High Holidays 2011/5772
Havurah on The Hill, in collaboration with the Synagogue Council of Massachusetts, is offering High Holidays services at the historic Vilna Shul on Beacon Hill in Boston. Services will be led by Sara Meirowitz, a rabbinical student at Hebrew College. Last year, we had a wonderful turnout from our community and we look forward to welcoming back those of you who attended last year as well as those of you who have never been to the Vilna Shul!
Havurah on the Hill is non-denominational, egalitarian and traditional. Services are conducted in Hebrew, intermixed with English readings. As part of our learning services mission, we provide explanations and teachings throughout. Services are community-led, with a variety of familiar melodies and tunes.
Tickets will be issued on a first come, first served basis, and only 300 tickets will be issued per Holiday. Please note this is a pre-paid event, and in order to be on the RSVP list, payment for this event is required by noon on Tuesday, September 27th.
RSVP (2-step process, Donate then Register):
Please use the donation table below to help support our High Holiday services.
Once you complete your donation through PayPal, you should be redirected back to our site where you must provide the requested information in order to complete your registration (if you are not automatically redirected, please click the provided link)
We will not be mailing out tickets, instead your name will be on the pre-paid ticket list at the door.The suggested donation for High Holidays tickets are as follows:
| Suggested Donations | Or Donate another amount | |
| Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur |
$125 per person | |
| Rosh Hashanah (all or part of) |
$75 per person | |
| Yom Kippur (all or part of) |
$75 per person |
We adhere to the Jewish tradition of not letting money be a barrier to community participation. If you honestly cannot afford the suggested amount, please send what you can afford. On the other hand, if you can afford to donate more, your generosity is greatly appreciated and will help pay for those who cannot.
High Holidays schedule is as follows:
Wednesday, September 28th - Erev Rosh Hashanah
Mincha/Maariv 6:30pm - 7:30pm
(no dinner following services)
Thursday, September 29th - Rosh Hashanah Day 1
Shacharit/Torah/Musaf 9:00am - 1:30pm
Kiddush following services
Friday, September 30th - Rosh Hashanah Day 2
Shacharit/Torah/Musaf 9:00am - 1:30pm
Kiddush Following Services
Tashlich - 5:30 pm (Meeting at the Vilna Shul then walking to the Charles River) followed by Shabbat services and Kiddush (Location TBD).
Friday, October 7th - Erev Yom Kippur
Kol Nidre 5:45pm sharp
Saturday, October 8th - Yom Kippur
Shacharit/Torah/Yizkor/Musaf 9:00am - 2:30pm
Mincha/Neila 5:00pm - 7:15pm
Community Shofar Blast to end Neila
Ma'ariv/Havdala/Break-Fast 7:17pm
Kosher community break-fast following services
Service Highlights:
Sara Meirowitz is a fourth-year student at Hebrew College Rabbinical School in Newton and a Wexner Graduate Fellow. She has led services and facilitated minyanim in Boston and Jerusalem communities for over 15 years. Sara is also a freelance editor, writer, and teacher who enjoys studying Midrash and Tefillah with students of all ages. A Boston-area native, Sara attended Yale University and studied and taught at the Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem. In her spare time, she loves to swim, read poetry, and cook soup.
Willing to Volunteer?
Services are highly participatory from our community. If you are interested in leading a part of the service, reading Torah and Haftorah, blowing the shofar, having an aliyah, speaking, or giving a D'var Torah commentary please contact us below. We need you!
We are also seeking volunteers to help with the non-ritual aspects, such as ushering, greeting at the door, and serving food. This is a great way to get involved, and also meet new friends. Please contact us if interested. Don’t be shy!
For non-ritual volunteer inquiries, please contact Howie at howie3k [at] mail.com.
For ritual volunteer inquiries, please contact Sue at suecgilbert [at] gmail.com.
For general questions, please contact Deborah at deb [at] vilnashul.org.
Please be prepared for additional security at this event. Your cooperation with security is expected and appreciated. To make the check-in process at the door quicker, please be advised:
- Your identification will be checked against the pre-paid ticket list.
- Please do not bring oversized bags, coats, or unnecessary carry-in items.
- There is no room for excess carry-in items in the seating area.
- All coats and bags must be left in the coat-room, and are not permitted in the sanctuary.
Directions and Parking:
The Vilna Shul is T accessible by the Charles/MGH station on the red line. Parking is available at the Charles River Plaza Garage on Cambridge St, near the Holiday Inn Select, at the intersection of Blossom St. (This is in the lower indoor garage - not the surface lot near Whole Foods). Discounts are available at the garage as per the following schedule:
- Erev Rosh Hashanah - $5 with validation
- Rosh Hashanah Day 1 - Full Price
- Rosh Hashanah Day 2 - Full Price
- Kol Nidre - Free with validation
- Yom Kippur - $5 with validation
