Greetings from our President and Rabbi
Shalom Friends,
As we approach the New Year 5784 we welcome Rabbi Yocheved Heiligman and her family, and all our new families. We are delighted you have joined our congregational community.
This year, Bet Chaverim offers new opportunities for our congregants to grow spiritually, socially and Judaically. What better way to herald a new beginning than by celebrating the High Holidays together, creating sacred space and participating in shared experiences?
Rabbi Heiligman and I look forward to seeing you at services now and throughout the year. In addition, your Board of Directors and our volunteers are planning exciting activities for the congregation, in which we hope you will participate. (See calendar on the last page.)
L'Shana Tovah to all. May we all be inscribed for a year of health, happiness and peace.
Mark Schmall, President
Shalom Friends Old and New,
I am honored and excited to begin my tenure as the rabbi of Bet Chaverim Congregation and look
forward to our first High Holidays together. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur mark a time for personal
reflection and self-improvement, family togetherness and forgiveness, and community- building and
sharing. Through our prayers, we ask G-d’s help to become better versions of ourselves. As your
rabbi, I pray for the same for us all.
To work together and grow together spiritually, we need to get to know each other. Together as a
community we will share our life experiences, our joys and our challenges, and G-d forbid, our
sorrows. May we build enduring bonds of friendship and support, and as we do, may we find that our
participation in Jewish life will nourish us, sustain us, and enhance our lives as individuals,
families, and Chaverim, friends.
May the new year bring us many opportunities to learn Torah, pray, socialize, and contribute to our
congregation and the wider world, and may we have many occasions to celebrate together .
As the ideals of the Unnetanah Tokef prayer teach us, Teshuvah, Tefillah, and Tzedakah,
(Repentance, Prayer, and Charity) soften the harsh decrees of regret, isolation, and self-focus.
I look forward to personally greeting you at services. May we all be inscribed and sealed in the
Book of Life. L’Shana Tovah Tikateivu v’Tachateimu.
Rabbi Yocheved Heiligman
For full details, see the complete 5784/2023 High Holiday Packet
Sign Ups:
Ushers: To sign up to be an Usher, please complete this form: https://www.bet-chaverim.org/form/high-holiday-ushers-20231.html
Break Fast: To sign up to attend the Bet Chaverim community Break Fast, please complete this form: https://www.bet-chaverim.org/event/break-fast1.html
HIGH HOLIDAY SCHEDULE for 5784/2023
♦ SELICHOT — Saturday, September 9th at 8:00 PM at Bet Chaverim Synagogue, 8930 Old Annapolis Road, Suite C, Columbia, MD 21045. As the end of month of Elul, the desire for repentance becomes more urgent. Prayers for forgiveness called Selichot are added to religious services. This year, in-person at the shul, we will view a Jewish-themed comedy followed by discussion and the Selichot service. The zoom link for this program will be provided upon request, if necessary.
♦ ROSH HASHANAH — Saturday, September 16th at the Owen Brown Interfaith Center, 7246 Cradlerock Way, Columbia, MD 21045 and Sunday, September 17th at Bet Chaverim, 8930 Old Annapolis Road, Suite C, Columbia, MD 21045
Rosh Hashanah Services 9:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Youth Service (Grades 4-7) 10:30 AM - Day 1 only
♦ TASHLICH — The second day of Rosh Hashanah - Sunday, September 17 at the Lake Kittamaqundi waterfront area. Following a Bring Your Own Lunch picnic (dairy only), services will begin at 2:30 PM, including the symbolic casting away of our sins by tossing breadcrumbs into the water, as well as a brief family-friendly service. Bring Your Own Crumbs, but please do not overfeed the ducks and geese. All members and guests are welcome.
♦ KOL NIDRE and YOM KIPPUR — Sunday and Monday, September 24th and 25th
● Kol Nidre and Evening Services – Sunday September 24th, at the Owen Brown Interfaith Center, 7246 Cradlerock Way, Columbia, MD 21045. Kol Nidre will begin at 6:30 sharp.
● Yom Kippur – Monday, September 25th, at the Owen Brown Interfaith Center, 7246 Cradlerock Way, Columbia, MD 21045.
Morning Service 9:30 AM
Youth Service (Grades 4-7) 10:30 AM
Yizkor 11:30 AM (approximately)
Mincha/Ne’ilah 5:30 PM
Havdallah/Final Shofar 7:30 PM
● Break Fast Upon conclusion of services. Pot luck dinner (dairy or vegetarian only) at Bet Chaverim
♦ SUKKOT — Join us to celebrate Sukkot with a vegetarian/dairy pot luck dinner at The Heiligman’s Sukkah at 6:30 PM on Friday Sept. 29th followed by services at 7:30 rain or shine. There also will be a Sunday morning family service (weather permitting) on October 1 at 9:30am at the Rabbi’s sukkah. If you have one, bring your lulav and esrog for this fun event. See Chai Lights for the Rabbi’s address.
♦ SHEMINI ATZERET/YIZKOR AND SIMCHAT TORAH — Saturday, October 7th. 6:30pm Mincha and Yizkor service, followed by Simchat Torah celebration (around 7:30).
Membership and Ticket Information
Membership Dues
Membership dues for this year (July 2023–June 2024) are $2,000 per two-adult family and $1,000 for a single-adult family. As always, interfaith spouses and partners are welcome as full members, and membership includes High Holiday tickets. For those facing financial hardship, Bet Chaverim will discreetly work with families and individuals to ensure you have a spiritual home. No congregant ever will be turned away or made uncomfortable due to financial circumstances. Please contact Treasurer Steve Bloom (sdbloom1227@gmail.com) or 443.520. 8589, or President Mark Schmall (bet.chaverim.president@gmail.com) with questions about dues or High Holiday tickets for friends and relatives. The deadline for dues payment or setting up a payment plan is Tuesday, September 5th.
Individual Tickets
Tickets will be available for purchase at $250 for out-of-town guests and family members. Because of reciprocity, those who are members of another congregation outside Howard County will receive tickets free of charge, with proof of membership. (Must be received by September 5th.) Tickets can be obtained without charge for dependent college students and “lone students” at area colleges. Active duty military personnel also are welcome to join us free of charge. Howard County residents are encouraged to become members of Bet Chaverim and are reminded that High Holiday tickets are included in the membership fee.