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September 2023
Confession, Repentance, and the High Holidays
To American Jewish ears, confession can sound so .... Catholic. And yet, in Jewish law and spirituality, the practice of confessing your sins, or vidui, is indispensable to the process of personal change. Join Rabbi Kalmanofsky to explore the Yom Kippur confession liturgy and the themes it reflects. What experiences might confession awaken in us? How can it help us make teshuva, and turn towards becoming our best selves?
Find out more »Reverse Tashlich
Each year during Tashlich, we cast our "sins" into the Hudson River. Join us this year for the "6th Annual Reverse Tashlich," where we will do the opposite and remove debris from the Hudson River Greenway, along Riverside Park -- our own local shore line. Organized by Tikkun HaYam / Repair The Sea, Reverse Tashlich is an international initiative to raise awareness in the Jewish Community about threats facing the ocean and the aquatic environment, and our responsibility as Jews to be…
Find out more »Highlights from the Musical Machzor
Join Hazzan Hirschhorn for an evening of singing some of the greatest melodies from the upcoming High Holiday season and exploring the deeper meaning behind the ancient texts that inspired the music.
Find out more »September 2024
Entering the Gates of the High Holiday Season Through Melodies, with Hazzan Natasha Hirschhorn
Join Hazzan Hirschhorn for an evening of song and reflection, as the month of Elul begins. Let's open our hearts to the music of the season, rich with memories of years past and inspiration for reconnection with God, our community and our truest selves. RSVPs requested, walk-ins welcome.
Find out more »Jewish Daughters Poured Out Their Hearts Yiddish Women’s Prayers for Elul
Ashkenazi women traditionally had limited knowledge of Hebrew and were excluded from formal communal prayer and study. Still, they developed a rich array of texts and customs rooted in their vernacular: Yiddish. Please join us to study women's tkhines, "supplicatory prayers," particularly those for the month of Elul including the practice of measuring graves with wicks to make candles for Yom Kippur Eve. Taught by AC member Prof. Cecile Kuznitz, Bard College. Please enjoy communal Kiddush food, then join us in the Multipurpose…
Find out more »“Questions You’ll Be Asked in Heaven” with Rabbi Yael Hammerman
Elul is a month of self-reflection - a time to prepare yourself for the Yamim Noraim. But, what exactly should you reflect on? Join Rabbi Yael Hammerman in exploring the “Questions You’ll Be Asked in Heaven” - at least, according to the Talmud (Shabbat 31a). In truth, no one has ever come back to verify this... Nonetheless, we’ll look at what the rabbis proposed to get our minds, hearts and spirits warmed up for Tishrei. No Hebrew or Talmud skills…
Find out more »Time-Machine Teshuva, with Rabbi Jeremy Kalmanofsky
"The past is never dead," William Faulkner wrote. "It's not even past." OK, Faulker was probably not talking about Jewish concepts of penitence. But he could have been. One of our deepest teachings is that teshuva today today transforms both tomorrow and yesterday. Let's talk with sages through the ages to reflect on how reshaping the future reshapes the past. Please RSVP online. Walk-ins also welcome.
Find out more »Community Shabbat Dinner + “Who Knows One?” Live!
"Who Knows One?" is a hilarious live show that became a cultural hit in the Jewish community over the course of the pandemic, reuniting old friends and creating new ones with an innovative game that combines Six Degrees of Separation and Jewish Geography. This September, Micah Hart, the creator of "Who Knows One?" is bringing the experience to Ansche Chesed, over Shabbat dinner, with a new live, interactive version of the show. Come see how we're all connected to each other and share…
Find out more »Selichot Program: Addressing Agonizing Questions for Israel and America, with Prof. Moshe Halbertal
Moshe Halbertal teaches law and philosophy at Hebrew University and NYU. He is among the authors of the IDF Code of Conduct, and ranks among the deepest modern thinkers about Torah. With tefillot to follow: https://anschechesed.org/calendar-item/selichot-service/
Find out more »Selichot Service
Following our Selichot Program, please join Hazzan Hirschhorn, along with our long-time friends, AC member Mike Cohen on winds and percussionist Ronnen Itzik, for Selichot services, as we implore that God לשמוע אל הרינה ואל התפילה , “hear our prayer and praise,” and help us ready ourselves for this season of teshuva.
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