We are so excited to gather with you for High Holy Days 5786!

Locations

To help us ensure that our venues have ample space for all who want to participate, please register ASAP. We will share the event locations in late September with all registered participants.

Rosh Hashanah Tashlich + Kayaking Kol Nidre + Yom Kippur

Tuesday, September 23

Now in our TENTH year, Kesher Pittsburgh’s Rosh Hashanah will welcome 5786 with warmth, music, connection and celebration. Whether you are joining us for the first time, or you’ve been with us from the start, there is space for you in our circle.

  • 10:00am ET Musical Shacharit* (morning prayers), Torah service and Shofar blowing

  • 12:30pm Community Kiddush

  • 3:00pm - 4:15pm High Holidays of Hope at Squirrel Hill JCC packing care kits for Pittsburghers experiencing housing and food insecurity

Sunday, September 28

Kayaking and tashlich

  • 10:00am - 12:00pm Bagel Brunch, Kayaking, and Tashlich for people of all ages!

Wednesday, October 1

Kol Nidrei, the opening service on erev Yom Kippur, is intended to help us soften our hearts and open to the possibility of being transformed by teshuvah.

  • 7:30pm ET Kol Nidrei* candlelit gathering with a blend of traditional liturgy and heartfelt modern song

Thursday, October 2

Yom Kippur day will offer a variety of modalities through which we can reflect, connect, and make teshuvah (return).

  • 8:45am Embodied Practice

  • 10:00am - 12:30pm Kesher Pittsburgh Yom Kippur morning will include opportunities for reflection and teshuvah nested inside of a Kesher-style shacharit (morning) service. Options will include an adapted Seventh Generation program, a reflective walk along the river, and an activity intended for children ages 6-12.

  • 5:30pm ET Healing Mincha Yizkor Service* with music and poetry to support healing, whether for ourselves, our loved ones, or the state of the world

  • 6:30pm ET Ne’ilah and Havdallah*

*Events that will definitely have Zoom access are marked with an asterisk.  If you’re hoping for remote access to other events, please be in touch with us directly.  

Cost

Since Kesher Pittsburgh does not have membership fees, your financial support is critical to sustaining our community throughout the year. Your contribution not only enables the creation of our High Holiday gatherings, it ensures that we can continue to offer programming throughout the year.

This year, we are suggesting three different levels of minimum contribution for High Holiday attendance. This will help us to become more financially sustainable and also makes certain that no one is EVER turned away due to lack of funds.

Suggested High Holiday Contributions:

$360 per adult/$108 per child (with no upper limit!) — for folks with discretionary income, savings accounts, or inherited wealth

$108 per adult/$54 per child — for people on fixed incomes, without savings, or for whom $360 is prohibitive to attendance

$18 - $36 per person — community members with little to no monthly income or who would not otherwise be able to join us

If you have any questions about registration, ability to support KPGH with a monthly contribution, or cost-free registration, please don't hesitate to reach out to Brenna at brenna@kesherpittsburgh.org