Dear Friends,
I hope you’re having a meaningful start to your summer. We are thrilled to be immersed in our plans for our Fall 2026 High Holy Day services, which begin in early September.
This past Sunday, my son Elisha wrote to me from Auschwitz, where he is visiting with my grandson Lev and a group of teens and parents. Hearing the striking words, “I’m writing you from Auschwitz…” wasn’t the typical Father’s Day message. Yet, it served a powerful and profound reassurance: the next generation has ensured that history will never be forgotten.
We are the carriers of memory. We inherit the legacy of trauma, but we are not defined by it. Hitler and those who sought to erase the Jewish people did not succeed. We are still here. We continue to build, celebrate, teach, love, and hope. That, in itself, is a victory.
Next week, our nation commemorates 250 years of American independence. This historic milestone underscores a timeless truth: that liberty is a privilege we must actively protect and never take for granted. Freedom, dignity, acceptance, and justice are ideals that each generation inherits the responsibility to uphold.
May we honor the past without being imprisoned by it. May we never forget. And may we help build a future worthy of those who came before us—a future of freedom, compassion, and peace.
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel spoke of approaching the world with “radical amazement.” That is exactly what we seek to do through our joyous Jewish experiences. We look forward to gathering again in Santa Monica at the Annenberg Community Beach House, celebrating together at our synagogue by the ocean. We hope you will join us – live or online – for our joyous and meaning-filled Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services and urge you to tell others.
Saturday, September 12th, Rosh Hashanah morning, we will come together for services at 10:00 a.m. and then walk a few steps down to the beach, ending our service with Tashlich—casting breadcrumbs upon the water, symbolically releasing what we wish to leave behind.
On Sunday evening, September 20th we will gather for Kol Nidre, returning on Monday, September 21st for Yom Kippur services, followed by our afternoon discussion, concluding creative service, and one final blast of the shofar.
It’s never too early to reserve your place. To order tickets for in-person attendance or livestream participation, Tickets will be available on June 26th.
Looking forward to welcoming in the light of the Jewish New Year together.
B’shalom, Jan
