High Holy Days
About High Holy Days with Kolot
Beyn Adam LaChavereh בֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרֶה
Showing Up for Each Other
As we approach these High Holy Days, we are invited to reflect on how we show up; to consider not only what we stand for, but with whom we stand. When the rabbis of the Talmud outlined these holy days, they considered what we are called to account for as we do the work of teshuva, or returning:
Beyn Adam LaMakom, the responsibilities between a person and God, represents a return to connection that feeds our souls;
Beyn Adam LaChavereh, the responsibilities between people, which the rabbis prioritize, is an obligation to listen and tend to the impacts we have on each other.
As we move through these Days of Awe, our call is to show up with solidarity and accountability to one another and to put that work at the forefront of our search for connection.
At Kolot, the High Holy Days are uplifting, spiritual, and full of connection, with empowering and healing drashes and beautiful musical offerings from clergy and community members alike. This year Cantor Lisa B. Segal will be joined by our new rabbi, Rabbi Sam Kates-Goldman, and our new student rabbi, Molly Schulman.
We are pleased to announce that we will be returning to Cornerstone Baptist Church for 5786; four of Kolot’s High Holy Day services (Erev Rosh HaShanah, Rosh HaShanah Day One, Kol Nidre, and Yom Kippur Day) will be held at the Cornerstone Baptist Church in Bed–Stuy, as well as live-streamed. (Rosh HaShanah Day Two services will be held in Prospect Park.)
If you have any questions, check out our FAQ.
Our Prospective Members’ Gathering has been rescheduled for Saturday, November 15th at 12:30 p.m. after services at the Church of Gethsemane.
Accessibility & Care for Each Other
Cornerstone Baptist Church is ADA-accessible. Parking spots are available free of charge for people with mobility issues, and Avodah volunteers will be available to assist.
As a justice-seeking organization, we value listening to people who are impacted by injustice, centering the most marginalized, and leaving no one behind. Our masking plan is intended to reconcile the access needs of those who are COVID-cautious with those who cannot mask for health reasons. Masking will be required while inside the Cornerstone Baptist Church, except for those who cannot mask for health reasons, who will have seating designated for them and masked family/friends in the front of the sanctuary. Clergy and those with roles on the bimah may also be unmasked.
For a full breakdown of our accessibility plan, see our Accessibility Memo. Please reach out to Interim Justice & Equity Organizer Jen Abrams at JenAbrams@kolotchayeinu.org to discuss any additional accessibility needs you may have.
All Hands Open Doors
Kolot’s High Holy Days services are pay-what-you-can, but keeping our doors open is only made possible by your contributions. We ask that you assess your own capacity to give. If you CAN support over the suggested levels, please do. Your gift will ensure that everyone can share in these Days of Awe.
We suggest donations of $360/person ($720/couple) for non-members, and $180/person ($360/couple) for dues-paying members. It takes all hands to open Kolot’s doors, so please give more if you can, less if you must.
Avodah - Volunteer
Avodah is the sacred work (avodat halev) required of everyone in our community (kehila) to make the High Holy Days run smoothly. We truly need all hands checking people in, helping people find their seats, caring for our little ones, and so much more.
We encourage all High Holy Days attendees ages 12+ to consider signing up to support the work of holding our services. Avodah is a wonderful way to meet and connect with the community and give back, whether or not you are a member. Kolot’s services are pay-what-you-can, so these roles are a crucial part of what enables us to provide inclusive High Holy Days.
High Holy Days 5786 Schedule
Click here to download our Schedule at a Glance PDF.
*in-person AND livestreamed
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At Park Slope Jewish Center
9:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. - Service*
Join synagogue communities across Brooklyn for a poetic and reflective service full of prayer, song, and study to prepare your heart, mind, and spirit for the Days of Awe. Learn more here.
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At Cornerstone Baptist Church
7:30-9:30 p.m. - Main Service*
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At Cornerstone Baptist Church
9:30 a.m. - Breakfast
10:00 a.m. - Childcare opens
10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. - Main Service*
2:00-3:00 p.m. - Youth and Family Service (ages 6 to 10) in the Sanctuary
The musical, interactive Youth and Family service is led by Ty Citerman and Amanda Miller, and is geared toward school-age youth. We welcome all families with younger children, though five and under must be accompanied by a responsible family member or adult. This will be a family-friendly space for all ages.
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In Prospect Park
10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. - Shofar Service and Tashlich Ritual Offering
This will be canceled in the event of inclement weather.
On Zoom
3:00 p.m. - Akedah Text Study with Rabbi Sam Kates-Goldman
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At Cornerstone Baptist Church
7:00-9:00 p.m. - Main Service*
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At Cornerstone Baptist Church
On Kol Nidre and Yom Kippur we invite you to engage in quiet conversation or contemplation to honor the holiness of this day, as well as foregoing leather if possible, and wearing clothing that helps you enter the day with intention.
10:00 a.m. - Childcare opens
10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. - Main Service*
1:15-1:45 p.m. - Immigrant/Refugee Working Group Information Session in the Overflow Room
לֹ֣א תַטֶּ֔ה מִשְׁפַּ֖ט גֵּ֣ר You shall not subvert the rights of the immigrant (Deuteronomy 24:17)
Learn more resources to take action to support immigrants in their fight for liberation.
1:30-2:30 p.m. - Youth and Family Service (ages 6 to 10) in the Sanctuary
The musical, interactive Youth and Family service is geared toward school-age youth. We welcome all families with younger children, though five and under must be accompanied by a responsible family member or adult. This will be a family-friendly space for all ages.
1:30-2:30 p.m. - Jonah Discussion with Student Rabbi Molly Schulman
3:00-4:45 p.m. - Quiet Reflection with Live Music in the Sanctuary
3:30 p.m. - Yizkor with Rabbis for Ceasefire in at Brooklyn Borough Hall
Let us gather in refusal and resistance. To say no to genocide, no to human-made famine, and no to the use of our tax dollars to bomb entire families. And let us gather in recommitment. To steady and care for one another, to fully feel our grief and challenge one another to act with creativity and courage, and to embody Judaism at its most liberatory, as we stand in loving solidarity with Palestinians and all oppressed people.
This Yom Kippur, though our grief, outrage, and despair, let us turn our most holy of holy days into a mass mourning, collective atonement, and dignified action.
Yizkor 5786/2025 – Rabbis for Ceasefire
5:00-7:30 p.m. - Yizkor / Neilah / Havdalah* in the Sanctuary, followed by break-fast potluck
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In Prospect Park
5:30-6:30 p.m. - Crafting for All Ages
6:15-6:45 p.m. - Meet & Greet the New Rabbinic Team
6:45-8:00 p.m. - Community Celebration with Clergy
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In Prospect Park
6:00-8:00 p.m.
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In Prospect Park
6:00-8:00 p.m.
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In Prospect Park
1:30-4:00 p.m. - Lunch
We are inviting anyone who identifies as being part of the queer community to join us for a potluck after services. It’s a mitzvah to gather under the branches, and we can’t wait to connect with new and familiar faces.
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In Prospect Park
7:00 p.m.
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In Prospect Park
10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. - Meet and Greet
Has spending the High Holy Days with Kolot gotten you interested in becoming a member? This is the event for you! Come to this gathering hosted by our Membership Engagement Committee to hear from clergy, staff, and current members about what membership at Kolot offers and to get any questions you may have answered.
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In-Person at Church of Gethsemane
6:30-8:00 p.m. - Service
Celebrate the beginning of a Torah cycle with us! There will be singing, dancing, Torah chanting, and live music, and we'll un-scroll the entire Torah! Afterward, join us — and other Jewish organizations/communities — for Simchat Torah Across Brooklyn in Grand Army Plaza.
Kolot's next chapter starts now—with you!
Make this the year you become a member and find your place in this vibrant, diverse and sacred community, our Kehila Kedosha, where all hands are needed. Our dues structure was created with inclusivity at the forefront of our minds: Anyone can be a member of Kolot, regardless of financial circumstances.