Join Temple Beth Shalom for High Holy Days services

​Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley is welcoming non-members to participate in its beautiful High Holy Days services in October.

Cost to attend all services will be $200 per person, and tickets are required for all events. Tickets will not be sold at the door. Reservations can be made by calling the Temple office at 623.977.3240 from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

High Holy Days services will be conducted by Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan and Cantor Baruch Koritan.  

Here is a message from Rabbi Kaplan:

All of us at Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley are actively preparing for what we hope will be a spiritually uplifting and vibrant High Holy Days. We have a new prayer book, “Mishkan Hanefesh,” which addresses profound issues of The human condition.  

We welcome guests as well as members. We have set aside sets of the new prayer book for all of our guests so that everyone will be able to participate in the communal spiritual experience. 

We pray that we may gain wisdom and understanding and be able to conquer fear and despair. Our goal during these prayer services is nothing less than to light up the universe with the joy of wholeness, of freedom, and of peace. 

The High Holy Days are a time when Jews who have become alienated from Judaism return to their community and so we welcome all those who have disaffiliated over the years to return to the synagogue if only for one or two services. 

I think many people who grew up with terribly long and monotonous High Holy Day services will find that the Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur prayers that we now offer are far more emotionally relevant and intellectually coherent. 

Let me wish you a Shanah Tovah, a wonderful year of many blessings. L’shanah tovah tikateivu v’teichateimu may you be inscribed and sealed for blessing in the Book of Life. We pray for a year of health, a year of accomplishments, and a year of Love. And let us say, Amen.

Rosh Hashanah starts on Oct. 2 and commemorates the creation of the world and marks the beginning of the Days of Awe, a 10-day period of introspection and repentance that culminates on Oct. 12 in the Yom Kippur holiday, also known as the Day of Atonement. Please see the complete schedule below.

The Temple Beth Shalom Sisterhood’s Break the Fast will be at about 6:30 p.m. Oct. 12. Call the Temple office at 623.977.3240 to make reservations by Oct. 8. Cost is $20 per person with no charge for children 12 and younger. 

For security reasons, tickets must be presented for admittance to all services and are non-transferrable. Doors will be locked 15 minutes after services begin.

For everyone’s safety, PLEASE, no backpacks or purses will be allowed. You can utilize a clear purse or clear plastic bag. Otherwise, please leave your items in your car. There will be a security guard onsite.