastic participation (and hard work!) of our congregants. If you would like to volunteer to help set-up, usher, or schlep in any way, please contact Syma Echeandia ([email protected]). If you would like to sign-up to do an English reading as part of the service, please contact Matt Schenk ([email protected]). 

If you are bringing children to our services, great! We celebrate intergenerationality in this community! Your children are welcome to participate in the services or to hang out in our supervised childcare area, where they can play, color, read and be cared for the duration of the service. Parents are encouraged to bring a snack for their kid(s). Please communicate your childcare needs to Jake Ehrlich ([email protected]) as soon as possible.  

Note: There will be no Rosh Hashanah eve service this year. If you are a member of either congregation and have a seat at your table, or are looking to be hosted for a Rosh Hashanah evening meal, please email Jake Ehrlich ([email protected]) by September 1. If you are a congregant and would like to join a group meeting at a restaurant, please email Roz Schindler ([email protected]) by September 1. The Downtown Synagogue will be offering a kid's Erev Rosh Hashanah service at 4 PM on 9/9, and a traditional Erev Rosh Hashanah service later that evening in Detroit, for those seeking ritual. 

Location: Banquet Center at Greater New Mt Moriah Baptist Church

We are excited to be spending the duration of the High Holidays in the North End, at the Greater New Mt Moriah Baptist Church! The Banquet Center is located at 586 Owen St, Detroit, MI, 48202, just three blocks from Woodward, and two blocks from I-75 (Holbrook exit). The building is beautiful, modern, ADA accessible and features secure on-site parking - but please carpool if you can! 

Rosh Hashanah Day 1

Monday, September 10 @ 9:45 am

Services will begin promptly at 9:45 AM. Complimentary catered lunch to follow.

Tashlich: 3 PM @ Milliken Park. Tashlich means "casting off" -- it is a special cleansing ritual involving throwing crumbs of bread or rocks into water. We are excited to come together with the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue at the riverfront.

Rosh Hashanah Day 2

Tuesday, September 11 @9:45 am

Services will begin promptly at 9:45 AM. A light kiddush featuring challah and apples and honey will be available. 

Yom Kippur Eve/Kol Nidre

Tuesday, September 18 @7:00 pm*

*There will be candle-lighting at 7 and a contemplative cello introduction at 7:15 pm. If you arrive between 7:15 pm and 7:30 pm, you will not be able to enter until 7:30 pm.

Yom Kippur 

Wednesday, September 19 @9:45 am

Services will begin promptly at 9:45 am.

Yizkor, the memorial service for mourning the loss of loved ones, will be conducted sometime between 12 and 1:00pm.

We will be joined by the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue for Yom Kippur afternoon, evening and a potluck break-fast.

Yom Kippur afternoon will feature multiple options for learning and prayer, including traditional ritual, intellectual discussion, Torah learning, embodied spiritual practice, and contemplative singing. 

Our break-fast at the conclusion of Yom Kippur will be a pescetarian/vegetarian pot-luck! Please be sure to label your contribution with the ingredients it contains, paying special attention to potential allergens! If relevant/known, please also specify if the food was prepared in a kosher kitchen. 

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L'shanah tovah u'metakh - for a good and sweet New Year!
Got questions? Reach out to Jake Ehrlich ([email protected])