High Holy Days 2026 | 5787

Saturday, September 5

Music at Emanu El Concert | 7:30 p.m.
Jewish Voices, American Sounds
In recognition of the nation’s 250th anniversary, this program highlights the contributions of Jewish American composers to the country’s musical landscape. Through the works of Gershwin, Copland, Bernstein, and others, the concert celebrates the diverse voices that continue to define the American sound.
$18 General Admission for Concert Only

Dessert Reception | 8:30 p.m.

S’lichot Service | 9:00 p.m.
We begin the season of repentance with the observance of S’lichot. Each year we gather on the Saturday evening before Rosh HaShanah to reflect on the past year and the changes we wish to make in the upcoming one. Our service this year will include Maya Zemach, cello, and Isaac Foreman, piano, to enhance this intimate and reflective experience.

The Jewish New Year ushers in a spiritual awakening to possibility and potential. A variety of services are available.

Friday, September 11

Kick-Off Reception | 5:00 p.m.
Gather with friends and loved ones before services to celebrate the new year together over refreshments and hors d’oeuvres.

Rejoice & Renew Evening Service | 6:00 p.m.
Sermon by Rabbi Oren Hayon: “‘Where Doors of Sunset Part’: Reflections on Belonging to America

Join us for a High Holy Day service that blends tradition with inspiration. Featuring the timeless prayers and evocative poetry of our High Holy Day prayerbook, Mishkan HaNefesh, this service will be elevated by the powerful voices of our cantor and a specially assembled vocal and instrumental ensemble. Together, they will lead us in familiar and magnificent melodies that beautifully express the awe, joy, and spiritual grandeur of the New Year.

Saturday, September 12

Children’s Service | 9:00 a.m.
Designed for children 8 and under and their families, this lively and fun service highlights the themes and rituals of the holiday.

Morning Service | 10:30 a.m.
Sermon by Rabbi Joshua Fixler: “The First Freedom”

This intergenerational service combines familiar music and prayers with beautiful liturgical writing and stirring poetry. You will also experience an inspiring and engaging collection of music enhanced by our professional and volunteer choirs and organ.

3^rd through 5^th grade students are invited to pray with their parents for the first half of the service. They will then they will be led by our Helfman Religious School staff into their own separate High Holy Day celebration with fun and engaging activities. Pre-registration is required.

Tashlich | 1:00 p.m.
(Brays Bayou, across from the Evelyn Rubenstein JCC)
As Rosh HaShanah concludes, we set aside time to gather and symbolically cast our sins into the water while singing and reflecting together. We will ensure our new year gets off to a sweet start by celebrating Tash-LICK, our annual addition of an ice cream truck!

Parking is available in the Evelyn Rubenstein JCC parking lot; Emanu El will not provide bus transportation for Tashlich.

Special Blessings & Honors

On Rosh HaShanah Morning, we will offer an aliyah (Torah blessing) for military veterans, with gratitude for their service and in celebration of America’s 250 years of independence.

Blessing Before the Torah Reading (Audio)

Blessing After the Torah Reading (Audio)

Sunday, September 13 | 9:00 a.m.
To complement our High Holy Day Children’s Services, families with children in 2nd grade or younger are invited to join Emanu El clergy and staff for an outdoor experience featuring a storybook walk. Space is limited, so advance registration is required.

Sunday, September 13 | 5:00 p.m.
(Emanu El Memorial Park, 8431 Bissonnet St.)
Sermon by Rabbi Pamela Silk: Around the Loss

We invite all to join together in the beautiful, serene surroundings of Emanu El Memorial Park to remember our dear ones.

Friday, September 18 | 6:00 p.m.
Hear a message of inspiration to deepen your spiritual and moral explorations on this very special Shabbat between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur. Our member Sarah Labowitz will share the inspiring story of her involvement with Houston Shine, a soccer club for female refugees from Afghanistan.

Sunday, September 20

Kol Nidre Service | 7:30 p.m.
Sermon by Rabbi Oren Hayon
This service, on the holiest night of the year, will feature the contemplative prayers and stirring music unique to this holiday. They will be accompanied by Yuri McCoy on organ and our professional choir and include the poignant setting of Kol Nidre played by Brinton Smith, Principal Cellist of the Houston Symphony.

Monday, September 21

Children’s Service | 9:00 a.m.
Designed for children 8 and under and their families, this service offers engaging music, prayers, and stories that will encourage families to reflect on how we can be our best selves.

Morning Service | 10:30 a.m.
Sermon by Rabbi Pamela Silk
This service will be led by our clergy, accompanied by organ and our professional and volunteer choirs. Through stirring music and meaningful prayer, we will reflect on the themes of repentance and forgiveness.

3^rd through 5^th grade students are invited to pray with their parents for the first half of the service. They will then they will be led by our Helfman Religious School staff into their own separate High Holy Day celebration with fun and engaging activities. Pre-registration is required.

Faithful Visions for America | 12:45
A discussion between Rabbi Hayon and other Houston religious leaders, reflecting on America’s 250 years of history and sharing their visions for its next chapter.

Healing & Wholeness | 3:30 p.m.
Cantor Rollin Simmons & Rabbi Pamela Silk
Find restoration and strength through poetry, song, and prayer.

Yizkor & N’ilah | 4:30 p.m.
Sermon by Rabbi Oren Hayon
We will bring our holidays to a close with an opportunity to honor and remember our dear ones, the final confessions of N’ilah, and the sweetness of Havdalah that marks the separation between the penitential season and the promising new year ahead.

Break the Fast, | 6:45 p.m.
Join us as we break the fast as a community with a restorative meal.
Generously sponsored by the Roth and Glauben Family, in loving memory of Evelyn and Franklin Roth and Michelle Roth Glauben.

Special Blessings & Honors

On Yom Kippur Morning, we will offer an aliyah (Torah blessing) for people who have chosen Judaism through the rituals of conversion.

Blessing Before the Torah Reading (Audio)

Blessing After the Torah Reading (Audio)

We will also offer a special blessing on Yom Kippur Morning for the non-Jewish family members who enrich the vitality of our community.

Electives Block 1 | 1:40

Let’s Discuss: What Does it Mean To Be a Jew in America Today?
Rabbi Pamela Silk
Join Rabbi Silk for meaningful small group conversations with fellow congregants as we explore the personal and collective experience of being Jewish at this pivotal moment in history. Together, we’ll reflect on questions and stories of identity, responsibility, and belonging. Come share your thoughts, listen deeply, and engage in heartfelt dialogue.

Weighing the Heart: Ancient Egypt and The Soul of Yom Kippur
Lucy Mosbacher
Did you know that 3,200 years before our mahzor was written, the ancient Egyptians had their own version of the Yom Kippur confession? In this session, we’ll explore the Negative Confession from the Egyptian Book of the Dead — and discover just how much it illuminates the liturgy we recite every High Holy Day season. The parallels are striking, surprising, and spiritually rich. Come ready to see the words of the Day of Atonement with fresh eyes.

Art Session
Roberta Harris
Join artist Roberta Harris in a workshop to creatively explore the question of who we are in this moment. Inspired by works of art by well-known artists, we will use a variety of materials to make our own masterpieces!

All levels of artistic experience are welcome, but we request your advance registration as space will be limited for this unique opportunity.

Musical Contemplation
A string quartet of Rice University Shepherd School musicians will create space for personal contemplation and meditation on the themes of the holiday.

Electives Block 2 | 2:35

Meditation
Ann Friedman
In our meditation session, we will explore our personal relationships in which we have experienced tension or conflict. Using meditation practices based on Jewish teachings, we will practice compassion for ourselves and for other people with whom we share relationships.  This can shift our mindsets to move beyond difficulty and find our way toward healing.

Art Session
Continued from Block 1

Sabbatical Gleanings
Rabbi Oren Hayon
During his recent sabbatical, Rabbi Hayon spent time studying religious writing from ancient Babylonia. In this session, we will explore some of these strange and delightful texts – among the world’s oldest! – and explore the surprising ways they touch on themes and ideas of the High Holy Days.

Free Speech, Democracy, and Civic Engagement with ACLU-TX
Rabbi Joshua Fixler
Join Rabbi Fixler, and leaders from ACLU-TX for a conversation about protecting our rights in Texas public schools and beyond. The discussion will feature Oni Blair, ACLU-TX Executive Director, and Caro Achar, Engagement Coordinator for Free Speech & Pluralism.

Wednesday, September 23

Sprinkles and Decorating in the Sukkah | 4:30 p.m
All ages welcome, ice cream provided. Registration not required.

Friday, September 25

Sangria in the Sukkah | 7:00 p.m.
Following Kabbalat Shabbat, you’re invited to an Oneg featuring sangria, light bites and desserts

Sunday, September 27

Sukkot on Sunset | 11:30 a.m.
Bring the family, grab your friends, and join us for a joyful Sukkot Block Party! Come and experience the warmth of the Sukkah and the special magic that happens when our community comes together. We’ll begin at noon with a brief service, followed by lunch and block party festivities!

Tuesday, September 29

EE Votes in the Sukkah | 7:00 p.m.
Join us in the Sukkah to write postcards to voters, swap stories, and connect with your Emanu El community. Let’s make every voice heard!

Thursday, October 1

Women of GenX and Sisterhood, Bubbles & Bonsai | 6:00 p.m.
An evening of sparkling conversation filled with bubbly beverages, Japanese-inspired cuisine, and the art of bonsai. 

YP Makes Etrog Ponzu Hot Sauce | 7:00 p.m.
Come enjoy dinner in the sukkah and a short cooking class. You’ll leave with your very own bottle of spicy, tangy, etrog ponzu hot sauce.

Friday, October 2

Simchat Torah Service, Dinner & Learning |  6:00 p.m.
Join us for a special Simchat Torah celebration! We will unroll the Torah as a community and highlight well-known stories and moments with popular songs, accompanied by our band. This will be a lively and family-friendly service. We will march with the Torah to join in a festive meal together. After dinner, We will continue our celebration of Torah with a learning session led by Gary Weisserman, Chief Executive Officer of Holocaust Museum Houston.

Register now and save your seat for dinner & learning!

Saturday, October 3

Simchat Torah Festival Service & Yizkor |  10:30 a.m.
In this festival service, we read the end of Deuteronomy and begin again with Genesis as the annual cycle begins anew. The service will include prayers of Yizkor, a beautiful and meaningful way to remember our dear ones.

Gary Weisserman
Chief Executive Officer, Holocaust Museum Houston

Gary Weisserman joins Holocaust Museum Houston with more than 32 years of professional experience in K-12 and higher education and administration, having worked in Jewish day schools, public schools and universities. From 2018 to 2025, he served as Head of School at Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School in Chicago, one of the largest and most established K-8 community Jewish Day Schools in the United States.

A Michigan native, Weisserman’s extensive experience includes serving as Head of School at Milken Community Schools in Los Angeles from 2013 to 2018, the Chief Academics Officer at Scheck Hillel Community School in North Miami Beach, Florida from 2011 to 2013 and the Head of School at Oakland Early College in Oakland County, Michigan from 2007 to 2011. Previous administrative positions include Director of Early College and K-16 initiatives at the University of Michigan-Flint and Program Director of the Interactive Communications and Simulations Group at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Previously, Weisserman taught at the University of Michigan, West Bloomfield Public Schools and Southfield Public Schools. He holds both a Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature and a Master of Arts in Educational Studies, Educational Administration from the University of Michigan.

Weisserman and his wife, Dr. Dolly Kerin Weisserman, have two adult children.

You must be a member in good standing to receive High Holy Day passes. Each adult member of your household will receive one digital pass via email which may be used for all High Holy Day services. If only one member of your household has an email address in Shulcloud, passes for all adults will be emailed to that address. Emails will be sent from orders@simpletix.com to the email address in your ShulCloud account. Please add this email address to your contacts.

Passes will be emailed on Friday, August 28.

You can print your pass at home or save it on your phone to be scanned when you arrive for services. Passes can also be saved to the wallet on your phone. Your name will be on your pass; passes are NOT transferrable. Please remember to bring your cell phones or printed versions of your digital passes. Only individuals with High Holy Day passes will be permitted entry to the Emanu El campus.

We welcome members of the community who have moved to Houston since last High Holy Days. Please ask them to contact Ali Bamberger (alib@emanuelhouston.org or 713.529.5771) to arrange for newcomer passes.

Members in good standing may purchase up to four guest passes at $180 each. Each pass is valid for all High Holy Services.

Non-members who are not affiliated with any synagogue and who wish to attend services may purchase passes for $360 each, also valid for all High Holy Day services.

Members only: Purchase guest passes

Non-Members with no synagogue affiliation: Request guest passes

Non-Members with synagogue affiliation: Request reciprocity

Though our affiliation with the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), our congregation enjoys reciprocity with hundreds of synagogues nationally.

If you’re planning to travel during the High Holy Days or if family or friends are planning to visit you, reciprocal seating is available at Union for Reform Judaism (URJ)-affiliated synagogues.

If you are planning to attend services at another URJ synagogue or your guests are planning to attend services at Emanu El with you, please complete this form.

Contact Lisa Damen if you have any issues with the form OR if you plan to attend services at a non-URJ synagogue.

Levels 1 and 2 of the Gaylor Parking Facility are reserved for accessible parking. Accessible drop-off will be available at the Sunset (South) Lobby; the driver will then park in the Gaylor Parking Facility.

Space is limited and we encourage you to park offsite.

Overflow parking for Erev Rosh HaShanah, Rosh HaShanah, Kol Nidre will be at the Medical Clinic at 1707 Sunset Blvd. The parking garage entrance is located on Rice Blvd.

Overflow parking for Yom Kippur will be at the Holocaust Museum Houston, 54o1 Caroline Street.

Buses will run continuously between satellite parking and Emanu El.

Childcare for children ages 15 months to 8 years is available during Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur Morning Services, beginning 30 minutes prior to the start of services and ending immediately at the conclusion of services.

Advance registration by September 4 is required.

Accessible seating is available for High Holy Day services, but seats must be reserved by Friday, August 28. Please contact Tobi Flick by email or 713.529.5771 and include the service(s) you plan to attend. Those requesting accessible seating may be granted a maximum of four additional seats for family members. Please note this seating will be released 15 minutes prior to the beginning of services.

The Barish Sanctuary is equipped with an Induction Loop System which transmits audio signals directly to one’s telecoil (T-coil)-equipped hearing aid.

Emanu El will provide closed captioning for all Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur services in the Barish Sanctuary except for the children’s services.