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High Holydays Family & Teen Programming

We have a wonderful team of service leaders, youth musicians and songleaders, and childcare professionals providing youth and family programming for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. On each holiday there will be two family services, one for children ages 5 and younger, and one for 1st-7th graders. We also have a teen program for our post-B'Mitzvah-aged members. For families with siblings spanning both family services, please pick the service that will best suit your family (siblings of any age are welcome at either family service)!

In order to ensure we have enough staff to provide childcare for all who need it, you must preregister kids and teens — you can register your kids here.

Childcare is provided after both the Shorashim (families with children 5 years old and younger) and the Family Service (families with children in 1st-7th grade), enabling parents to join the main service for the Torah service and Rabbi Toba's talk. Childcare will include a hardy snack and activities connected with High Holyday themes. On Yom Kippur, childcare will also be provided in the evening starting at Mincha. 

Please read on for details!

Yom Kippur

Kol Nidre

Sunday, September 24

Kol Nidre Children's Program
6:45-8:30 pm

Gann Academy

After hearing the chanting of Kol Nidre, children will be invited to a program led by Rabbi Emily Mathis connected to the themes of the holiday, followed by childcare. The children's program is geared toward children 8-years-old and older.
 

Yom Kippur Day

Monday, September 25

Yom Kippur Shorashim/Roots Service (ages 5 & younger)
10:00-10:45 am
Gann Academy

Families with children aged 0-5 are invited to join fabulous Rabbi Emily Mathis for an interactive Yom Kippur experience! 
 

Yom Kippur Family Service 
10:00-11:00 am
Gann Academy

Children grades 1-7 and their families are invited to for an interactive Yom Kippur Service. Education Director Earnest Arky Solomon will lead services along with CDT bands, youth tefilah (Jewish prayer) leaders, and songleader Ora Gladstone. There will be movement, song, stories, and opportunities to reflect on Yom Kippur themes.
Childcare will be available after the service and will conclude with kids joining adults in the main service for a story with Rabbi Toba. 

 

Yom Kippur Teen Program 
10:00-11:00 am
Gann Academy

Post-B'Mitzvah teens are invited to reconnect with their Dorshei Tzedek community at our Yom Kippur teen program. Join CDT educator and teen coordinator coco rosenberg to connect with other teens and explore how High Holyday themes connect to important issues in our lives and society.

High Holyday Leaders 5784

Rabbi Emily Mathis (she/her)
Shorashim and Kol Nidre Service Leader

Rabbi Emily Mathis has served communities across much of the Jewish spectrum, most recently in Cambridge and on Boston’s North Shore. Prior to her work in Jewish settings, Emily directed programming in the fields of environmental education, urban gardening and family literacy. In addition to her rabbinic work, she is a family herbalist, and can generally be found in the kitchen working on her next project and drinking coffee. She and her spouse, Hali Diecidue, live in West Newton with their three girls (22, 12, and 5.5) and one labradoodle.
 

Earnest Arky Solomon (he/they)
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur Family Service Leader

Earnest Arky Solomon is honored to be the Education Director and is eager to support CDT in creating inclusive, meaningful, and justice oriented Jewish learning opportunities. In addition to working at CDT, Earnest is a SVARA Teaching Kollel fellow, which equips trans and queer teachers to lead empowering Talmud learning communities. Earnest received an M.A. in Jewish Studies at the Graduate Theological Union and a B.A. in Near Eastern Studies at UC Berkeley. Earnest draws on his education to create learning experiences rooted in history, storytelling, cultural arts, and social justice. Prior to moving East, Earnest ran an outdoor Jewish religious school in the Oakland Redwoods and a Jewish farming program at URJ Camp Newman. Earnest is married to Emma Arky Solomon and they enjoy playing board games, studying Torah, spending time with their two cats, and working to build a more equitable world. 
 

Ora Gladstone (she/her)
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur Family Service Songleader

A member of CDT since (almost) it’s inception Ora is very active with Tikkun Olam initiatives and work related to recognizing and focusing on issues related to race and economic justice inequality. She was the assistant director of the Hillel at Brandeis for over 2 decades and spent another decade heading up an interfaith dialogue at MIT while teaching music and employed as the music therapist for the Waltham Schools. Her fully grown up kids are “graduates" of CDT and the family as a whole splits it’s alliance with Boston Workers Circle. She is delighted to be using her music skills again these yamim noraim working with Earnest on the High Holydays Family Service.


Hannah Limov (they/she)
First Day Rosh Hashanah Teen Program Leader and Second Day Rosh Hashanah Nature Service Leader

Hannah is deeply excited to be joining the CDT community for the High Holydays and throughout the year as the 5th grade Sunday teacher, 8th grade program leader. They are a first year rabbinical student at Hebrew College, having spent the past 8 years living and working in western North Carolina in a variety of social work positions and at various synagogues. She received her BA in Environmental Studies and Cultural Anthropology from the University of Colorado Boulder and their MSW from Western Carolina University. They believe that Judaism holds powerful wisdom for healing our hearts, minds, and the world;  and loves to adventure in the woods, dig their hands into soil tending to plant babies, sing off key with friends, and cuddle her extremely adorable and weird kitties Lily and Padfoot.


coco (corine) rosenberg (they/themme)
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur Teen Program leader

coco is thrilled to be joining the CDT community as the Youth Group Coordinator for 5783. An artist, educator, organizer, and care worker, coco is passionate about building joyful community, connecting with our creative selves, and following youth leadership as we build a more just world together. corine holds a B.A. from the University of Michigan in Social Theory and Practice, an Ed.M. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in Arts in Education, and is finishing their certification as a nurse aide. Beyond their work as an educator and organizer, coco loves sci-fi (especially Star Trek and Octavia Butler), foraging and herbalism, hiking, and building queer and disabled community ritual.

Rosh Hashanah

First Day Rosh Hashanah 

Saturday, September 16

Rosh Hashanah Shorashim/Roots Service (ages 5 & younger)
10:00-10:45 am
Gann Academy

Families with children aged 0-5 are invited to celebrate the birthday of the world with CDT member and educator Rabbi Emily Mathis!


Rosh Hashanah Family Service 
10:00-11:00 am
Gann Academy

Children grades 1-7 and their families are invited to an interactive Rosh Hashanah celebration. Education Director Earnest Arky Solomon will lead services along with CDT bands, youth tefilah (Jewish prayer) leaders, and songleader Ora Gladstone. There will be movement, song, stories, and opportunities to reflect on the new year. Childcare will be available after the service and will conclude with kids joining adults in the main service for a story with Rabbi Toba.
 

Rosh Hashanah Teen Program 
10:00-11:00 am
Gann Academy

Post-B'Mitzvah teens are invited to reconnect with their Dorshei Tzedek community at our Rosh Hashanah teen program. Join CDT educator/rabbinical student Hannah Limov (they/she) and teen coordinator coco rosenberg (they/themme) to connect with other teens and explore how High Holyday themes connect to important issues in our lives and society.
 

Second Day Rosh Hashanah

Sunday, September 17

Second Day Rosh Hashanah All-Ages Nature Walk Service
10:00-11:30 am
The Cove at Auburndale Cove*

All ages are invited to join CDT Educator and rabbinical student, Hannah Limov, for a Rosh Hashanah nature walk service. Rosh Hashanah celebrates the birthday of the world. We will gather at the beautiful Auburndale Cove and celebrate the earth through prayer, movement, mindfulness, and community building. This program will include the blowing of shofar and Tashlikh, when we cast off all of the obstacles to becoming our better selves.

***Location: Make sure to type in "The Cove" on West Pine St, Auburndale in your GPS to get to the correct part of the park; please park in the parking lot on West Pine Street. We will gather in the big field. Please wear walking shoes, and bug spray is also recommended.

Tue, October 3 2023 18 Tishrei 5784