We are so happy to have you celebrate the high holidays with us! Read about our meaningful, musical, family-oriented High Holiday season in Washington Jewish Week's recent article, "Adat Reyim Diversifies its High Holiday Offerings."
From our Interim Rabbi George Billinson: Eileen and I are thrilled to be a part of this amazing community and are so excited about the many wonderful things we will do together in the coming year. Wishing you all a Shanah Tovah U’metukah, a very happy, healthy, and sweet New Year!
From our President, Ava Epstein: The Epsteins wish all of our Congregation Adat Reyim friends a year of peace, camaraderie, community building and belonging in 5784! May we grow from strength to strength.
Members: This year we will not be requiring registration for services. Please join us for any or all services as you desire! There are no tickets; you will be checked in by name as you enter. Registration is required for some events (e.g. meals, babysitting). Visiting family of congregants may attend with you, and a donation is encouraged.
Non-members are welcome to attend. Please click here to make payment and register. We appreciate your support.
Take part in the services: We encourage adults and children to actively participate in our services. Please fill out THIS FORM so we can assign you and/or your child an honor at the services.
Yizkor: Here is the list of all of our remembrances. Here is a list of all those we have lost this year. Please feel free to add additional names of loved ones no longer with us by clicking here. Donations are encouraged.
Questions about some of the rituals or terms below? See our Glossary of High Holidays Terms. Let us know if you would like us to add something else.
***Our plans are evolving; please check back later for updates of events, times and registration links***
Please click here to Register for BABYSITTING
Please click here to see our list of our family-friendly High Holiday offerings
Rosh Hashanah
Friday, Sept. 15 - Erev Rosh Hashanah:
6:00 – 6:30 pm Special Program for Families with Rabbi Billinson
6:45 – 7:45 pm Outdoor Erev Rosh Hashanah service - Open to all in the community (No Zoom)
Saturday, Sept. 16 - Rosh Hashanah Day 1:
8:30 – 11:00 am Traditional service - High Holiday melodies and readings that lead us toward reflection and introspection with a Torah service. Time for Rabbi's sermon is TBD. (Sanctuary & Zoom)
8:30 am - 12:45 pm 2yrs - 5yrs babysitting, (Back classrooms) (Registration and payment required)
10:00 – 10:45 am 2nd – 5th grade service (Back classrooms)
10:00 – 10:45 am Preschool – 1st grade service (Back classrooms) (All preschool children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian)
11:15 am – 12:45 pm Spirit of Rosh Hashanah service - A fresh exploration of the Holiday liturgy and rituals that deepen our connection to the holidays. Communal singing led with instruments, thoughtful new readings, and an interactive Torah discussion. (Sanctuary & Zoom)
11:15 am - 12:45 pm Drop in activities for elementary-aged children, supervised by teens (Back classrooms)
Sunday, Sept. 17 - Rosh Hashanah Day 2:
9:30 am – 12:00 pm Traditional service (Sanctuary & Zoom)
9:30am - 12:00 pm 2yrs - 5yrs Babysitting, Back classrooms (Registration and payment required)
11:00 am – 12:00 pm New! Family Seder for Rosh Hashanah, featuring symbolic foods, blessings and wishes for the new year (Free but registration required - all welcome) (Back classrooms). Stay for shofar sounding in the main service and lunch (separate registration and payment required for lunch) Click here to Register for the Family Seder
12:00 – 1:00 pm Rosh Hashanah luncheon (Registration and payment required)
Click here to Register for Lunch
5:45 pm Taschlich, at Lake Accotink - river pebbles provided to cast away our sins. Bring your own shofar for communal sounding at this family favorite event. Click here for map and details.
Sunday, Sept. 24:
10:00 – 11:30 am Sukkot Arts & Crafts - Intergenerational activity to create joyous decorations for our Sukkah.
11:00 am Kever Avot Service at King David Memorial Gardens - Community-wide service honoring loved ones who have passed away. Includes participation by the Adat Reyim Choir.
Yom Kippur
Sunday, Sept. 24 - Erev Yom Kippur
6:30 – 8:00 pm Kol Nidre and Yom Kippur service (Sanctuary & Zoom) including string quartet and Adat Reyim Choir
Monday, Sept. 25 - Yom Kippur:
8:30 – 10:00 am Spirit of Yom Kippur service - A fresh exploration of the holiday liturgy and rituals that deepen our connection to the holidays. Communal singing led with instruments, thoughtful new readings, and an interactive Torah discussion. (Sanctuary & Zoom)
8:30 am - 1:30 pm 2yrs - 5yrs Babysitting, Back classrooms (Registration and payment required)
8:30 am - 10:00 am Drop-in supervised activities for elementary age children (back classrooms)
10:15 am – 1:00 pm Traditional service with Yizkor - High Holiday melodies and readings that lead us toward reflection and introspection, with a Torah service. Time for sermon and yizkor TBD. (Sanctuary & Zoom)
10:45 am – 11:30 am Drop-in activities for elementary age children, supervised by teens (back classrooms)
11:30 am - 12:15 pm 2nd - 5th grade service (Back classrooms)
11:30 am - 12:15 pm Preschool - 1st grade service (Back Classrooms) (All preschool children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian)
5:45 – 6:15 pm Teen Discussion (7th-12th grade) with the Rabbi (Back classrooms)
6:15 – 6:45 pm Haftarah reading (Story of Jonah) (Sanctuary & Zoom)
7:00 – 7:45 pm Neilah Concluding service (Sanctuary & Zoom)
7:45 pm Tekiah Gedolah Final shofar blowing - all shofar sounders welcome to participate
Sukkot
Friday, Sept. 29 - Erev Sukkot
7:00 – 8:00 pm Erev Sukkot service, Sanctuary & Zoom 
Saturday, Sept. 30 - Sukkot Day 1
9:30 am - 12:00 pm Traditional Sukkot Festival Morning service (Sanctuary & Zoom), followed by Lunch in the Sukkah (free but registration required for lunch) Please click here to Register for lunch
Sunday, Oct. 1 - Sukkot Day 2
9:30 – 11:00 am Intergenerational Celebration with prayers, songs, and stories, featuring a Lulav and Etrog parade around the sanctuary, followed by harvest treats in the sukkah (9:30-10:15 - activities in back classrooms for religious school K-4 students)
5:00 – 6:00 pm Teen event in the Sukkah featuring "Make Your Own Pizza in the Hut"
Wednesday, Oct. 4 - Sukkot Day 5
6:30 - 8:00 pm Wine & Cheese in the Sukkah & Wednesday Minyan service (Sukkah & Zoom)
Shmini Atzeret and Simchat Torah
Friday, Oct. 6 – Erev Shmini Atzeret
7:00 – 8:00 pm Erev Shabbat and Erev Shmini Atzeret service (Sanctuary & Zoom)
Saturday, Oct. 7 – Shmini Atzeret
9:30 - 11:30 am Shmini Atzeret Festival service, with Yizkor (Sanctuary & Zoom)
Saturday, Oct. 7 - Erev Simchat Torah
6:00 - 7:30 pm Simchat Torah Dance Party & Torah Fest - All Ages! Dance with with the Torah to Shir Reyim beat (Sanctuary, no Zoom)
Sunday, Oct. 8 - Simchat Torah
9:30 - 11:00 am Intergenerational celebration, including aliyot (honors) for everybody and a Torah roll-out scavenger hunt followed by sweet treats (Sanctuary, no Zoom) (9:30-10:15 - activities in back classrooms for religious school K-4 students)
