High Holy Days 2024 Leadership Message

Interim Senior Rabbi Arthur Nemitoff (left) and Beth Am President Amy Gerstein (right)

Dear Friends,

Welcome to 5785! Beginning with S’lichot and continuing through Atzeret-Simchat Torah, our congregation can look forward to many wonderful opportunities to discover meaning as we gather as a congregational family.

While we recognize this is a year of transition, you will find many familiar aspects during the holidays. We continue to offer meaningful services and programs for those of all ages — from the youngest to the most senior among us.

No registration is required for members, however, to request shuttle transportation, childcare, special accommodation or guest tickets, we ask that members fill out a form by Wednesday, September 25. To do so, please visit betham.org/hhd2024-register. New Beth Am name badges (that will serve as your identification for entrance to all High Holy Day services) will arrive in the mail. It is very important that you bring and wear them at our services.

While admission to High Holy Day services is for members as well as guests who have purchased tickets, our congregation is open to all who wish to join us, regardless of one’s financial situation. Please indicate in your registration if there is a family member or friend whom you would like to invite to join our congregation during this High Holy Day season.

This year, there will be two major changes to note. The first is the location of our services. Erev Rosh Hashanah services will be held on our Beth Am campus. Rosh Hashanah morning and all of Yom Kippur services will be held offsite at Cathedral of Faith in San Jose. As we communicated in August, our goal is to hold one service for the entire congregation. To accommodate this desire, we are moving offsite. For details, please see the High Holy Day schedule or download a printable (pdf) services at-a-glance schedule.

The second is a reimagined shofar service created by the talented musician, Noah Aronson. We hope this new shofar service will lift our spirits and inspire us for the year to come.

As we embark on this new year, we are hopeful for the healing and the growth of our community. We pray that each of our households, our extended families, our friends and our world experience a year filled with blessings. 

We are excited to enter into this new year of Jewish living with you!

Interim Senior Rabbi Arthur Nemitoff

Beth Am President Amy Gerstein

Learn more about High Holy Days 2024 with Beth Am.