The Charlotte Jewish News- September 2026- Page 22
Closer to the Mark
By Jonathan Shaw
The High Holidays. That time of year when we spend hour after hour sitting, standing, sitting again, and then standing once more before finally settling into our seats to hear an inspiring sermon. Children especially look forward to it, perhaps because it means a day away from school. The services are long, the choreography is familiar, and for someone attending for the first time, it can feel a little intimidating.
But do High Holiday services have to feel that way? Can they be both meaningful and approachable? Can centuries-old traditions inspire while also engaging everyone in the sanctuary? Many High Holiday services are carefully planned down to the minute. Every prayer, reading, and musical selection has its place, leaving little room for spontaneity. While thoughtful preparation is essential, that doesn’ t mean the experience has to feel scripted or distant.
At Temple Kol Ami, we embrace the beauty of the liturgy while allowing room for connection. Our service leaders have the freedom to engage with one another and with those gathered in worship. Children are invited to the bimah to help open the Ark, reminding them that these sacred moments belong to them as well. Our shofar blowers, who are sisters that grew up in the congregation, fill the sanctuary with a tekiah gedolah that seems to stretch beyond what anyone thought possible.
Walking into High Holiday services at Temple Kol Ami, you will leave spiritually renewed. There is comfort in knowing that Rabbi Aft and Cantor Mary will guide the congregation with warmth, wisdom, and authenticity. You don’ t simply sit and observe the service. Cantor Mary’ s beautiful voice draws you into it, while Rabbi Aft’ s teachings help you discover how ancient traditions continue to speak to our lives today. Together, they transform the High Holidays from something we attend into something we experience.
Why does that matter? Because the High Holidays ask each of us a deeply personal question: Did I hit the mark this year? Judaism teaches that sin is not simply about breaking rules, it is about missing the mark of who we can become. The season of teshuvah invites us to reflect honestly, seek forgiveness, and return to our best selves. That kind of honesty requires more than attendance. It requires entering a spiritual space where we can let down our defenses and be honest with ourselves, to one another, and to God.
When a service allows room for sincerity, spontaneity, and genuine conversation, it quietly communicates something important: this is a place without judgment. This is a sanctuary where you can come exactly as you are. A place where it is safe to acknowledge where you’ ve fallen short, celebrate how you’ ve grown, and consider where God is calling you next. The goal of the High Holidays is not perfection. It is to leave just a little closer to the mark than when we arrived. Coming to High Holiday services should be met with anticipation, not obligation. Gather with family and friends. Discover how you can grow in the year ahead. Allow yourself the opportunity to reflect, renew, and reconnect with your community, with your tradition, and with God. They are not a show we simply attend once a year. They are our spiritual life unfolding before us. Every prayer, every blast of the shofar, and every moment of reflection bring us one step closer to the mark. It is a journey of teshuvah that we never take alone.
Wherever you are on your Jewish journey, whether you attend every week, only on the High Holidays, or are simply looking for a place to reconnect, there is a place for you at Temple Kol Ami. We look forward to welcoming you and your family as we begin this sacred journey together.
As we begin a new year together, remember:“ It’ s not a show that we are attending; it is our spiritual life that we are living.” Shanah Tovah.
Temple Kol Ami is a Reform Jewish congregation formed in the spring of 2010 to answer the needs of a growing and diverse Jewish community in the greater York County area. We are a warm, caring and egalitarian community,
High Holidays at Chabad of Charlotte
By Rabbi Shlomo Cohen
For generations, Chabad of Charlotte and Congregation Ohr HaTorah have welcomed individuals and families to celebrate the High Holidays together.
Since the opening of the Chabad Center for Jewish Life in 2019, the community has had a beautiful home in which to celebrate Judaism while enjoying profound opportunities to learn, connect, and grow.
Providing a warm, welcoming and secure environment where everyone feels comfortable embracing Jewish life has always been at the heart of Chabad’ s mission.
The main High Holiday service will be melodious and uplifting, featuring traditional prayers interwoven with inspiring melodies. Throughout the service, Rabbi Yossi Groner will share brief insights that add meaning and relevance to the prayers.
Parents can participate in the service knowing their children are enjoying a supervised children’ s program filled with age-appropriate activities, games, and learning. Throughout the services, children will rejoin their families in the main sanctuary for special moments such as hearing the shofar, kissing the Torah, and other significant highlights.
This year, Chabad will also introduce a Young Family Service. While children participate in the kids’ program, parents seeking a shorter, more explanatory experience will join a service that includes the essential prayers leading up to the shofar service, with explanations designed to make the experience meaningful and accessible.
Following the Young Family Service, participants will join the main congregation for the Rabbi’ s sermon, after which their children will return to the
sanctuary to hear the sounding of the shofar together with their families.
Because the first day of Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat this year, the shofar will be sounded only on the second day of the holiday, Sunday, Sept. 13. Rosh Hashanah 2026 begins before sundown on Friday, Sept. 11, and concludes after nightfall on Sunday, Sept. 13. Yom Kippur begins before sundown on Sunday, Sept. 20, and ends after nightfall on Monday, Sept. 21.
In addition to our High Holiday services, Chabad will host a festive Rosh Hashanah dinner on the first night of the holiday, Friday, Sept. 11. Community members are invited to celebrate the New Year with a warm, spirited evening featuring a delicious holiday meal, meaningful traditions, and the opportunity to welcome the new year together. Reservation information will be available soon via email, social media, and at chabadnc. org.
Children participating in the Yom Kippur program will receive snacks throughout the day. Following the conclusion of the fast, the community is invited to a complimentary break-the-fast meal, generously sponsored by Edwin and Leslie Rusgo.
Chabad of Charlotte continues its long-standing High Holiday tradition of“ No tickets. No problem. No kidding.” Everyone is welcome and no one will be turned away, regardless of affiliation or their ability to pay.
To help ensure adequate seating, everyone is encouraged to register in advance at chabadnc. org. During registration, families can enroll their children in the age-appropriate children’ s program or select the Young Family Service.
Visit the website for the complete High Holiday schedule and to reserve seats for the Rosh Hashanah dinner.
cherishing tradition while yearning for expression in modernity. To learn more, email yorksynagogue @ gmail. com or visit templekolamisc. org.
Chabad of Charlotte exists to ensure the Jewish future of our community. Through authentic and loving educational and outreach programs, Chabad aims to touch and inspire every Jew in the Charlotte Metro Region. For more information, please visit www. chabadnc. org.