The High Holidays are a special time at Congregation Beth Israel-Judea. Preparations begin with the cleaning of the special white Torah covers, rehearsals by the choir and the unpacking of the machzors (High Holiday prayer books) from their shelves. Of course, the spiritual preparations begin as well, with the Selichot night service.
There are many memorable moments in the New Year's and Yom Kippur services, from the beautiful music special to the holidays to the grand hakafah (encirclement), where the Rabbi, president and board members shake hands with the entire congregation; from the sound of shofars blown on the bimah with the young children of the congregation to the reading of the Torah by our teens.
On the High Holidays, the congregation uses the Hear Our Prayer machzor, which was written/edited by Rabbi Herbert Morris ZT"L.
Here is a selection from the Erev Rosh Hashanah service from Hear Our Prayer that offers a bit of Rabbi Morris' poetry:
My Synagogue is of the ages — but, for a little while, it is mine! It was my father's and his father's before him. In it he met and gave thanks to his God.
The Synagogue, with my help, will belong to my children and their children after them. The prayers may change and the melodies also, but for all generations God is One, the Creator of all, willing to bless men and women and all creation with love. That is the message and that is the glory of the Synagogue.
My Synagogue is a symbol. It speaks to me in my moments of gladness and meditation, it brings me some measure of comfort in time of sorrow.
My Synagogue judges my life by a higher standard and confronts my soul with honesty.
My Synagogue teaches me to be open and refuses to indulge my indifference to other men.
My Synagogue takes me beyond myself, causing me to reflect upon the history of my people.
My Synagogue takes me into myself — becomes the courtroom of my own life.
My Synagogue speaks each day of a newness, of an opportunity to begin again.
My Synagogue speaks of God.
In my Synagogue, I am never alone.
Copyright 1982 Herbert Morris.