Rabbi Kopel Silberberg of the Chabad Jewish Center of Tamarac.

By Agrippina Fadel

Chabad Jewish Center of Tamarac is offering friendly and welcoming services for the High Holidays celebration.

Rabbi Kopel Silberberg said residents can absorb the experience at their own level, regardless of background, in a non-judgmental atmosphere. “Our services are designed to make everyone feel welcome and at home. The prayers are lively, engaging, inclusive, and spiced with explanations and stories.”

Rosh Hashanah Dinner

Held on Friday, September 15, at 7:30 p.m., the Rosh Hashanah dinner is $36 for adults and $12 for children, with sponsorships and donation options available.

The services begin at 6.45 p.m., followed by an elegant dinner. Kids can join a special children’s program in a side room during services with Rosh Hashanah-themed activities.

Rabbi Silberberg explained that Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, begins at sundown on Friday, September 15, and continues through nightfall on Sunday, September 17.

Meaning “head of the year,” he added that the two-day holiday commemorates the world’s creation and marks the beginning of the Days of Awe, a ten-day period of introspection and repentance that culminates in the Yom Kippur holiday.

The shofar, ram’s horn, is the central symbol of Rosh Hashanah, and synagogues blast the shofar every day for a month leading up to the holiday, culminating with a sequence of one hundred blasts during the Rosh Hashanah services.

This year, the first day of the holiday coincides with Shabbat, so the shofar will only be sounded on the second day due to the prohibition against sounding the shofar on Shabbat, said Rabbi Silberberg.

Shofar and Tashlich at the Park

In addition to the synagogue service, the center is hosting the “Shofar and Tashlich at the Park,” a short outdoor service that includes the primary observances of the holiday, activities, and treats for the kids.

“This is an annual tradition and a real crowd favorite. The service is open to all and will take place at Veteran Park on Sunday, September 17, at 5 p.m.,” Rabbi Silberberg said, adding that the park event lets the broader community join the central observance of Rosh Hashanah: the sounding of the shofar.

He explained that Tashlich is a practice rich in symbolic and mystical meaning. A brief prayer is recited near a body of water, preferably containing live fish, in which Jews express prayerful hope that their indiscretions would be cast into the depths of the sea and they would be granted a good and sweet new year filled with abundant blessings.

Yom Kippur

To celebrate Yom Kippur, Chabad is holding a candle lighting to commemorate the beginning of the fast on Sunday, September 24, at 6.57 p.m., followed by Kol Nidrei at 7 p.m.

On Monday, September 25, services start at 9.30 a.m., followed by the sermon and Yizkor service at 11.45 a.m., Mincha Service at 5.45 p.m., Neilah Service at 6.45 p.m., final shofar blowing at 7.48 p.m., and a break the fast buffet at 8 p.m.

“Our goal is to ensure that each and every Jewish person has access to the means to celebrate and usher in the New Year meaningfully and with joy,” said Goldy Silberberg, Co-Director of Chabad Jewish Center of Tamarac.

For more information about Chabad Jewish Center of Tamarac’s services or to reserve a space, visit Jewishtamarac.com or call 954-882-7434.

Chabad Jewish Center of Tamarac is located at 8100 N. University Drive.

Got News? Send it to Tamarac Talk. Don’t miss reading Margate Talk, Coral Springs Talk, Coconut Creek Talk, and Parkland Talk.

Author Profile

Agrippina Fadel

Agrippina Fadel grew up in Siberia and received her master's in journalism from Tyumen State University. Agrippina is also a writer and editor at Draftsy.net. She has been a US resident for over ten years and speaks English and Russian.