Kol Shalom

Jewish Holidays

  • Shabbat: The Sabbath or the day of rest. Beginning at sun down on Friday evening through Saturday night, concluding with Havdalah symbolizing the start of the work week. The symbols of Shabbat include challah, wine, and candles. In some communities, people do not drive or use electronics on Shabbat.
    • Click here to join our weekly virtual Kabalat Shabbat
    • Click here to view our in-person Shabbat Live Schedule and Family Shabbat Services
  • Rosh Hashanah: The Jewish New Year. It is symbolic that the Book of Life is opened on Rosh Hashana and closed on Yom Kippur. On Rosh Hashana we are commanded to hear the shofar’s blows. The days between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, people ask for forgiveness for when they might have wronged a family member or friend.
    • Click here for the High Holiday Service Schedule 5787
  • Yom Kippur: The Day of Atonement, the holiest day of the Jewish year. On Yom Kippur those over age thirteen will fast and refrain from water and work for 25 hours.
    • Click here for the High Holiday Service Schedule 5787
  • Sukkot: The festival of the Harvest. On Sukkot, it is customary to eat all of your meals and sleep in the Sukkah, a hut with three walls and partially open roof so you can see the stars. During the sukkot celebration, you shake the etrog and  lulav in a ritual celebration of the bounty.
  • Shemini Atzeret: The eighth and final day of Sukkot.
  • Simchat Torah: The celebration of completing another year of the Torah’s cycle and beginning again. The Torah scrolls are typically opened up and people dance in the center in celebration.
    • NEW  Young Family Service – Friday, October 2, 5:00pm
            Special service for Gan, KSTT and other families
    • Congregational Dinner (thanks to an anonymous sponsor) Friday, October 2, 5:45pm
            Reserve your dinner spot Here
    • Congregational Erev Simchat Torah Service   Friday, October 2, 7:00pm
           Join us for Maariv, Hakafot and Dancing with the Torah, featuring the Kol Shalom Band.
    • Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah Services (including Yizkor) – Saturday, October 3, 2026 at 9:15am
  • Chanukah: The festival of lights is celebrated for eight days. Chanukah means dedication, we celebrate the victory and rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem. Fried foods are especially popular during chanukkah including latkes, potato pancakes and sufganiyot, doughnuts.
    • Congregational Chanukah Party Saturday, December 5, 2026 at 4:30pm
  • Tu B’shevat: The Jewish New Year of the Trees. Many people will have a seder and plant trees.
    • Havdalah/Pajama party Saturday, January, 23 2027 at 6pm
  • Purim: Meaning Lots, on this Holiday we read the Book of Esther. Esther saved the Jewish people from an evil man named Haman. On Purim, many people get dressed up in costumes and consume alcohol. It is customary to use noisemakers or boo when Haman’s name is read. Many people also give gift baskets to their friends or donate to charity. Some people participate in the Fast of Esther the day before.
    • Purim Carnival, preschool Open House and Annual Purim Shpiel -Sunday, March 21, 2027
    • Purim Abridged Megillah Reading with shpiel songs, followed by dessert- March 22, 2027, 7:00pm
  • Pesach: Also known as Passover. Passover is an eight day holiday and includes two seders, religious meals. Pesach tells the story of Moses and the Israelites fleeing Egypt. During the Passover seder, the seder plate holds the symbols of the holiday expressing the Jewish people’s triumphs and sadness. During the eight days Jewish people are not supposed to eat leavened bread and instead have Matzah.
    • Interfaith Women’s Seder, Sunday, April 11, 2027 at 5:00pm
    • Pesach Service, Thursday April 22, 2027 at 9:15am
    • Pesach Service including Yizkor, April 28, 2027 at 9:15am
  • Yom Hashoah: Holocaust Remembrance Day. On Yom Hashoah, the Yahrzeit candles are in memory of the 6 million plus lives lost in the Holocaust. In Israel, a siren is blown and there is a two minute long national moment of silence.
    • May 4, 2027
  • Yom Ha’atzma’ut: Israel’s Independence Day. This holiday celebrates the formal founding of the modern state of Israel. It is popular to have community fairs and to eat falafel.
    • Yom Ha’atzma’ut and annual meeting Wednesday, May 12,  2027 Time TBA
  • Lag B’omer: The thirty-third day of the Omer. It is customary to celebrate by spending the day outside, dancing, and lighting a bonfire.
    • TBA
  • Shavuot: The day on which the Torah was given to the Jewish people on Mt. Sinai. Many people will stay up late studying Torah together. It is also customary to a have dairy meal or cheesecake. On Shavuot, we also read the Book of Ruth, the story of an interfaith Jewish family.
    • Tikkun Leil Shavuot – Thursday, June 10, 2027 at 6pm
    • Shavuot Service including Yizkor – Friday, June 11, 2027 at 9:15am
    • Shavuot Shabbat Services including Yizkor – Saturday, June 12, 2027 at 9:15am
  • Tisha B’av: This fasting holiday commemorates the destruction of the Temple and the resilience of the Jewish people.
    • Erev Tisha B’av Wednesday, August 11, 2027

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