In 5783, Segulah will be meeting for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur!!! We’re doing morning services on both days of Rosh Hashanah, and all services on Yom Kippur. However, there will be some changes due to the ongoing pandemic. Please read the following information carefully.
Registration & Location
As much as we want these services to be accessible to anyone who wants to take part, our commitment to pikuach nefesh (the preservation of human life) is of the utmost concern as we plan for services this year.
- This year, our services will be outdoors and in a spacious tent in the Shepherd Park neighborhood of Washington, DC. The exact location will be sent to confirmed attendees via e-mail prior to each holiday. It will not be Segulah’s regular Shabbat location.
- Due to the extraordinary circumstances requiring us to meet outdoors with social distancing near a busy street, we are planning to use a microphone to amplify the voice of the leader at these services. Use of electronic amplification at in-person services on Yom Tov is contrary to our usual communal practice, and the decision to use it at these services should not be understood as setting any precedents for other situations.
- In order to plan for the correct number of people and to maintain an accurate record of attendees in the event we need to conduct contact tracing, registration will end for Rosh Hashanah services at 11:59 PM ET on Wednesday, September 21 and for Yom Kippur services at 11:59 PM ET on Saturday, October 1.
- In order to participate in childcare and/or childrens’ programming on either Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur, you must register by 11:59 PM ET on Satyrday, September 10.
- While we hope to be able to proceed as planned! However, due to the constantly changing nature of the pandemic and the imperative to be safe, it is possible that there will need to be modifications to the plans (in which case we will keep everyone informed).
In addition, all registrants will be required to confirm that they have read and agree to Segulah’s vaccination policy, which includes specific guidelines for vaccination against Covid-19. If you have any questions or concerns about this policy or how it applies to you or your family, we encourage you to reach out to us at [email protected] for a conversation.
Volunteer
Segulah is a volunteer-driven community, and both our high holiday services and the rest of our programming throughout the year cannot happen without your help. Please let us know if you are willing to volunteer to help make Segulah high holidays run their smoothest.
This year we are asking each adult registrant to strongly consider volunteering for a volunteer “team.” When completing the registration form, you will be asked to indicate which team(s) you might be available to assist. As registrations occur, team assignments will be made and communicated to all participants.
Children’s Programming & Babysitting
As usual, children of all ages are welcome at Segulah services. This year (2022), Segulah will have planned activities for children in two age groups:
- Ages 0-5: Babysitting, run by experienced preschool providers.
- Ages 6-12: New this year! An expanded, age-appropriate program with holiday-related activities in three categories (services, Torah study, and thematic/experiential) run by Judaic educators, interspersed with time for supervised free play.
When completing the registration form, you will be able to register any child(ren) who will be attending with you and during which services (if any) you wish to enroll them for children’s programming or babysitting.
Children not enrolled in Segulah babysitting and children’s programming are welcome to attend Segulah, but they must be directly supervised by an adult at all times (and not roaming the property unsupervised). If they are near the service, they must not disrupt.
For more information about the children’s programming and bios for the teachers who will be working with the 6-12 year olds, please click here.
In order to participate in children’s programming or babysitting, you MUST sign up by September 10. If you have any questions about childcare, please email [email protected].
Donate
We anticipate that holding these services will cost about $18,000. This is about $4,000 more than in pre-pandemic years, with the increase due largely to the cost of renting both a venue and tents to help the community have a safer holiday experience.
In order to cover the costs, which this year include a catered meal and expanded children’s program, we suggest a donation of at least $60 per person (child or adult) for Rosh Hashanah, and of at least $60 per person (child or adult) for Yom Kippur. Based on attendance expectations, $90 per person per holiday is more likely to result in costs being covered, so if you are able to be generous and contribute at that level or higher, please do so.
We want Segulah services to be financially accessible to everyone, and we appreciate your gift of any size. Minyan Segulah is incorporated as a religious corporation in the state of Maryland, and all donations are tax-deductible.
Click here to donate with PayPal:
Or mail a check (made out to “Minyan Segulah”) to:
Minyan Segulah
c/o Sharon Light
2407 Colston Drive
Silver Spring MD 20910
Minyan Segulah is incorporated as a religious corporation in the state of Maryland, and all donations are tax-deductible.
There will be no additional solicitation of donations during the holidays.
Schedule
Rosh Hashanah Day 1 (Monday, September 25)
- Morning services: 9:00 AM – approx. 1:00 PM
Rosh Hashanah Day 2 (Tuesday, September 26)
- Morning services: 9:00 AM – approx. 1:00 PM
- Catered vegetarian and kosher certified lunch following services
Yom Kippur evening (Wednesday, September 15, 2021)
- Evening services (Kol Nidrei, Ma’ariv): 6:10 PM
Yom Kippur day (Thursday, September 16, 2021)
- Morning services (Pesukei d’zimrah, Shacharit, Musaf): 9:15 AM – 3:15 PM
- Afternoon services (Minchah, Neilah): 4:20 PM
- End of fast (and break-fast distribution): 7:24 PM
Learn
Audio files of some of the melodies that have been used during our services on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur in past years can be found on our High Holidays melodies page.
Find out more
Click here for Segulah High Holiday FAQs. If you still have questions, please email the High Holiday coordinating team.