Yom Kippur Break-the-Fast Payments

Join the entire MCJC community to Break-the-Fast
after Yom Kippur Services

Wednesday, September 19, at 7:15 pm
$10 per person, $5 per child, $30 max per family
  
To register, please contact the MCJC office:
815-455-1810 or office@mcjconline.org
or submit your payment below:

For other High Holidays 2018 Payments and
Volunteer Opportunities
CLICK HERE.

 Schedule for
High Holy Days, Sukkot, Simchat Torah

Erev Rosh HaShanah
Sunday, September 9, 7:30 pm

Rosh HaShanah Morning Service – Day I
Monday, September 10, 9:00 am
Children’s Service (ages 4-8): 10:15 am
Tashlich Service: 1:45 pm
(Main Beach, 300 Lakeshore Dr,
Crystal Lake, IL 60014)
Family Service with Tashlich: 4:30 pm
(Main Beach, 300 Lakeshore Dr,
Crystal Lake, IL 60014)

Rosh HaShanah Morning Service – Day II
Tuesday, September 11, 9:00 am

Kol Nidre
Tuesday, September 18, 7:00 pm

Yom Kippur Services
Wednesday, September 19, 9:00 am
9:00 am: Yom Kippur Morning Service
Children’s Service (ages 4-8): 10:15 am
Mincha Service: 4:30 pm
Neila Service: 6:00 pm
Break-the-Fast: 7:15 pm

Sukkot
Sunday, September 23, 9:15 am
Sukkot Services with the Religious School

Monday, September 24, 8:30 am
Sukkot Morning Services with Lulav & Etrog

Wednesday, September 26, 4:30 pm
Pizza in the Hut – Sukkot Program with the Religious School

Yizkor
Saturday, September 29, 9:30 am
Shabbat Morning Services & Torah Discussion with Yizkor

Simchat Torah
Sunday, September 30, 9:15 am
Simchat Torah Celebrations with
Religious School

Schedule for
High Holy Day Children & Family Services

Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur Children’s Services
Monday, September 10 & Wednesday, September 19 at 10:15 am

Bring your family to our High Holiday Children’s Services on the first day of Rosh Hashanah as well as on Yom Kippur. These are wonderfully engaging, musical and fun services, geared to younger children ages 4 through 8.  

Family & Community-Wide High Holiday Service with Tashlich
Monday, September 10 at 4:30 pm

MCJC will host a musical, family-friendly, High Holiday service at the Main Beach in Crystal Lake (300 Lakeshore Dr, Crystal Lake, IL 60014). We’ll share songs, stories, a shofar blowing Shofar-Palooza, and much more. This program is open to the public, so bring friends and family, Jewish or not.

Simchat Torah Celebration
Sunday, September 30 at 9:15 am

Simchat Torah is a joyous celebration when we end the last book of the Torah and start again from the beginning. Young and old, generation-to-generation, we’ll sing and dance, together with the Torahs.
  

Kavanot: Intentional Meditations
for the 10 Days of Turning

A Journey to Peace 5779

The days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are imbued with a special light that gives us the chance to make changes in our lives that seemed out of our reach during the rest of the year.

Day 1 Rosh Hashanah – Asking the Big Questions
Looking Within:  Renewal of our Relationships
How am I doing with friends, family, community, and work?
Do I owe anyone an apology?
Do I need to return a borrowed item?
Can I mend a broken connection?
Have I left a promise undone?
Make a list.

Day 2 – More Looking: Self Care
Am I taking care of my physical body?
Have I had doctor and dental check-ups?
Have I listened to my body’s needs?
Am I getting enough rest and quiet time?
Am I caring for my changing challenges?
Do I pay attention to my diet?
How can I do better?

Day 3 – Much More Looking Within
What am I doing to grow spiritually?
What new activity have I tried or re-introduced into my routine?
Is there a comforting routine in my daily, weekly, or monthly schedule?
Do I have someone in my circle to guide me? (If not, seek advice.)

Day 4 – Am I Angry?
Is there someone in my life that has hurt me? Have I retaliated?
What is MY part?
Can I forgive or start to forgive?
Can I ask for forgiveness?
Do I need help with this?

Day 5 – Am I Afraid?
What/who frightens me?
Why am I fearful?  
Are they real or imagined fears?
Are there things I do in my life to reduce those fears?
Are my attempts to reduce those fears healthy?
Yes, I am human; we all have fears.

Day 6  – Am I Honest?
Do I practice honesty with myself and with others?
Do I justify “exceptions from the truth” to justify a perceived positive result?
Am I more concerned with seeking approval than being truthful?
Do I avoid making changes when I am not being honest with how I feel about a relationship, decision, or lifestyle?

Day 7 – Balance: Where is the Joy, Love, and Play in my Life?
Does my life have real fun space?
Is it enough?
Do I actively seek enriching experiences, entertainment, and generosity?
Can I turn off my social media and electronic devices for a part of my day or week?
Do I honor and spend time in nature?
Do I listen?
Can I say, “Not now”?

Day 8 – Patience: Tell me Yes, Tell me No, But Please Don’t Tell me to Wait.
Is time always a commodity, or can I slow down?
Does my agenda supersede all others?
Can I stay in the moment, or do I live in the past and future?
How can I do better?

Day 9 – Hope and Gratitude: Every Day is a New Beginning.
We can start over any time.
Prayer and meditation can take us to a place of unselfish and focused spiritual growth.
Even something very, very small makes a difference.
Am I willing to add just one tiny, new practice to my daily routine or more?
Do I need help with this?

Day 10 – Service: Giving Without Reward – the Greatest Gift of All.
The path to peace and joy lies in the ability to do for others, when our motives are not self-serving.
Even the smallest token or act of kindness is enough each day.

Taking Action:
Smile
“Thank you.”
An anonymous gift or gesture
A kind word to a stranger
Comforting the sick
Supporting the grieving
Sharing a talent
Protecting the natural world

Minhag haMakom   מנהג המקום
MCJC Traditions for High Holiday Services

Entering/Exiting the Sanctuary
Integral to MCJC is the Jewish ethic of Hachnasat Orchim, “the welcoming of guests.” With this in mind, please feel free to enter and exit the sanctuary as you wish, knowing that you are always welcome. However, there are certain parts of the services during which entering could disrupt your fellow worshipers. Our ushers will let people know when these moments are and might ask you to wait before entering the sanctuary.

Tallit and Kippah
Our custom at MCJC is for male congregants to wear a kippah (head covering) and tallit (prayer shawl) during services. In our egalitarian community, women are welcome to wear these as well. Both are readily available in the foyer just outside of the sanctuary’s door.

Electronic Devices
Please turn off or mute any electronic devices before entering the building.  We ask that you respect our tradition not to use any electronic device in the building during the High Holiday services.

Sitting/Standing
While there are times during services when the congregation is asked to sit or stand, the priority is that you are physically comfortable. At any point during services, if you need to sit or stand, regardless of what the larger congregation is doing, please honor what your body is telling you.

Yom Kippur Fasting
While most Jews fast on Yom Kippur, you are never allowed to jeopardize your health. See an usher if you need a snack.