Enjoy the High Holy Days with Houston Hillel
In person and streaming (Streaming instructions below)
Taking into account current CDC guidelines, Houston Hillel expects that anyone who attends our High Holy Day services is fully vaccinated, will wear a mask while at Houston Hillel, and does not have a medical or other condition that may increase their susceptibility to Covid and its impact.
We will also live-stream our services on Zoom and Houston Hillel's Facebook page for those people who want to celebrate with us but are not fully vaccinated. Scroll down for detailed live stream instructions.
FREE for students, Jewston participants and the community!
Nonetheless, please consider donating $200 or more per person so that we can continue to provide amazing programs and support for Houston's Jewish college students and twentysomethings. Your donation is particularly important during this time of return to in-person programming, when our students and twentysomethings especially appreciate the connections and community we create for them.
Click here to make a High Holy Day donation.
Rosh Hashanah
Monday, September 6 at 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, September 7 at 10:00 a.m.
Wednesday, September 8 at 10:00 a.m.
Yom Kippur
Wednesday, September 15 (Kol Nidrei) at 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, September 16 at 9:00 a.m. for Morning and Yizkor, and 5:30 p.m. for Neilah and break-fast
Instructions for joining Houston Hillel's virtual High Holy Day services
Click here to watch our services on Houston Hillel's Facebook page.
You can watch our services on Zoom by clicking this link.
The Webinar ID is 943 0591 7920 and the Passcode is 931737
The same link will work for all of our services.
Unfortunately, we are unable to provide technical support during services. If you have a problem, please send an email and I will address the situation prior to the next service.
Prayerbooks
Click here for a free flipbook version. Click on the flipbook link for Mishkan HaNefesh Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur. You might find it helpful to watch the service on a computer, and access the flipbook on a tablet or a second computer.
Click here to borrow prayerbooks from Houston Hillel. Just include your name and contact info in the email and we'll arrange a time for you to pick them up at Houston Hillel.
Some thoughts about making your virtual experience more meaningful.
Set up your space.
Think about where you'll sit. Try not to sit in the exact same place as you take meetings or where you watch TV. Remove the things that will distract you.
Beautify the space.
Get some flowers. Add a few extra picture frames of family and loved ones.
Test your tech.
How are you going to access services? Do you need an HDMI cable to connect to your laptop? Is that laptop charged or plugged in? Are you using a SmartTV? Are the apps updated and do you know how to find the services? Do a test run before so you don’t have to scramble when the moment arrives.
Get dressed.
Where what you would wear to services if you were going in person. If you're in your pajamas, you'll feel like you're in your pajamas.
Gather your ritual items.
Find your kippah and tallit (if you wear those) and other things with which you usually interact during the High Holy Days.
Open up a book.
You can borrow a machzor (High Holy Day prayer book) from Houston Hillel, or get the free flipbook at https://www.ccarnet.org/publications/hhd-2021. It's easier if you have the flipbook on a table or second computer.
Unplug.
Except for the things you need plugged in to be able to stream the service! Help yourself make it real by being as present as you can be.
Participate.
Don't just watch. If there's a congregational reading, read along. If it's a moment to sing together, sing. If there are people next to you in your home, they are accustomed to you singing off key anyway.
It's not virtual, it's real.
This may be disappointing or frustrating, but it is still the High Holy Days and you are still joining with community for inspiration, purpose, and hope. It's real.