Tifereth Israel Congregation

Notes from the Rabbi
by Rabbi Seidel

High Holidays Family Service for Children

We’re going to try something new this year at the High Holidays, in particular with our programming for children.  In past years, we have divided up the kids into many different classes, and found leaders for each age group.  It sounds like a workable plan, but the problem has always been finding energetic, creative, and knowledgeable staff for these many groups.  These groups ended up having some interesting discussions, but the students rarely had even a mini-service with any resemblance to the main services.

This year, we have a different plan.  On the first day of Rosh HaShanah and on the morning of Yom Kippur, I’m planning to lead a family service for children in grades 1 through 4 and their parents.  It won’t be a long service – just one hour, from 9AM to 10AM - but it will contain many of the highlights of the traditional liturgy.  In addition, I will be telling a few stories, and teaching tunes, and even answering questions from your children.  After this service, the expectation will be that parents will attend their service of choice – upstairs or downstairs – and all grade-school children in grades 1 through 4 will join their parents in whichever service – upstairs or downstairs – their parents prefer. Children will be taken care of by staff who will do holiday and age appropriate games, crafts, readings and discussions.

For our pre-Bar/Bat Mitzvah children in 5th through 7th grade, we will not be holding special services.  They will be joining their parents in the upstairs or downstairs service.  We will provide staff to lead holiday and age appropriate activities for these children beginning when the drash starts, as many of them may not be ready to stay in services for quite as long as their parents want to.

For the youngest set, there will also be a Tot Shabbat style service led by congregants.  The details of this service – which days, and at what time of day – have yet to be determined, but they will not conflict with this family service.  There will continue to be babysitting for 18 month to 5 year olds during the time when there is no Tot High Holiday Service. I expect the details of both these services will be spelled out in the regular mailing you will get from the office this summer.

I’m looking forward to this new challenge.  We have a number of congregants who lead family services professionally in other congregations around the country, and I will be consulting with them to get ideas.  But I’m also interested in your thoughts.  If you have a child in the 1st to 4th grade age bracket, please let me know what you might be looking for in such a family service.  And, of course, after the High Holidays, I also look forward to your evaluations of this new plan.

I hope you all have a wonderful summer, and I look forward to seeing you during the Days of Awe, if not before. 

Rabbi Seidel