High Holiday Guide 2024/5785

We’re a couple weeks away from the start of the Jewish holiday season, so we’re bringing you TC Jewfolk’s comprehensive guide to high holiday services across the region and religious spectrum. No matter where you are or what kind of service you prefer, we’ve got your High Holidays hookup.

This year, Rosh Hashanah begins at nightfall on Wednesday, Oct. 2, and Yom Kippur begins at nightfall on Friday, Oct. 11. Be sure to contact your preferred place of worship in advance to reserve your spot, if necessary!

Reform

  • Bet Shalom Congregation in Minnetonka is a friendly, welcoming congregation focused on providing a vibrant place for Jewish families and friends to learn and grow in our community together. Join our Clergy, Staff, and Board of Trustees as we welcome 5785 together in a supportive and meaningful community. Please click here for the 5785-2024 schedule of services at Bet Shalom, and register for both in-person and online offerings. Come say shalom!  While there is no charge for tickets, we always appreciate voluntary donations of any amount which helps us continue to offer many programs to the community. Please contact Amber Brumbaugh, Director of Operations, for any questions at [email protected]
  • Mount Zion Temple – This year’s schedule for the High Holy Days continues to include some opportunities to gather online and in-person as one community. To see the full schedule, read our High Holy Day bulletin, and we will continue to add more details on our High Holy Day webpage. As in years past, guests are welcome to be part of our High Holy Day services and programs. Guests, please sign up here. We invite you to consider offering a free-will donation to Mount Zion. Members’ and guests’ contributions are what enable us to be the vibrant and welcoming Jewish spiritual home we strive to provide for our community. If you would like to learn more about our community, you are invited to attend our Open House for Unaffiliated Jews on Sunday, September 22, 11 a.m. Sign up in advance and receive complimentary High Holy Day tickets.
  • Shir Tikvah Congregation: Please check the High Holiday guide schedule or email the office to learn about our comprehensive programming and the many ways we’ll gather for High Holy Days 5785. We’ll do our best to provide inspiring, nourishing, joyous, transformative High Holy Days and hold the work of personal and communal t’shuvah– turning our hearts and our lives, and our communities towards greater wholeness, hope, and justice.
  • Temple Israel in Minneapolis welcomes all who want to celebrate and observe the High Holy Days. For more information, check Temple’s High Holiday information page or contact [email protected].

Conservative

  • Adath Jeshurun Congregation is a progressive, egalitarian and sacred community. Come as you are to Adath Jeshurun Congregation’s in-person or live-streamed services and leave transformed for the rest of the year. We warmly welcome you to egalitarian services and invite you to connect with us. For complete information on the High Holy Days at Adath, visit our website at or request a printed copy of our High Holy Day Guide. Let us welcome you by contacting Andrea Blumberg, at [email protected] or 952-545-2424. L’shanah Tovah from Adath.
  • Beth El Synagogue in St. Louis Park: We would love for you to join us for the High Holy Days – and the rest of the year, too! Beth El Synagogue is a warm and welcoming egalitarian and spiritual community, where Judaism is relevant and meaningful for all ages. This year, we are excited to offer a rich array of services and learning opportunities for all ages to enhance your High Holy Day experience! Services are accessible virtually via livestream as well. No tickets are needed, and all are welcome! Find our complete schedule of offerings on our High Holy Day Hub. Questions? Contact Liz Rappaport, our Associate Director, via E-mail at [email protected] or call 952-873-7314.
  • Beth Jacob Congregation in Mendota Heights is an egalitarian and participatory community where anyone and everyone is welcome. We have never had tickets for the high holidays and we welcome visitors. A shul Rosh Hashanah dinner and a Yom Kippur break the fast are just some of our high holiday offerings. See more about our programs and services in our High Holiday Schedule and Guide. Feel free to reach out at 651-452-2226 or [email protected] for more information and please let us know if you plan on visiting Beth Jacob for the holidays.
  • Sharei Chesed is offering in-person and online options for all services, The first day of Rosh Hashanah, 10 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 3; children’s service 11 a.m.-noon with Tashlich following the service. Second day of Rosh Hashanah, 10 a.m., Friday, Oct. 4. Shabbat-Shuvah, Saturday, Oct. 5 at 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 11, Kol Nidre, 7 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 12, Yom Kippur/Yizkor, 10 a.m.; children’s service 11 a.m.-noon Monday, Sept. 25. Mincha/Maariv/Neilah/Closing Service, 7:30 p.m. All services will be live streamed on the Sharei Chesed YouTube channel. For more information, email: [email protected].
  • Temple of Aaron of the Twin Cities. This year, we will provide services available live at Temple of Aaron and Livestreamed on our YouTube page. We will have exciting programs for young children, young families and adults alike. On the 1st Day of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur we will offer one main sanctuary service from 8:30 a.m.-noon. On the 2nd day, services will also be held from 8:30 am-noon in our main sanctuary including a creative 2nd-day musical service,  focused on “Take One Step More,” mixing both music from modernity and our liturgy. Our Clergy team of Rabbi Marcus Rubenstein, Rabbi Rachel Rubenstein, Cantor/Educator Joshua Fineblum, and Musician Coleen Dieker, along with Tom and Julia Bartsch have planned some exciting spiritual experiences for all to participate in. Our annual interactive and multi-generational Young Family Service will be led by Rabbi Rachel, Cantor/Educator Josh, and Musician Coleen Dieker. We will have a Pray & Play space for parents with our youngest children, youth programming with the nationally known Bible Players, and babysitting available throughout the holidays as well. If you are interested in joining us this year and have any questions, and for the most up-to-date information, please contact our Executive Director Ken Agranoff at [email protected] or 651-252-6406. If you would more information about our community and what we have to offer please follow us on YouTube, like us on Facebook, or check out our website. Shana Tovah!

Reform/Reconstructionist

  • Temple Israel (of Duluth) is affiliated with both the Reform and Reconstructionist movements. All are welcome to participate in our High Holiday services (as well as all other services and programs throughout the year). Our High Holiday service schedule for 2024 is as follows:
    Selichot service: Saturday, September 29 at 9:30 p.m. (preceded at 9 p.m. by dessert reception and Havdalah)
    Rosh Hashanah services:  Wednesday, Oct. 2 at 8 p.m.; Thursday, Oct. 3 at 10 a.m.; and Friday, October 4th at 10 a.m.
    Yom Kippur services: Friday, Oct. 11 at 8 p.m.(Kol Nidre); Saturday, Oct. 12 at 10 a.m. (Shacharit); 3:30 p.m. (Mincha, Avodah and Martyrology); 5:15 (Yizkor); 5:45 (Ne’ilah); 6:30 (Tekiah Gedolah and Community Break-the-Fast)
    Services will also be broadcast on Zoom. Please contact our office at [email protected] to obtain the link. Donations to defray our costs are welcome but not required. In particular, no donations are requested or expected from students from outside the Duluth area who are attending college in Duluth. For further information please call our office at 218-724-8857 or e-mail [email protected].

Orthodox/Traditional

  • Congregation Darchei Noam, a Modern Orthodox congregation in St. Louis Park, has a full schedule online for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services. Click here for the full schedule.
  • Chabad Greater St. Paul Celebrate the High Holidays among friends and connect with your inner self at Chabad of Greater St Paul. Services will be interspersed with explanations and page guidance. In short, you will feel at home. Discover more at our High Holiday mini-site.
  • Chabad Minneapolis, located in Minnetonka, offers welcoming and engaging High Holiday services that provide a meaningful and enjoyable experience for Jews of all backgrounds. Services incorporate explanations, insights, and page guidance, for an enjoyable user-friendly experience. With offerings like the Learner’s Service, Children’s Program, Shofar in the Park – there’s something for everyone. There is no cost, membership or affiliation necessary to attend, however, reservations are requested; click here to reserve. For more information, full schedule and to RSVP, visit the Chabad Minneapolis website. For any questions, contact [email protected] / 952-929-9922. Shanah Tovah, we’re looking forward to celebrating with you.
  • Chabad Maple Grove is conveniently located in Northern Plymouth. We are a warm and welcoming home for all Jews, regardless of affiliation or level of experience. Our services are designed to be both enjoyable and meaningful, accompanied by stories, inspiration, and melodies, with a friendly and personal atmosphere. For those who are unable to join synagogue services, we are also offering Shofar in the Park. All services are free of charge, RSVP is appreciated to help us plan properly. Full schedule here. For questions and more information, contact Rabbi Nissi at 612-520-1263 or email [email protected].

Reconstructionist

  • Mayim Rabim Congregation is a warm and eclectic Jewish Reconstructionist community in South Minneapolis; we meet at the Friends Meeting House in the Linden Hills neighborhood at 44th & York Ave S. You are welcome to join us for any of our services and activities throughout the year and can check our schedule online. High Holiday Services will be led by Rabbi Stiefel and congregants in person as well as on Zoom. Email us at [email protected] for the Zoom links. For Rosh Hashanah, we will gather on Wednesday, Oct. 2, from 6-7 p.m., and again on Thursday, Oct. 3 from 9:30 a.m.-noon, followed by a free light catered lunch. Visitors are encouraged to bring nonperishable food donations on Rosh Hashanah, which will be donated to STEP. Services for the second day of Rosh Hashanah will be Friday, Oct. 4, from 10 a.m.-noon. On Thursday, Oct. 3 at 4 p.m., we will meet for the Tashlich (casting off sins) ritual, in person, weather permitting. Contact the office for location. Yom Kippur begins on Friday, October 11 with Kol Nidre from 6-8 PM. Saturday, October 12 includes services 10 a.m.-1 p.m, Yizkor at 4:15, a 4:45 study session (The Book of Dove: the Wild Weirdness of Jonah), and a 5:45 p.m. closing service ending at 7:16 p.m., with one last long blast of the Shofar and a dairy potluck break-fast meal. You can find registration information and make a donation on our website, but everyone is welcome, regardless of ability to pay. Questions, call the office at 612-247-5490 or email [email protected]. Shanah Tovah!

Humanistic Judaism

  • Or Emet, the Minnesota Congregation for Humanistic Judaism, is celebrating this year’s High Holidays with services in person, as well as the option to participate in programming online. Or Emet invites everyone to share in our High Holiday services. We are a secular congregation celebrating and honoring Jewish culture, history and values from a humanistic, inclusive perspective. You can join us for Rosh Hashanah, Tashlich, Kol Nidre or Yom Kippur services, emphasizing the history and culture of the Jewish people and the values of each celebration. The following programs will be led by Or Emet’s Rabbi Eva Cohen: Erev Rosh Hashanah: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 2, in person at the Minnesota JCC Sabes Center Minneapolis and virtual (register here for virtual); Tashlich: 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 3, (email [email protected] for details); Kol Nidre: 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11, in person at the Minnesota JCC Sabes Center Minneapolis and virtual (register here for virtual); Yom Kippur: 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, in person at the Minnesota JCC Sabes Center Minneapolis and virtual (register here for virtual). Following the Yom Kippur service, a break-fast meal will be served outdoors (indoors for bad weather) on JCC grounds. (email [email protected] for details). For Humanistic Jews, the High Holidays are a time to reflect on the relationship of the universe to human need and desire. We assess our behavior during the past year and affirm the possibilities for change, improvement and happiness. The High Holidays open the Jewish year with the most important message of Jewish history: human dignity is not a gift of destiny; it is a human achievement, requiring courage and self-reliance. In keeping with High Holiday tradition, Or Emet welcomes nonperishable donations at all services. For more information about Or Emet’s High Holiday services, email [email protected]. For general information about Or Emet, email [email protected] or visit oremet.org.

Other/Independent

  • Minnesota Hillel is your college campus Jewish Student Center, serving 400+ students at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities and beyond. We work to enrich the lives of students so they may enrich the Jewish people and the greater community. Through our 6 Programmatic Pillars: Shabbat & Holidays, Jewish Learning, Social Action, Leadership Development, Israel, & Social Experiences, we hope to inspire every student to make an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning, and Israel. All High Holiday offerings will be held in the chapel of the Minnesota Hillel building on the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities campus. You can find the complete list with details here, please check them out! All services and meals are free for students, please RSVP here! For community members, an $18 donation is appreciated to help cover the cost of meals, staff, and clergy, no registration required. Questions? Contact Polly Lehman, Director of Jewish Student Life, via email at [email protected].
  • YourJewish is entering its second year as a Jewish non-profit organization in the Twin Cities. Our mission is to provide creative and meaningful Jewish experiences for those who are unengaged or under-engaged in Jewish life. We are offering two High Holy Day experiences this year. Rosh Hashanah at the Arboretum on Oct 3rd at 10am is an integrated hands-on experience for families, including beekeeping and apple harvesting workshops, as well as a brief worship service. A New Sound of Kol Nidre on Oct 11 at 7pm at Westwood Nature Center provides a spiritual exploration of the themes of the High Holy Days through an interweaving of traditional liturgy and contemporary music. This experience is for those who love music but struggle to connect to worship services and are looking for an alternative way of connecting to Jewish liturgy this Yom Kippur. Learn more and register at yourjewish.org/events! 
  • PJ Library has a new PJ Library guide that explores ways for your family to celebrate the three-week Jewish holiday season that begins with Rosh Hashanah. Anyone can download the guide in English, Portuguese, Russian or Spanish. Physical copies can be purchased on Amazon.

Looking for even more High Holiday-related events? Check out our year-round holiday guide for pre-holiday learning, Selichot, and more!

Note: If you’re a community leader and would like to be added to this listing, please email [email protected] with the information and any relevant links.