High Holydays 2025 ~ 5786
Welcome to High Holydays with Beit Ahavah
עֵץ חַיִּים הִיא
Eitz Chayim Hee – We are all part of the Tree of Life
in-person or with Zoom livestream. 
Resources and volunteer sign-up sheets are below.
REGISTRATION is required (for in-person or virtual).
Your generous High Holyday contributions and Gifts of the Heart of all sizes are deeply appreciated so that Beit Ahavah can be sustained. New this year will be Sponsorship opportunities to enhance our holidays for everyone. Thank you in advance for your generosity. Updates, sign-ups virtual links and notes will be sent with confirmation after registration.
Holiday Resources, Yizkor Names, Rosh Hashanah Luncheon, Break-Fast Sign-Ups, Volunteering, Holy Shlepping, Giving, Mitzvot & Other Good Stuff. . .
High Holyday Giving
The holidays and an engaged and relevant synagogue like ours costs a lot to run, even on a cautious but creative budget. We cannot thrive without you. An orchard thrives with all things gathering together — like our earthy verdant “Forest Floor” categories of:
Button Mushroom (Student/Young Adult) – $36
Cremini Mushroom – $72
Portobello Mushroom – $180
Chanterelle Mushroom (The Shofar) – $360
Black Trumpet Mushroom (Horn of Plenty) – $613
Etrog Tree – $1800
Tree of Life (Eitz Chayim) – $3600
The Book of Life – $5786
We need all of your financial gifts to sustain us exist this year and beyond.
Beit Ahavah’s meaningful gatherings and events are open to all, but we can offer this because of every donation is a gift and heart-investment from each community member, guest or friend who makes it possible. Thank you now for your generous investment.
High Holydays Sponsorship Opportunities
Our High Holydays Committee at Beit Ahavah is diligently preparing for the upcoming High Holy Days with Rabbah Riqi. As you’re aware, these sacred occasions require additional resources to ensure that our services and experiences are meaningful, inspiring, and connected for everyone in our community.
This year, we are introducing a sponsorship model to help defray the significant costs associated with these important events and holidays. By sponsoring any of the opportunities listed below, you can play a crucial role in enhancing our High Holiday experience while supporting our vibrant and caring congregation and welcoming presence in the Valley. Your sponsorship will help us manage expenses more effectively, ensuring that we can continue to provide a high-quality experience for all.
You may choose an individual sponsorship, where you are the sole sponsor of a specific item, or a shared sponsorship with other family, community members, and friends. All sponsors will be recognized in HHD communications and honored at High Holydays events.
To become a sponsor, please visit here at zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/sponsor-the-high-holydays. If you would like to send in your sponsorship payment by check, please fill out and return the back of this sheet with payment by mail. For more information or questions, please contact our treasurer Nick Orsini at treasurer@beitahavah.org.
If one sponsorship category is fully funded, then additional funds will be used to cover other High Holyday experiences and costs.
Sponsorships
High Holyday Decorations & Communal Art
Shared: $18 / Individual: $500
Make this season festive and special in the new year for all our Beit Ahavah community with support for creative, natural and spiritual decorations and artistic expression opportunities to beautify the sanctuary and our sacred spaces at Bombyx.
Live Musicians/Cellist/Music
Shared: $100 / Individual: $700
Music enlivens our holiday services. Your contribution supports our musicians and developing new music in services.
Communal Food for High Holyday Volunteers
Shared: $50 / Individual: $500
Support our volunteer High Holyday volunteers by nurturing them with shared holiday meals during rehearsals, preparation and set up hours at the temple on the holiday.
Technical Support
Shared: $250 / Individual: $1,000
Support the integral and essential technical support that is needed to provide a hybrid experience and quality sound for all our members, service leaders and guests for inclusion throughout the Days of Awe.
Break the Fast Meal
Shared: $180 / Individual: $500
Your sponsorship helps cover the cost of our welcoming congregational gathering for breaking the fast and celebrating at the end of Yom Kippur.
Thank you for helping make our High Holydays a meaningful experience for everyone Beit Ahavah. Your generosity ensures that our community will have a meaningful and beautiful High Holydays.
Sponsorship Opportunities HERE!
Service Details
Mutli-access Services are planned: Holidays Services will be primarily held indoors in the beautiful Sanctuary; some events, childcare, discussions and meals will use the beautiful outdoor backyard (weather dependent) under the shade of the historic pines. A Zoom livestream (“Zanctuary“) is also offered. Zoom and livestream links will be emailed after registration. All services are a labor of LOVE ~ “AHAVAH.” Everyone is equally welcome and encouraged to make as meaningful a donation as you are able. There is no waiting list, standing room only or prioritizing members — we will be one welcoming community like our ancestors.
Family and Youth Services, Teen discussions and the Apples & Honey childcare space are available during services. All ages of youth are always welcome and encouraged in main services with their adults or to sit with their friends!
COVID Safety: Masks are optional but encouraged. Due to a surge in Covid cases, we ask that you please take a home Covid test before services if you are able. Extra tests will be available at the temple. The Rabbah and musicians do not usually wear a mask while leading. If you are feeling sick please stay home, feel better and join us virtually. Thank you for your support in keeping everyone healthy!
Please click to REGISTER for Beit Ahavah High Holydays Services
ROSH HASHANAH
Monday evening, Sept 22, 2025 – 1 Tishrei 5786
6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Erev Rosh Hashanah Evening Service led by Rabbah Riqi Kosovske with HHD Singers.
Apples & Honey Oneg reception to follow, with round challahs, apples & honey varieties to sample and other symbolic new year foods.
Tuesday, Sept 23, 2025 – 1 Tishrei 5786
9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Rosh Hashanah Morning Service led by Rabbah Riqi Kosovske with our harmonious celestrial singers.
9:30 to 10:15 a.m. Rosh Hashhanah Family Service led by Anna Sobel in the Peacock Room.
12:30 p.m. Rosh Hashanah Kiddush Luncheon celebration ~ all welcome (sign up sheet here for bringing vegetarian dishes)
3:00 p.m. Tashlich service at the Mill River, 60 Federal Street, Florence. Shofars, good dogs/pets, all ages welcome.
YOM KIPPUR
Wednesday evening, Oct 1, 2025 – 10 Tishrei 5786
6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Kol Nidrei Evening Service in the Sanctuary. Kol Nidrei will be chanted by musical community members, and played on strings by heartfelt musicians.
Thursday, October 2, 2025 – 10 Tishrei 5786
9:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. Yom Kippur Morning Service led by Rabbah Riqi Kosovske & our Singers, with participation by community members through poetry, sharing and Torah service.
9:30 a.m. Yom Kippur Family Service with renowned puppeteer Jewish educator Anna Sobel, especially for kids ages 0-13 and their parents and friends.
~11:15 a.m. Teen Discussion announced during Torah service
Afternoon Break with optional discussions from 1:30-4:15 p.m.
1:30 p.m. Nature Walk to Community Gardens
2:15 p.m. (TBA)
3:15 p.m. Tshuvah Listening Circle on Israel/Palestine and US in these Times.
4:00 p.m. (TBA or Yoga/Hebrew Letter Stretching)
4:30 – 5:15 p.m. Afternoon Renewal Healing Service with Personal Spiritual Journeys
5:30 – 6:30 p.m. Yizkor Remembrance Service with Names recited and video.
6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Ne’ilah Closing the Gates Service, Shofars & Havdalah ✨
7:30 p.m. Break Fast Catered, with Potluck Sides/ Desserts (all welcome).
Kids & Families Stuff:
Jewish Holidays for kids are like a true “festival” where youth and families can be part of everything, plus things especially geared to them.
Families, kids, babies and all are WELCOME in Beit Ahavah’s main High Holydays Services (evening and morning) led by Rabbah Riqi Kosovske with Singers, in the Sanctuary and wherever services occur, also live-streamed to Zoom.
The Apples & Honey Kids Tent/Room & Childcare (crafts, games, childcare) will be near the playground or indoors, run by staff and teens.
Family Services at 9:30 a.m. on RH and on YK — are led on Rosh Hashanah by renowned Jewish educator-puppeteer Anna Sobel with puppets, songs, drumming, movement, and prayers.
The start time sometimes overlaps with the other services — so that families are welcome to come in and out and enjoy both experiences (Rabbah Riqi fondly remembers being in both kid services and adult services, soaring in the music, as a child and she encourages it!).
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Unless otherwise notified, all services are scheduled to be held both in-person outdoors in the beautiful backyard and/or Sanctuary of Beit Ahavah (130 Pine Street, Florence, MA 01062) and livestreamed to Zoom. We will stay current on COVID safety and regulations if anything needs to change.
As always, everyone is truly welcome, and contributions – gifts of the heart – are strongly encouraged for our High Holyday services – we believe spiritual experiences should be accessible for all. However, for those who are able to give to help support Beit Ahavah and the costs of creating High Holyday experiences, we suggest a donation of $180-$360 or higher level if you are able or so moved for this High Holydays season. Thank you for nurturing Beit Ahavah community and these holidays!
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