Self-Guided Exploration

Home Shabbat & Holidays High Holy Days Self-Guided Exploration
High Holy Days

Self-Guided Exploration

Our library of interactive High Holy Day materials puts worship at your fingertips, anywhere, anytime. You can journey through the High Holy Days with our themes or build your own High Holy Day experience with the materials you find most meaningful.

Explore Through Our Lenses



Click a topic for a curated step-by-step journey through a lens of your choice.



Reflection

Reflection

An 8-Step Journey Through the High Holy Days with a Reflection Lens

Musical

Musical

A 7-Step Journey Through the High Holy Days with a Musical Lens

Sacred Text

Sacred Text

An 8-Step Journey Through the High Holy Days with a Sacred Text Lens

Visual Art & Meditation

Visual Art & Meditation

An 8-Step Journey Through the High Holy Days with a Visual Art & Meditation Lens

Mishkan HaNefesh

Mishkan HaNefesh

An 8-Step Journey Through the High Holy Days with a Mishkan HaNefesh Lens

Explore Our Content Library

Mix & Match Filters

How Awesome is This Place!

Genesis 28:16-18 Jacob awoke from his slumber and said, “Surely God is present in this place, and I…

View

Mishkan HaNefesh: Closing the Gates

Mishkan HaNefesh, Yom Kippur, p. 621 This poem captures the urgency of the final moments of Yom Kippur….

View

Have Mercy Upon Me

Psalm 51:3-6, 17-19 Have mercy upon me, O God, as befits Your faithfulness; in keeping with Your abundant…

View

Adonai Alone is God!

1 Kings 18:39 וַתִּפֹּל אֵשׁ־יְהוָה וַתֹּאכַל אֶת־הָעֹלָה וְאֶת־הָעֵצִים וְאֶת־הָאֲבָנִים וְאֶת־הֶעָפָר וְאֶת־הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר־בַּתְּעָלָה לִחֵכָה׃ וַיַּרְא כָּל־הָעָם וַיִּפְּלוּ עַל־פְּנֵיהֶם וַיֹּאמְרוּ…

View

Laying the Earth’s Foundations

Job 38:4-13 Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundations? Speak if you have understanding. Do you…

View

Mishkan HaNefesh: Finding Your Space

Mishkan HaNefesh, Yom Kippur p. 198 We know the immense power of joining together in communal prayer. But,…

View

Praise God!

Psalm 150 Hallelujah! Praise God in God’s sanctuary; praise God in the sky, God’s stronghold! Praise God for…

View

Mishkan HaNefesh: Forgiveness

Mishkan HaNefesh, Yom Kippur, p. 293 All of us have made mistakes this year and we have also…

View

“Why are You Here?” Asks the Still Small Voice

1 Kings 19:11-13 “Come out,” God called, “and stand on the mountain before the Divine.” And behold, God…

View

Mishkan HaNefesh: Setting Intentions

Mishkan HaNefesh, Rosh Hashanah p. 138   The Hineni prayer is traditionally recited by the community’s prayer leader, humbly acknowledging their…

View

Judgment and Mercy

Ramban’s Commentary on Psalm 47:6 עָלָה אֱלֹהִים בִּתְרוּעָה יְהֹוָה בְּקוֹל שׁוֹפָר God ascends amidst blasting; YHWH, to the…

View

Who Am I?

Exodus 3:11-12 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and free…

View

Majestic God, Today Enthroned המלך יושב על כסא

Mishkan HaNefesh, Rosh Hashanah p. 138 This text focuses on a small but meaningful High Holy Day adaptation…

View

Mishkan HaNefesh: Praise

Mishkan HaNefesh, Rosh Hashanah p. 127 What constitutes a miracle? Do we reserve that word exclusively for events…

View

Mishkan HaNefesh: Shofar

Mishkan HaNefesh, Rosh Hashanah, p. 136 As we are commanded to hear the blast of the shofar, we…

View

N’ilah Sh’ma

At the very end of Yom Kippur comes the N’ilah service. We imagine standing before gates which slowly begin to…

View

Achat Sha’alti

We begin with a niggun, a wordless melody, grounding us and preparing us for the spiritual work ahead. The words…

View

Mishkan HaNefesh: Vulnerability

Mishkan HaNefesh, Yom Kippur p. 209   This year of all years, we are acutely aware that we…

View

The Beauty of a Niggun

Reflection from Cantor Alicia Stillman on the prayer of Achat Sha’alti.

View

Your Soul’s Alarm Clock

Reflection from Rabbi Andrew Oberstein on the sound of the Shofar.

View

Metaphors for God

Reflection from Rabbi Andrew Oberstein on the words of Avinu Malkeinu.

View

Accepting Responsibility, Together

Reflection from Rabbi Dan Slipakoff on the prayer Ashamnu.

View

Ashamnu

At the core of our Yom Kippur experience is the vidui, or confession. We speak in the plural as…

View

Avinu Malkeinu

Judaism’s understanding of God is multitudinous, with infinite metaphors implemented to comprehend that which is beyond comprehension. Avinu Malkeinu asks…

View

Bar’chu

Before we begin to praise, we check in with ourselves: Am I awake? Am I prepared? Before we begin…

View

Kol Nidre

Every year, we set our intentions for how we want to behave. We make promises to ourselves, to…

View

Shofar Blast

There is nothing like the blast of a shofar. It is a primal call, an alarming burst of…

View

Untaneh Tokef

Untaneh Tokef is perhaps the most haunting piece of Jewish liturgy. The words break down all of our illusions…

View

Returning to Our Best Selves

Reflection from Rabbi Suzie Jacobson on the music of Kol Nidre.

View

Grabbing Hold of the Open Hand

Reflection from Rabbi Dan Slipakoff on Neila and the final moments of Yom Kippur.

View

A Gorge in the Mountains (Kauterskill Clove)

Year: 1862 Artist: Sanford Robinson Gifford This painting captures the openness and vastness we hope to cultivate in…

View

Why We Give Praise

Reflection from Rabbi Elaine Zecher on the goodness of giving praise.

View

Twilight on the Sound, Darien, Connecticut

Year: 1872 Artist: John Frederick Kensett Here, the artist captures magical liminal space,  as the sun sets over…

View

The Return of Joseph

Year: 1720-70 Artist: John Michael Rysbrack Forgiveness is at the heart of the High Holy Days. We seek…

View

Queen Esther Approaching the Palace of Ahasuerus

Year: 1658 Artist: Claude Lorrain (Claude Gelée) Our tradition uses such a wide variety of images and metaphors…

View

Landscape with Stars

Year: 1905-1908 Artist: Henri-Edmond Cross (Henri-Edmond Delacroix) Is there anything that evokes a sense of praise more than…

View

The Writing Master

Year: 1882 Artist: Thomas Eakins The High Holy Days require us to set our intentions from the beginning….

View

Head of a Ram

Year: ca. 3500-3100 BCE Artist: Unknown The shofar is one of the most ancient rituals in Jewish life….

View

Hagar in the Wilderness

Year: 1835 Artist: Camille Corot Here, we find the haunting biblical image of Hagar and her son, Ishmael,…

View

Teshuva: Turning and Return

Poem written by Ann Bookman, used with permission from Points of Attachment (Finishing Line Press, 2012) In a synagogue of…

View

From Generation to Generation

Poem written by Ann Bookman, used with permission from Points of Attachment (Finishing Line Press, 2012) In my mother’s house,…

View

Perennial

Poem written by Ann Bookman, used with permission from Points of Attachment (Finishing Line Press, 2012) I dreamt it was…

View

The Shimmering

Poem written by Ann Bookman, used with permission from Points of Attachment (Finishing Line Press, 2012) It was a humid…

View

Hiking the Mountains of Moab

Poem written by Ann Bookman, used with permission from Blood Lines (Forthcoming, 2021) A woman alone in the desert, a…

View

Visitation

Poem written by Ann Bookman, used with permission from Blood Lines (Forthcoming, 2021) The summer of Hurricane Carol: waves swallowed…

View

Hymn To Be Sung At Astronomical Twilight

Poem written by Ann Bookman, used with permission from Blood Lines (Forthcoming, 2021) Lichen, all that remains green, clings to…

View

Closing the Loop on the Year

“Closing the Loop of the Year,” first published in The Hudson Review Poem written by Wendy Drexler, used with…

View

A Cricket Has Been Calling

“A Cricket Has Been Calling,” first published in Common Ground Poem written by Wendy Drexler, used with permission from…

View

Light R48 on the Storrow Drive Underpass

“Light R48 on the Storrow Drive Underpass,” first published in Cider Press Review  Poem written by Wendy Drexler, used…

View

Hydrangeas

“Hydrangeas,” first published in Before There Was Before (Iris Press, 2017) Poem written by Wendy Drexler, used with permission from…

View

Beetle

Poem written by Wendy Drexler, used with permission from the author His black-shellacked body lay belly up on…

View

All the Hours the Night Has Left

Poem written by Wendy Drexler, used with permission from the author What I’ll never have is close to,…

View

Telescope on Brooklyn Sidewalk

“Telescope on Brooklyn Sidewalk,” first published in The Atlanta Review Poem written by Wendy Drexler, used with permission from…

View

The Wind Will Dance With Me

Poem written by Wendy Drexler, used with permission from the author Tell me, is the caterpillar afraid when…

View

Yes to the Way the Grass

“Yes to the Way the Grass,” first published in Solstice: A Magazine of Diverse Voices  Poem written by Wendy Drexler,…

View

The Story of Hannah

Rosh Hashanah Haftarah Reading, 1 Samuel 1:1 – 2:10

View

The Story of Isaiah

Yom Kippur Morning Haftarah Reading, Isaiah 57:14 – 58:14

View

The Story of Jonah

Yom Kippur Afternoon Haftarah Reading, the Book of Jonah

View

Grace

Poem written by Ellen Steinbaum, used with permission from the author blessed be the minutes blessed the breath…

View

Here is the question

Poem written by Ellen Steinbaum, used with permission from the author and the time is getting late– what…

View

A Small Prayer of Healing

Poem written by Ellen Steinbaum, used with permission from This Next Tenderness (2018) I. Peace may not be granted, may…

View

The Sacrament of Soup

Poem written by Ellen Steinbaum, used with permission from the author This is what you do when the…

View

Sometimes in September

Poem written by Ellen Steinbaum, used with permission from the author Every morning now we count the morning…

View

Ever Since

Poem written by Ellen Steinbaum, used with permission from the author now in the fragile time between the…

View

What the skin hungers for

Poem written by Ellen Steinbaum, used with permission from the author The heartfelt handshake, yes, or hug of…

View

Prayer

Poem written by Em Meuller, used with permission from the author Forgive me for dyeing my gray, being…

View

What We Call Weeds

Poem written by Em Meuller, used with permission from the author I hack the kudzo clogging the dead…

View

Gathering of Geese

Poem written by Em Meuller, used with permission from the author This year the Canada geese have come…

View

In Week’s Field

Poem written by Em Meuller, used with permission from the author With gulls and crows and my dog…

View

Jacob’s Ladder

Poem written by Em Meuller, used with permission from the author This week we read about the time…

View

Bathing: The Mikvah

Poem written by Em Meuller, used with permission from the author For my sixtieth birthday I submerged myself…

View

Reclaiming Sin

Poem written by Em Meuller, used with permission from the author If you name it you can change…

View

How We Get By

Poem written by Em Meuller, used with permission from the author See how the sun wants to get…

View