Roosevelt Island Jewish Congregation And Chabad Lubavitch Of Roosevelt Island Yom Kippur Services September 22 And September 23 At The Cultural Center

The Jewish Holiday of Yom Kippur begins this evening September 22. According to History.com:

According to tradition, the first Yom Kippur took place after the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt and arrival at Mount Sinai, where God gave Moses the Ten Commandments. Descending from the mountain, Moses caught his people worshipping a golden calf and shattered the sacred tablets in anger. Because the Israelites atoned for their idolatry, God forgave their sins and offered Moses a second set of tablets.

... According to tradition, God judges all creatures during the 10 Days of Awe between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, deciding whether they will live or die in the coming year. Jewish law teaches that God inscribes the names of the righteous in the “book of life” and condemns the wicked to death on Rosh Hashanah; people who fall between the two categories have until Yom Kippur to perform “teshuvah,” or repentance. As a result, observant Jews consider Yom Kippur and the days leading up to it a time for prayer, good deeds, reflecting on past mistakes and making amends with others.

Yom Kippur is Judaism’s most sacred day of the year; it is sometimes referred to as the “Sabbath of Sabbaths.” For this reason, even Jews who do not observe other traditions refrain from work, which is forbidden during the holiday, and participate in religious services on Yom Kippur, causing synagogue attendance to soar. Some congregations rent out additional space to accommodate large numbers of worshippers....

Click here for more from History.com on Yom Kippur.

Roosevelt Island Jewish residents can attend Yom Kippur services with either the Roosevelt Island Jewish Congregation (RIJC) or the  Chabad Lubavitch of Roosevelt Island.

The RIJC Yom Kippur schedule is as follows:

Yom Kippur

Tuesday, September 22

6:15 pm Sharp Kol Nidrei Service

6:00 pm Child Care

Wednesday, September 23

9:15 am Morning Service

9:00 am Child Care

10:30 am Children’s Service (in the Theater)

5:00 pm Afternoon Service, with Ne’ilah & Havdalah, followed by Break-the-Fast

5:00 pm Child Care

Note: All 2015 High Holy Day Services and Child Care will be held at the Cultural Center – 548 Main Street.

The entrances to Cultural Center can be accessed thru the Breezeway next to 540 Main Street, at the staircase behind the old Hardware Store @ 548 Main Street, or through the elevator entrance behind the Public Safety Office, located thru the Breezeway @ 556 Main Street & turning right.

The Chabad Lubavitch of Roosevelt Island Yom Kippur schedule is as follows:

Yom Kippur Eve, Tuesday, Sept. 22

6:35pm Candlelighting and Fast begins

6:45pm Kol Nidrei and evening prayers


Yom Kippur Day, Wednesday, Sept. 23

10:00am Shacharis and children’s program

6:00pm Neilah

7:32pm Shofar blowing and break fast buffet

All programs and prayers will be held at The Roosevelt Island Community Cultural Center, Renwick Room & Lighthouse Room - 548 Main Street (unless otherwise noted)

Here's more information on the RIJC and Chabad Lubavitch of Roosevelt Island.

L'Shana Tova. Have an easy fast.