USH High Holiday Policies and Procedures for 5784/2023

Dear friends, 

Below is our schedule for services and events over the High Holy Days of 5784 / 2024 at the United Synagogue of Hoboken, as well as links to the forms to acquire tickets.  

General guidelines

Indoor services at the Star of Israel Sanctuary, United Synagogue of Hoboken

Some USH services are for those holding tickets.  (USH members receive tickets automatically as a benefit of membership. USH members can purchase tickets for their guests, and people in the community can also purchase tickets as non-members).  Other services do not require tickets and are open to the public, though ticket holders get first priority.

Wearing a face covering is optional at all services.  Anyone who is experiencing any Covid-like symptoms (or other symptoms of contagious illness) should not attend indoor services.   

Outdoor services and events 

We are excited to offer outdoor services this year, including youth and family services on the afternoons before Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, Tashlikh on the first day of Rosh HaShanah, public shofar blowings on both days of Rosh HaShanah, youth and family services throughout the holiday, public Yizkor memorial service on Yom Kippur afternoon, and the Yom Kippur Neilah service and the final shofar blast at the conclusion of Yom Kippur.  Some of these outdoor services and events require preregistration.  These programs are open to people of all ages.  Masking is not required for outdoor events. 

Events that are scheduled outdoors in parks will take place rain or shine; events in the parks will be moved to the gazebos (in the center of Church Square Park and at the end of Pier A Park) if necessary.

All shofar blowers will be vaccinated and will also have had a negative covid test.  

Online services

We are continuing to provide online access to our sanctuary services. Online access to services is open to anyone who preregisters for this access on our synagogue web site, www.hobokensynagogue.org.  (When you register for access, the service link(s) will be sent to you.)    Online access this year will be one-way (participants outside of the sanctuary will be able to see and hear the events in the sanctuary but will not be able to be seen or heard). If you benefit from online access to our synagogue services, we encourage you to make a donation to our synagogue. 

Service schedule

Below is the schedule for all main sanctuary services throughout the Tishrei holiday season, as well as listings of all services and events being planned during Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur by the Kaplan Cooperative Preschool and Learning Center.

If you have questions about our plans, we invite you to reach out to Louise Kurtz, Ritual Chairperson, at ritual@hobokensynagogue.org, and/or to Adam Berkowitz, USH president, at president@hobokensynagogue.org, and/or to Rabbi Robert Scheinberg at rabbi@hobokensynagogue.org, 

Whether you are joining us indoors, outdoors, online, or some combination thereof, we are looking forward to celebrating these holy days together with you.  We wish you and your loved ones a new year of happiness, good health, fulfillment, and peace.

Shanah Tovah, 

Your friends at the United Synagogue of Hoboken

Adam Berkowitz, President

Rabbi Robert Scheinberg

5784   Days of Awe    2023

refers to a service at which tickets are required.  All other services and programs, marked by *, are free for those who have pre-registered, but ticket holders have expedited entry and seating priority.) Services take place in the sanctuary unless otherwise indicated. Services in the sanctuary will also be livestreamed.  Indoor services require masks.  Masks are optional at outdoor services.

SLICHOT

Saturday, September 9

*Havdalah, Slichot program and service, 8:00pm

ROSH HASHANAH

Friday, September 15 Erev Rosh HaShanah

Young family musical service for children age 5+ (registration required)  10am

*Evening service at USH   7:00 pm

Monday, September 26

Morning Service (including Shofar blowing) 9:00 am

Service concludes 1pm

Learning Center programs and services for children age 6 and up, (registration required), 10:30am-1pm

KPS Outdoor family service for families of children to age 7, Pier A Park, (registration required) 4-5pm

*Mincha (afternoon service), USH, 5:00 pm

*Public Shofar Blowing Service and Tashlikh (casting away sins; at Pier A Park) 5:30 pm 

*Ma’ariv (evening service) at USH, 7:00 pm

Tuesday, September 27

*Morning Service (including Shofar blowing) 9:00 am

Service concludes 1 pm

KPS  family service for kids up to age 7, USH, (registration required) 10am

Learning Center programs and services for children age 6 and up, (registration required), 10:30am-1pm

*Public shofar blowing -  in front of USH, 3pm

SHABBAT SHUVAH

Friday, September 30

*Evening service 6:30 pm

Saturday, October 1

*Morning service 9:30 am 

YOM KIPPUR

Tuesday, October 4

KPS Outdoor family service for families of children to age 7, Church Square Park (registration required)  4-5pm

Supervised activities for children age 6 and up, (registration required), 5:30-8pm

Mincha (afternoon service) 5:30pm

Kol Nidre (evening service) 5:45pm (sharp)

Wednesday, October 5

Morning service 9:00 am

Yizkor (memorial service) 12 noon (approx.)

KPS Outdoor family service for families of children to age 7, Church Square Park (registration required) 10am

Learning Center programs and services for children age 7 and up (registration required) 10:30am-2pm  

* Public/Community Yizkor service, outside USH 4:15pm

Mincha (afternoon service), USH 4:45pm

*Neilah (concluding service), outside in front of USH 6:15pm   

*Final Shofar blast, followed by Havdalah, outside in front of USH 7:15pm  (followed by light break-fast)

SUKKOT

Monday, October 10

*Morning services 9:30 am

Tuesday, October 11

*Morning services 9:30 am

Thursday, October 13

Young professionals sushi night in the sukkah 7-9pm

Friday, October 14

*Evening services 6:30pm

* Reception in the Sukkah

Saturday, October 15

*Morning services 9:30 am

My Jewish neighborhood sukkah parties and havdalah  6:30pm

Sunday, October 16

*Hoshana Rabbah morning services 9:00am

SHEMINI ATZERET

Monday, October 17

*Morning services 9:30am

(including Yizkor memorial prayers)

SIMCHAT TORAH

Monday, October 17

*Evening Services, singing and dancing in the streets 6:30 pm

Tuesday, October 18

*Morning Services 9:30 am

All services will be held at the Star of Israel Building, 115 Park Avenue, Hoboken NJ, unless otherwise indicated.