A Message from Rabbi Alan Green
Is God Still Relevant To Life In The 21st Century
Dr. Abraham Joshua Heschel once wrote, “God is of no importance unless He is of supreme importance.” Why did Dr. Heschel feel this way? Having come of age in the early 20th century, and escaping from Poland just six weeks before the Nazi invasion in 1939, Heschel was eyewitness to the waning of belief in God in the West, and its horrific consequences in the form of Nazi Germany and Stalinist Russia.
The shadow of the Holocaust continues to haunt us to this day. As a result, it’s difficult for many of us to believe in a God Who would countenance the death of six million innocents, murdered for no reason other than that they were Jews. Moreover, many people would argue that belief in God has had—and continues to have—horrific consequences. When we look at the history of the Catholic Church, and the violence perpetrated by Muslim extremists today, it’s difficult to refute this line of reasoning.
Hence, the theme of this year’s High Holy Days at Shaarey Zedek: “Is God Still Relevant to Life in the 21st Century?” It isn’t possible for me to do justice to this issue in this brief space. However, I would urge you to attend our High Holy Day services this year, if you’re interested in hearing a more complete response.
May the New Year of 5776 bring all of us to a deeper understanding of the reality of God and greater moral and spiritual clarity to all of mankind everywhere.
Rabbi Alan Green,
Senior Rabbi
Congregation Shaarey Zedek
To purchase tickets, please contact Rose Mathews at 204-975-3481 or [email protected]
Additional information about services including pricing is available by clicking here.
NEW Rush Seating
Shaarey Zedek is pleased to offer a new Rush Seating option for $75 in the Auditorium during second service. Call to book your tickets – 204-975-3481.
NEW Family Interactive Musical and Visual Arts Program
for Families with Children Ages 10 and Under
This Yom Tov, families have two new exciting options to celebrate the High Holy Days. Family Service has evolved into two separate programs this year being held each day of Rosh Hashanah and on Yom Kippur in both the morning and afternoon.
Our Chazzan Shlisheet and Program Director, Leslie Emery, returns and will lead an interactive Musical Program featuring storytelling and singing in the Upper Lounge.
We also welcome Nancy Margolis, Gray Academy of Jewish Education Visual Arts Specialist for Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12, who will lead a Visual Arts Program in the Lower Lounge with interactive activities including crafts, edible creations, and storytelling.
Both programs are interlaced with High Holy Day and Judaic themes and will take place simultaneously, allowing kids to choose which they would like to attend each day. The price is just $36 per child for all three days.
Parents and grandparents with tickets to the Sanctuary service may join the kids at no charge and without having to pre-register. Just show up, choose a program, and enjoy!
For more information about the Family Musical and Visual Arts programs, please click here.
Sanctuary Service
Erev Rosh Hashanah
Contemporary Service featuring Chazzan Aníbal Mass and the Dor Chadash Youth Choir with Keyboard Accompaniment
Sunday, September 13 at 6:00 PM
Here, the journey begins. In this service, we hear the High Holy Day Nusach (musical template) for the first time. This same Nusach has inspired generations of our Babas and Zaidies, down to today. It is a call to begin the ten-day process through which we examine our lives through the lens of a greater moral clarity. The contemporary setting of this service is a great way to initiate the process of introspection. No tickets are required to attend this service.
Rosh Hashanah
Traditional Service featuring Rabbi Alan Green, Chazzan Aníbal Mass, Chazzan Sheini Matthew Leibl, Maestro Yuri Klaz and Choir
Monday, September 14 and Tuesday, September 15
First Service at 8:30 AM and Second Service at 1:00 PM
Over the course of the next two days we will experience the great prayers of the liturgy, set to choral music with which we have been familiar for a very long time. We will hear a wonderful mix of some of the more contemporary Jewish choral music which has become popular in recent years. Combined with the stimulating sermons and commentaries of Rabbi Green, the process of making changes and blazing new trails in one’s life will be gently fostered for the whole community.
Kol Nidre
Traditional Service featuring Rabbi Alan Green, Chazzan Aníbal Mass, Maestro Yuri Klaz and the Choir
Tuesday, September 22
First Service at 5:45 PM and Second Service at 8:45 PM
Kol Nidre is often called the holiest night of the Jewish year. On Kol Nidre, we feel the way the Baal Shem Tov must have felt when he said, “Know that God’s Presence is with you—that you are looking directly at your Creator, and your Creator is looking directly at you. Know that the Creator can do all that He desires: that in an instant, He could destroy all worlds, and in an instant, renew them. In Him are rooted all powers, both good and harmful. His flowing life is everywhere. Only Him do I trust! Only Him do I fear!” Once again, prior to the beginning of the service, and in accordance with the rare mood of the Yom Kippur holiday, we will be treated to a special performance of the Kol Nidre prayer by leading instrumental soloists from the Winnipeg musical community.
Yom Kippur
Traditional Service featuring Rabbi Alan Green, Chazzan Aníbal Mass, Chazzan Sheini Matthew Leibl, Maestro Yuri Klaz and Choir
Wednesday, September 23
First Service at 8:30 AM, Second Service at 1:30 PM
We began Kol Nidre by “looking directly at our Creator, and our Creator at us.” It is when we reach this high degree of transparency that we can engage in real spiritual work, letting go of the painful baggage of the past, and growing towards true spiritual attainment. Many of our problems spring directly from the illusion that we can hide from our Creator, and from each other. Every moment of Yom Kippur we can address the question God addressed to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden: “Where are you?” We can hope by the time of the Ne’ilah Service, when we are all invited to stand and pray before the open Aron Ha-Kodesh, that we will be able to answer this question with a whole heart and a clear conscience.
To purchase tickets, please contact Rose Mathews at 204-975-3481 or [email protected]
Additional information about services including pricing is available by clicking here.
Shanah Tovah!
Congregation Shaarey Zedek
561 Wellington Crescent
Winnipeg, MB R3M 0A6
T 204-452-3711
F 204-474-1184
www.szwinnipeg.ca
[email protected]
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