We look forward to welcoming you to Beth Tzedec for High Holy Days 5784 beginning sundown September 15 which also coincides with Erev Shabbat. We have updated our FAQs to help you plan for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, whether you are participating in person or via livestream.
1. What in-person services are being offered this year?
We are very pleased to host multiple in-person services this year including:
a. Sanctuary Service
b. Mezzanine Service
c. Family Service (Hendeles Chapel)
d. Short & Sweet Service (Outdoor Tent)
e. Return Again and Again Meditation Service (Boardroom)
We also have special offerings including a High Holy Day hike to Cedarvale Ravine with our Rabbinic Intern – Lara Rodin; Tashlikh; youth activities; Baby-sitting; and Hot Topics, to name a few.
2. What is the High Holy Days schedule?
Visit https://bit.ly/HHDs-schedule-2023 or refer to the detailed service schedules in Appendices A and B.
3. How can I find out more information about the High Holy Days?
Please visit our homepage (www.beth-tzedec.org) to access our High Holy Days Guide. If you are reading this online, please type https://bit.ly/HHDs-Guide-2023 into your browser to open the Guide.
4. If I wish to participate remotely, will a livestream option still be available?
Yes. We will be livestreaming the following High Holy Days services listed below, as outlined in the detailed schedule included in Appendix A:
a) Sanctuary Services
b) Short & Sweet Services (Outdoor Tent)
What is the link for the livestream services?
High Holy Days services are available at Beth Tzedec TV: https://www.bethtzedec.tv
Do I need a password to watch the livestream?
A password is not required to participate via livestream.
If I can watch the livestream with no password, and I’m not attending services in person, why am I being asked to pay my annual contribution?
We rely on your annual contribution to operate and sustain YOUR shul. Like any membership-based institution, our sustainability will be at risk without our members’ yearly payments.
Specific to livestreaming, Beth Tzedec has invested significantly over the past three years in digital and broadcast technology to bring our services and programs directly to YOU, from wherever you choose to participate.We have strategically invested to take a leadership role in digital communications. This includes the purchase of high-definition cameras in multiple prayer spaces, the creation of a central studio, and the hiring of a full-time digital manager who oversees the delivery of services and programs into your home daily.
5. Do I need a ticket to attend High Holy Days services?
Yes. Each family member aged 16 and older will receive ONE ticket to enter the synagogue for ALL services - Rosh Hashanah Day 1 and Day 2 as well as for Kol Nidrei and Yom Kippur services.
To receive your tickets, you must be a member in good standing. Please ensure you set up your payment schedule as soon as possible to avoid having to make last-minute arrangements. (Generations Members must confirm their membership renewal.) The latest date to renew your membership in order to receive tickets by mail is August 31, 2023.
6. What happens if I pay my membership after August 31?
If you pay after August 31, your tickets will not be mailed but will be available for pick-up at the synagogue. The last day for ticket pick-up is Friday, September 15 at 11:00 a.m.
If you forget your tickets on the day of a service, you must check in with our security guards upon entry. They will verify your membership status upon presentation of your identification. Without ID, access to the shul will not be allowed, with no exceptions.
Please direct your membership questions to Klara Romm, Membership & Engagement:
Phone: (416) 781-3514 ext. 220
Email: kromm@beth-tzedec.org
7. Can my children accompany me to any service?
Yes, your children are welcome to attend all our services.
- Children 15 and under do not require tickets. Please check our High Holy Days Guide to view all of our children’s programs.
- Tickets are required for teens aged 16 and 17 and will be included in your High Holy Days ticket package.
- Teens aged 18 and 19 are considered members of the shul (Generations Members). They should have already received communication about setting up or renewing their membership which qualifies them to secure a High Holy Day ticket.
8. Is there a room where mothers can nurse their babies?
Yes, the Bride’s Room on the main floor across from the Women’s Washroom will be available for nursing mothers.
9. Does the synagogue offer support and tools for persons with a disability?
Yes. Beth Tzedec is committed to offering a safe and inclusive space for all members and guests. We are always open to continued learning and suggestions. The following are available as needed:
- Large font Mahzorim (Please ask your usher if you require one)
- Hearing-enabled devices (Cloak Room). Please contact the office to reserve in advance.
- Accessible Washrooms (Main Floor, 2nd floor adjacent to the Mezzanine)
- All-Gender Washroom (Main Floor, School Wing, Across from Room 105) and all washrooms on the second floor adjacent to the Mezzanine.
- Caregiver Washroom (Main Floor, School Wing, Across from Room 105)
- Audible (Braille) Elevator
- Wheelchairs and Wheelchair Ramp (Lobby)
- Accessible parking spots (The entire north parking lot will be accessible parking only during the High Holy Days)
- Scent-Free Environment: Please refrain from wearing perfume/cologne
10. Where are the washrooms?
As noted in #9 above, we have washrooms available on the first (main) and second floors (next to the Mezzanine).
- There is an All-Gender/Accessible Caregiver washroom across from Room 105 in the School Wing and multiple single-user all-gender washrooms on the 2nd floor next to the Mezzanine.
11. Where is the Lounge going to be set up during the High Holy Days?
The Boardroom will be available as the main adult lounge to relax and have cookies and coffee/tea from 10:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on Rosh Hashanah Days 1 and 2.
The Middle School Lounge will be in Room 105 on the main floor in the School Wing from 10:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
12. What details should I be aware of on the days of the services?
PARKING
There is limited space in our parking lot, especially because the lower (south) portion will be designated exclusively for the Short & Sweet Service tent. Only those with accessible parking permits will be allowed to park in our lot on a first-come, first-served basis.
Please pay attention to parking signage and be respectful of our neighbourhood when parking, including not parking in front of hydrants or driveways. Beth Tzedec cannot be responsible for any tickets issued or vehicles that are towed.
SECURITY
Entry to the Property
For security purposes, walk-in entry will be from Avenal and Warwick streets through the parking lot. The Bathurst Street doors will remain closed. At entry, our security guards will require that you show your ticket(s). Please remember to bring your ticket(s) with you so you can enter seamlessly and proceed to your preferred service.
Bag Check
The safety of our members and guests is paramount. During the High Holy Days, you will notice an increased presence of security staff both outside and inside the shul. This is standard protocol.
Every service participant will have their bags checked (purses, tallit bags). Please do not be offended by this. It is for your safety and the safety of your fellow members. Please refrain from bringing large bags or backpacks to the synagogue.
13. What are Beth Tzedec’s COVID Protocols during these High Holy Days?
COVID protocols have been eased since last year. However, please take note of the following for the safety of all our members and guests:
- COVID Symptoms
If you have COVID or any illness symptoms, please stay home and participate via our livestream on Beth Tzedec TV (www.bethtzedec.tv). - Mask-Required Seating (Sanctuary and Mezzanine)
Masking is not required throughout the building; however, we have retained one “Masked Required” section in the Sanctuary (Section 4 on the main level to your far left as you enter the Sanctuary) and in the Mezzanine, as designated by signage.
Mahzorim (Prayer Books)
- Mahzorim will be available at each service.
- If you will be participating via Livestream from home and you do not have a Mahzor, you may arrange to sign for and pick up Mahzorim from Avital Narvey in our office:
email: anarvey@beth-tzedec.org
phone: (416) 781-3514 (Ext 210)
Note that we ask for the Mahzorim to be returned directly after Yom Kippur (September 29).
Decorum Tips
- Please refrain from using cell phones or other electronic devices anywhere in the building. Ushers and staff will ask you to refrain or to go outside.
- Parents, please remind your children and discourage them from taking cell phones to shul.
- To minimize noise affecting the services, please do not gather in the lobby. The sound carries to the Sanctuary, Chapel and Mezzanine.
- Please dress appropriately/modestly when attending in-person services.
- Kippot and tallit are required for men and encouraged for women. A limited number of tallitot are available should you forget to bring your own.
Questions?
A. Pre-High Holy Days:
If you have questions in advance of the High Holy Days, please contact the synagogue:
- Email: info@beth-tzedec.org
- Phone: (416) 781-3514 (Ext 210)
The Synagogue Office will close at 12:00 noon on September 15. Messages left during Rosh Hashanah will be returned when the office re-opens on September 18.
B. On the Day(s) Of:
For questions on the day(s) of your attendance at Beth Tzedec, we have many resources at the outside entry and inside the building to help you:
- At Entry: Greeters, Synagogue Staff and Security Staff
- Inside the Shul: Please check in with our Welcome Table volunteers under the rotunda in the main foyer or with the ushers in the Sanctuary and Mezzanine Services.
L'Shanah Tovah,
Phil David
Executive Director, Beth Tzedec Congregation
Email: pdavid@beth-tzedec.org
