A Season of Renewal - 9/11/25

We just celebrated the full moon, which tells us that Rosh Hashanah is only two weeks away. Judaism follows the rhythm of the moon, and each new month begins with the first faint sliver of a new moon. That is how we know Rosh Hashanah is near—the start of the month of Tishrei.

This turning of the calendar is always an important time for us as Jews. It asks us to look back on the year that has passed, to be honest about where we fell short, and to think about what we hope to do differently in the year ahead. It is also a time of gathering, when we come together as a community to pray, reflect, and support one another in beginning again.

Our journey into the High Holidays begins with Selichot on Saturday evening, September 13. Selichot opens the season of reflection. Traditionally, some communities hold it at midnight, symbolizing that when the night is darkest, we are already on our way toward the light of renewal. At Beth Hillel Temple, our Adult Engagement Committee has planned a special program for Selichot this year. We will watch The Tenth Man, a film by Daniel Burman and Kino Lorber, which explores the complexity of human relationships—a theme central to the High Holidays. After the film, we’ll share a brief service with the Selichot prayers that set us on this path.

This year’s High Holiday service schedule and framework will be much like years past in the tradition of Beth Hillel Temple. One change is that there will be no musical accompaniment. Some of the melodies I bring may be new, but the prayers and page numbers will remain the same. I am especially excited for our Family Services on September 23 and October 2 at 9:00 a.m. and for Tashlich on September 23. As an outdoor enthusiast, tashlich is one of my favorite services, and we are so fortunate to be on Lake Michigan for this reflective experience of “casting of sins” represented by bread crumbs. 

For our Family Services, if you know families who are looking for a High Holiday experience this year, please encourage them to attend. It is an important way to introduce families to our community and a vital feeder for our Beit Sefer and for the congregation as a whole. 

My hope is that together we will find the right balance: honoring tradition, offering the steadiness of what we know, and creating space for new beginnings as we enter this season together as rabbi and congregation.

As we approach these sacred days, I look forward to seeing many of you in the sanctuary. May this season give us space for reflection, courage for change, and the strength that comes from walking into a new year side by side.

-Rabbi Hannah Wallick