Jewish New Year celebrations begin this weekend at two area synagogues.
Hollywood Temple Beth El, 1317 N. Crescent Heights Blvd. at Fountain, begins its Rosh Hashanah services on Sunday evening.
Services will be led by Rabbi Dr. Norbert Weinberg. He is accompanied in leading the services by Cantor Alexander Berkovich and Cantor Isaac Boudaie. Rabbi Weinberg has served at Hollywood Temple Beth El from 1990 to 1996 and returned to that position since 2013. He has officiated as a rabbi in Texas and Virginia and ran a center for Judaic Studies at Bet Berl College in Israel.
Cantor Berkovich had a successful operatic career in Russia and Europe. He began his training as a cantor while chanting at the St-Petersburg Choral Synagogue. He continued his training in Los Angeles and was ordained as Chazan by the Academy for Jewish Religion in Los Angeles. Cantor Berkovich is a popular cantorial and spiritual leader to the Russian community of Los Angeles.
Cantor Boudaie will be leading the Shaharit services, blending both Ashkenazi and Sefardi modes. He has chanted at services across Southern California for over 25 years, since he began the study of Hazanut at age of 19 under the late Cantor Alan Michelson.
Rosh Hashanah services are at 7 p.m. Sunday and 9 a.m. Monday and Tuesday. Information about services is available by calling (323) 656-3150 or emailing temple@htbel.org.
Congregation Kol Ami begins its celebration of the High Holy Days with Erev Rosh Hashanah at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center with an 8 p.m. service on Sunday. The Center is located at 244 S. San Pedro St. in Los Angeles. Other events at the Center are a morning service at 10 a.m. Monday and a family service at 10:30 a.m. Monday. Day two of Rosh Hashanah will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Kol Ami’s synagogue at 1200 N. La Brea Ave. north of Santa Monica. Tickets are available online at https://www.tfaforms.com/387281
“Our theme for this year’s High Holy Day services is ‘A New Voice Rising’,” said Rabbi Denise Eger. “The New Year is chance to realize a new you; stronger, better, more clear-headed, more joyous, poised succeed. As we take this opportunity to create our best selves, altogether we achieve a better, less broken, world.”
