Steamboat’s Jewish congregation to observe High Holidays starting Sunday
The High Holidays — or High Holy Days — consist of many different celebrations, but the two main holidays are Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
Sunday, Sept. 25, is Erev Rosh Hashanah, or “eve of Rosh Hashanah,” the New Year of the Jewish calendar.
“We have the secular New Year on Jan. 1, which is more of a party, right?” said Kolby Morris-Dahary, rabbi at Har Mishpacha in Steamboat Springs. “Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is more about a new year for the spirit.”
Morris-Dahary said all are welcome to attend services, including the holidays.
The Jewish congregation of Har Mishpacha, which translates to “mountain family” meets in the Labyrinth Room in the Heart of Steamboat, a multi-faith facility on Oak Street.
Babysitting in the nursery at the Heart of Steamboat is offered for the main holiday services. This year Har Mishpacha will also offer family services in the mornings, which cater to parents with young children, before the main holiday services.
Attendees are asked to pre-register for High Holiday services at HarMishpacha.org, as attendance is expected to be higher than it’s been in recent years because of the de-escalation of the COVID pandemic.
“We just want to make sure that we best prepare ourselves,” said Morris-Dahary.
Services for Erev Rosh Hashanah start at 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25, and go until 7:30 p.m.
“The Jewish days work such that they start at sundown, and they end at sundown the next day,” said Morris-Dahary. “So, all of these holidays, they start on the evening before and then they go until the next evening.”
Family services will be offered from 8:30-9:30 a.m. Monday, Sept. 26, and the main Rosh Hashanah service goes from 10 a.m. until noon.
Rosh Hashanah is followed by the Ten Days of Repentance and culminates with Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, on Oct. 5 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
“Some people think Yom Kippur is a somber holiday, and it can be definitely, but according to the rabbis of our tradition, Yom Kippur is actually one of the most joyful days of the year,” Morris-Dahary said.
To reach Spencer Powell, call 970-871-4229 or email him at spowell@SteamboatPilot.com
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