Holidays at Shir Hadash
Holidays at Shir Hadash
At Shir Hadash, we celebrate holidays with meaningful rituals and discussions as well as joy and laughter, music and food, and a strong sense of community togetherness. Whether you are already a member or are interested in learning more about our community, please join us!
For general information about Jewish holidays, visit our New to Judaism page. For details about upcoming services and specific events, visit our calendar.
Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur
Community members and congregants of all ages celebrate the High Holy Days through our thoughtful array of programming and services available for each age group. Our inclusive High Holy Day location includes an available crying room that is an option for nursing parents to be able to experience the music and sound of the services while caring for their little ones in a comfortable environment. Potty-trained children have on-site High Holy Day babysitting available, and school-age children as well as teens have engaging age-appropriate religious school activities specific to observing the High Holy Days.
We are saving a seat for you, and we welcome you to join us! All congregation members receive High Holy Day community passes with their membership, and community members are able to purchase a community pass and join us. We also offer special community pass access through temple reciprocity and young adult and military access programs, so please contact us for more information - we want our High Holy Day services to be accessible to you! Contact us to find out more.
Sukkot
During Sukkot, our Shir Hadash sukkah is a place for celebration, community, and friendship. This welcoming space reflects our diverse community, since member volunteers come together to construct our sukkah with donated branches, and students from our Religious School and Early Childhood Center decorate it with special crafts that they create.
In the sukkah, preschoolers read stories and sing songs, our community groups host special meals such as the Sisterhood Dinner in the Sukkah, and our younger members enjoy a youth sleepover in the sukkah as well. On alternating years, our members invite the community into their homes for gatherings in their own backyard sukkahs. Please join us in this special space! Check our calendar for more information.
Simchat Torah
This is one of our most joyful events of the entire year! Join us for our lively and special celebratory service for Simchat Torah as the premier Bay Area group, the Joel Nelson Band, leads us in music and dance as we carry the Torah scrolls around the sanctuary.
During Simchat Torah eve service we honor the congregation’s elders (those who have reached the biblically described age of three score and ten) and invite children to the bimah for a special aliyah. Get the details on the calendar and don’t miss this joyous celebration.
Our Simchat Torah day service also includes a Yizkor memorial service to honor and commemorate our loved ones. Find these additional service details on our calendar.
Hanukkah
For our special Hanukkah service, members of our community each bring their own menorah to illuminate the sanctuary with a warm holiday glow. Often our Junior Choir performs Hanukkah songs as part of the service. Sometimes for Hanukkah we hold a special family festival with crafts and games for children. Check our calendar for details.
Tu BiSh’vat
Tu BiSh’vat is the New Year of the Trees. In conjunction with the Temple’s Food Justice, we have held Tu BiSh’vat Seders which reinforce Judaism’s message of responsibility for our world. Check our calendar for more details on this year’s events.
Purim
Is your costume ready? At Shir Hadash, we celebrate Purim with costumes, carnivals, cookies, and comedy! As part of our Purim service, we perform a humorous play with a different theme each year. Past themes have included the Big Bang Theory and Star Wars--come find out what we have planned this year!
On the Sunday closest to the holiday, community members and congregants enjoy our yearly Purim carnival with games, food, costumes, circus performers, and more. Our Purim services and shpiel are always preceded by a Persian-themed dinner. Check our calendar and join us!
Love to bake? Or just love to enjoy delicious hamentaschen cookies? Check our calendar for this year’s information.
Passover
Do you know where you are celebrating Passover this year? If you are new to the area or would like help with finding a good match to join with others for Passover, please reach out to Rabbi Aron or call the temple office so that we can help you find a place to celebrate. Because the Passover Seder is traditionally celebrated with friends and family, we help individuals find guests or hosts for their Passover meals.
Shir Hadash also hosts a community Seder with a catered meal where everyone is welcome. Tickets can be purchased in advance. The community Seder has recently been held on the second night of Passover, but check our calendar for more information and details on ticket availability.
Shavuot
On the eve of Shavuot, Shir Hadash has a special service that is led in part by our tenth-grade students as they celebrate their confirmation year. When the holiday is on a weekend, we stay up all night studying Torah and eating dairy foods, and when it is on a weekday, we conclude our study at midnight with cheesecake. Check our calendar for more information.