Celebrate the High Holy Days
with Congregation Or Ami
“My house shall be called a house of prayer for all people.”
(Isaiah 56:7)
This year we will be offering High Holy Day services both in person* and via livestream on our Or Ami YouTube channel.
*Most services will be held at the Weinstein JCC (5403 Monument Avenue), except for our Rosh Hashanah Family Service (held at Or Ami – 9400 Huguenot Road).
Masks are recommended, but not required
for those attending in person.
Please consider making a donation to help cover the expenses of renting the JCC and producing the live streamed High Holy Day services.
Service Times Fall 2024 (5785)
Please note that the live stream will become available at the times listed below. If you visit the Or Ami YouTube page before the official starting times, you may need to refresh or reload the YouTube page in order to view the service. If you would like to view the services after the live stream has ended, you can find the services archived here. Thank you and Shanah Tovah!
Virtual Selichot
Saturday, September 28 – Late Night Service
Brief Selichot Service with Rabbi Ahuva
Longer Selichot Service from the Union of Reform Judaism
Rosh Hashanah
Wednesday, October 2 –7:30 pm Evening Service
Location: In person at the JCC
Thursday, October 3 –10:30 am Morning Service
Location: In person at the JCC
Thursday, October 3 – 4 pm Family Service
Location: In person at Or Ami
PDF of last year’s Family Service
You can also watch a recording of a past year’s Family Service here on YouTube.
Tashlich Services
Yom Kippur
Friday, October 11 –7:30 pm Evening Service (Kol Nidrei)
Location: In person at the JCC
Saturday, October 12 –10:30 am Morning Service
Location: In person at the JCC
Saturday, October 12 – 4 pm Jewish Meditation
Location: In person at the JCC (Senior Lounge)
Saturday, October 12 – 4 pm Family Service
Location: In person at the JCC (Sisisky Room)
You can also watch a recording of a past year’s Family Service here on YouTube.
PDF of Kids’ Yom Kippur Scavenger Hunt
Saturday, October 12 – 5 pm Afternoon, Yizkor, and Concluding Service
Location: In person at the JCC
PDF of the Afternoon/Yizkor/Neila Service
Click here to access PDF files of each High Holy Day Service.
If you miss the October 2nd deadline to submit names for the Yizkor list, you can add names of loved ones to the list found in the JCC lobby or in the comments on the YouTube video of the Yizkor service.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Do I need a ticket to attend Or Ami’s High Holy Day services?
There are no tickets or reservations required. You can simply show up 5-10 minutes before the service begins and find a seat. If you would like to sit with multiple family members and/or friends, we recommend that you arrive at least 15 minutes before the service begins and find your seats together. There are no seat or row reservations.
- How much does it cost to attend the High Holy Day services?
While most synagogues in America charge for High Holy Day tickets, we do not charge anything to attend our High Holy Day services. For over 40 years, Or Ami has been committed to ensuring that everyone who wishes to pray, reflect, and celebrate with us is able to do so regardless of financial circumstances.
At the same time, it does cost our community a significant amount of money each year to rent the JCC, hire a cantor and skilled pianist, print our services, and provide the paper goods for the Rosh Hashanah Onegs and Yom Kippur Break Fast. We greatly appreciate any and all donations that help us to defray these costs.
- Are children welcome at the High Holy Day Services?
We recommend that children age 10 and older attend the adult services with their families.
- Where are the services held?
All of our Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services are held at the JCC (5403 Monument Ave), except for the Rosh Hashanah Family Tashlich Service, which is held at Or Ami (9400 Huguenot Road) so we can do Tashlich together at the lake.
- Do you provide any special seating accommodations?
If you contact the Or Ami office in advance, we can arrange the seating at the JCC to accommodate wheelchairs and other special seating requirements. If you have back pain, you are welcome to bring your own special cushion to make the JCC’s folding chairs more comfortable.
- How do I make sure my loved one’s name is read aloud during the Yizkor service?
If you wish to remember loved ones who have passed away, you can contact the Or Ami office or fill out the online form to request that their names be added to this year’s Yizkor list. To be more environmentally friendly, this year we will be projecting the names on a screen instead of preparing books. While donations are not required for names to be read aloud during the service, please consider making a donation to Or Ami to honor your loved one’s memory. $18 for one name and $36 for more than one name is customary. Donations will help to defray the cost of hosting High Holy Days services at the Weinstein JCC for the entire Richmond community.
If you were not able to share a loved one’s information with us by the deadline, you can also add their name(s) to a paper list on one of the tables in the JCC hallway and the names will be read. Please be sure to write legibly.
- How can I help with the High Holy Day services?
There are many ways to help with our High Holy Day services. Volunteers can help with:
- Transporting our services, ark, Torah scrolls, and other important items from Or Ami to the JCC and back
- Setting up chairs for services and tables for the Onegs and Break Fast
- Providing food for the Onegs and Break Fast
- Cleaning up after the Onegs and Break Fast
- Greeting everyone as they arrive at the JCC for our services
- Reading Torah or Haftarah readings in Hebrew
- Reading a few prayers in English
- What sorts of food should I bring for the Community Break Fast?
At the conclusion of Yom Kippur, we have a community meal to break the fast. If you are an Or Ami member, you will receive an email from us with a Sign Up Genius link mentioning specific foods that we need such as honey cake for Rosh Hashanah and bagels for the Yom Kippur Break Fast.
- What are the best items to donate as part of the High Holy Day food drive?
Each year as part of our High Holy Day experience, we collect non-perishable foods to donate to vulnerable populations, such as children, families, and seniors living in poverty.
Our goal is to collect higher-nutrient foods, such as:
- Beans
- Peanut butter
- Low-sodium canned vegetables
- Low sugar cereals
- No sugar added fruits
- Unsalted nuts
- Brown rice
- Oat meal
- Shelf-stable milk
- Granola bars
- Where can I see a copy of the rabbi’s High Holy Day sermons?
Rabbi Ahuva usually posts the text of her High Holy Day sermons on Facebook later that day. You can also email the rabbi for an electronic copy to pass along to friends who may wish to read a particular sermon.