Holidays
We at Tribeca Synagogue gather as a community to observe the Jewish holidays. From Purim to Hanukkah, holidays can span between April through December (secular calendar). Check the Calendar for the holiday dates and further information.
Purim
There is no day in the Jewish calendar that stresses simcha more than Purim. In fact we have dramatic requirements that are designed to insure we achieve happiness on this day like the big feast (Seudah). We also have Mishloach (favors to friends) and Matanot L’Evyonim (gifts to the poor).
On Purim night we kick off with the traditional reading of the Megilla. Then our Purim party typically features a gala dinner with live entertainment and our comedic Purim Spiel (Purim Play). The Purim Spiel cast is made of Synagogue adults and children and rollicking laughter is had by all.
Passover
Passover commemorates the Exodus from Egypt and is one of the three major pilgrimage festivals. It lasts for eight days. It is centered on the family and the communal celebration of the seder (ritual meal). Passover is one of our most beloved of all Jewish holidays.
Tribeca Synagogue holds a second night seder at the synagogue, either outdoors on our plaza of in our social hall (depending on the weather).
Shavuot
Shavuot combines two major religious observances. First is the grain harvest of the early summer. Second is the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai seven weeks after the exodus from Egypt. The special readings for the holiday include poems (piyyutim) and the Book of Ruth.
Another custom is the eating of dairy products on Shavuot. Tirbeca Synagogue hosts a Shavuot dinner the evening of Shavuot. This is a diary meal, of course (pasta, cheese, cheesecake, etc.). After our meal we follow another tradition by participating in a Tikkun Leil Shavuot, an all-night study session marking the holiday.
High Holidays (Rosh Hashana & Yom Kippur
High Holiday period begins with Rosh Hashanah and end with Yom Kippur. The focus of this entire period is the process of teshuvah, or repentance. Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year, which commemorates God’s creation of the world, but also the Day of Judgment, when God remembers and judges all human deeds. Except on Shabbat, services are punctuated with the call of the shofar. The day of Yom Kippur, also known as the Sabbath of Sabbaths, begins with the Kol Nidre service immediately prior to sunset. The day closes with the Neilah service. The very name of the service, Neilah (locking), refers to the imagery that the gates of repentance, open during the High Holidays, are now shutting.
We know that Tribeca Synagogue will fulfill your needs for prayer, remembrance and community at this holiest time of the year, and we look forward to seeing you! Our programming for the holidays typically includes:
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Services on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur led by Rabbi Jonathan Glass and the Cantor, held in our beautiful and inspiring sanctuary.
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Auxiliary Family Services for the young, young at heart, and those seeking to explore spiritual themes of the holiday in a more casual setting, in our social hall or on our plaza.
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A community service and holiday dinner to usher in the New Year on Rosh Hashanna.
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Tashlikh
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A Break-The-Fast to mark the end of the High Holidays.
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Simchat Torah
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Simchat Torah celebrates and marks the conclusion of the annual cycle of public Torah readings, and the beginning of a new cycle. It is celebrated by taking all the Torah scrolls out of the ark in synagogue and spending the evening dancing, singing, and rejoicing. The scrolls are carried around the sanctuary in seven circles called hakafot. Though only seven circles are required, the dancing and celebrating usually goes on much longer.
Please join us for our Simchat Torah Party. Help celebrate the conclusion of our annual cycle of public Torah readings, and the beginning of a new cycle. Spend the evening with us dancing, singing, and rejoicing.
Hanukkah
Hanukkah is the Jewish eight-day, wintertime “festival of lights,” celebrated with a nightly menorah lighting, special prayers and fried foods. The Hebrew word Hanukkah means “dedication,” and is thus named because it celebrates the rededication of the Holy Temple. At the heart of the festival is the nightly menorah lighting.
At the Tribeca Synagogue Hanukkah dinner you can eat the classic potato latke (pancake) garnished with applesauce or sour cream, and the reigning Israeli favorite is the jelly-filled sufganya (doughnut). And don't forget to spin the “dreidel”.