5787 High Holidays with the Ohel Minyan

The Ohel Minyan is thrilled to be hosting Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services this year. 

All services will be held in the Water Building garage on the Congregation B'nai Israel (CBI) campus at 237 Prospect Street, Northampton, MA 01060. 

Use this website to register for services and pay for for holiday meals. For security purposes, you must register to attend all services except Selichot (on Saturday night, September 5). Once you register, a name tag will be created for you, which can be picked up in the CBI parking lot when you arrive on campus. CBI requires all adults and children to wear nametags while on campus during the High Hoidays.

Your financial contribution to the Ohel helps cover the direct costs of making our High Holiday services possible, including: professional security, machzorim (High Holiday prayer books), trash and compost services, unexpected plumbing repairs, coffee, tea and snacks available during services. We also depend on donations for the year-round programming that sustains our community beyond the High Holiday season. Every contribution is deeply appreciated and helps ensure that our community remains welcoming and accessible.

As you decide on the amount of your contribution to the Ohel Minyan, please consider the contribution the Ohel Minyan makes to your High Holiday experience and your Jewish year. Factors you may consider include how many High Holiday services you expect to attend, whether you will be participating only in Ohel Minyan services or in services at both Ohel and Congregation B'nai Israel (CBI) or another synagogue, and your personal capacity to support our work.

Important registration deadlines: registration will close:

• for Rosh Hashanah lunches: Tuesday, September 1 at 11:59 PM ET
• for Rosh Hashanah davening: Tuesday, September 8 at 11:59 PM ET
• for Yom Kippur davening: Tuesday, September 15 at 11:59 PM ET
  

Schedule of services:

Selichot:

Saturday night, 9/5: A brief teaching at 9:30. Davening begins at 10:00 PM

Rosh Hashana:

Friday evening, 9/11: Erev Rosh Hashana, 6:00 PM

Saturday, 9/12: First day of Rosh Hashana, 9:00 AM. A milkhig kiddush will follow the conclusion of services for those who register in advance for the meal (1:30-ish).

Sunday, 9/13: Second day of Rosh Hashana, 9:00 AM. A fleishig kiddush will follow the conclusion of services for those who register in advance for the meal (1:30-ish).

Yom Kippur:

Sunday night, 9/21: Kol Nidre begins at 6 PM sharp.

Monday, 9/22: Yom Kippur shacharit, Torah, and musaf services begin at 9:00 AM. After a break (~2:00 PM), mincha will begin at 4:30 PM and neilah at 6 PM, followed by a very light break-fast.

This schedule can also be found on our website.

Things you need to know or may have questions about:

Political Symbols and Attire

The Gabbai team requests that those joining us for the High Holidays consider not wear visible political symbols or clothing. This is a request, and one we hope attendees will give serious consideration. It is not a policy. If you would like to speak with a gabbai about our request, please do not hesitate to reach out to us individually or to the gabbaim in general.

Accessibility: Physical and Financial

Physical access to, in, and around the Water Building

The Ohel Minyan's High Holiday services will be held in the Water Building garage on the CBI campus. The room is on street level and has a concrete floor. The entrance has a 1-inch lip off of a paved (but bumpy) driveway.

Moveable folding chairs will be set up indoors and outdoors. If folding chairs like these don't work well for your body, please feel free to bring your own clearly labeled chair. Please contact Eli Molitors Bergman by the end of the day on Thursday, September 3 (for Rosh Hashana) and/or the end of the day on Monday, September 14 (for Yom Kippur) so we can set aside space. There will be a masked-only section adjacent to the open doorway.

The bathrooms in the Water Building are found up a short flight of stairs. To access an ADA bathroom without stairs in the main CBI building, attendees can cross the farm (grass, wood chip, and packed dirt paths) or take a longer paved route on (bumpy) sidewalk and the parking lot.

The Ohel Minyan is proudly intergenerational. We know that davening in Hebrew for several hours at a time can be a lot for anyone of any age. In addition to childcare for anyone ages 3-10 (see below), we also have a table with tea and snacks available outside for anyone who wants a break at any time during the day on Rosh Hashanah. In nice weather during any of the services, many people walk between Ohel and CBI to shmooze on the farm, climb on the playground, or sit at the outdoor tables next to the CBI sanctuary.

Parking and access

The small parking lot directly in front of the Water Building garage will be blocked off during services. There is ample parking available along Prospect Street for attendees who will be driving. 

If you or someone in your party needs accessible parking, or needs to be dropped off close to the Water Building entrance, we can temporarily unblock the parking lot. Submit a request by contacting Eli Molitors Bergman by the end of the day on Thursday, September 3 (for Rosh Hashana) and/or the end of the day on Monday, September 14 (for Yom Kippur).

Questions about access? If you have any questions about physical access at Ohel Minyan services, please email Eli Molitors Bergman

Financial access: NOTAFLOF* 

Registration for davening is essential for both security purposes and for our team of volunteers to prepare; however, there are multiple donation levels available in the registration form, including a donate-what-you-can option.

If you would like to attend a Rosh Hashanah meal but the cost is prohibitive for you, please reach out to Amy Meltzer at morahamy@yahoo.com before registering.

*No one turned away for lack of funds

Childcare

For safety reasons, all children need to be supervised by a caregiver while on the CBI campus. Childcare is available for children ages 3–10 years with advance sign-up through CBI. Space is limited. Register now to secure your space. Walk-in childcare requests cannot be accommodated. The cost is $40 per child, per session. Childcare will take place in one of the preschool classrooms at CBI. Childcare will be offered at the following times:

• First day of Rosh Hashana (September 12): 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
• Second day of Rosh Hashana (September 13): 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
• Kol Nidre (September 20): 6:00 – 8:00 PM
• Yom Kippur (September 21): 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Questions about the High Holidays? Email us.