Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year celebration, begins Wednesday at sundown and runs to nightfall on Friday with services at West Hollywood congregations.
Rosh Hashanah, the beginning of the Jewish High Holy Days, is followed 10 days later by Yom Kippur, the “day of atonement.” The days in between are viewed as a chance for Jews to repent and ensure a good fate.
Traditionally, Jews gather in synagogues on Rosh Hashanah for services, which include prayers and the blowing of a shofar, or ram’s horn. Many traditional Rosh Hashanah foods, including apples and honey, raisin challah, honey cake and pomegranate, are eaten.
Below, see some of the synagogues holding services:
Hollywood Temple Beth El, at 1317 N. Crescent Heights Blvd. at Fountain, will have Wednesday through Friday services. The Wednesday service will be held at 8 p.m., with Thursday and Friday services at 9 a.m. All services will be held at Neman Hall on Crescent Heights.
Baba Sale Congregation, at 404 N. Fairfax Ave. at Oakwood, will have Rosh Hashanah services Wednesday through Friday. The recitation of Selichot, prayers for forgiveness and mercy, will be held at 5:30 a.m., Shacharit prayers at 6:30 a.m., Hatarat Nedarium prayers at 7:30 a.m. and the Rosh Hashanah service, with Mincha and Arvit prayers, at 6:30 p.m. Baba Sale Congregation will have services on Thursday at 8 a.m., 6 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. On Friday, the congregation will have services at 8 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. They will all be held at Baba Sale Congregation.
More information online.
Kol Ami, a reform synagogue with gay and lesbian outreach programs, will have services Wednesday through Friday, with the Friday service open to the general public. The Wednesday service will be held at 8 p.m. at the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center, located at 244 S. San Pedro St. in Los Angeles. The Thursday service will be held from 10 a.m. to noon at the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center. The Friday service will be held 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Kol Ami, located at 1200 N. La Brea Ave. at Rosewood.
A free service for the unaffiliated, put on by the Beth Shirah Congregation, will feature music, poetry, reflection and memorial candle lighting services, led by Cantor Estherleon Schwartz, at Plummer Park’s Great Hall at 7377 Santa Monica Blvd. between Fuller and Vista. Organizers are asking those attending to bring canned food to donate. The Wednesday service will be at 7:30 p.m. and Thursday at 10:30 p.m. No reservations (limited seating).
