By MYRON LOVE High Holiday seats are selling out quickly at our community’s largest congregations as Etz Chayim and Shaarey Zedek members are eager to experience Yom Tov services in their new surrounding
With almost a month still to go until Yom Tov – Erev Rosh Hashanah is Wednesday, October 2 – Dr Rena Secter Elbaze, Shaarey Zedek’s executive director, reports that as of Friday, August 30, seats for the main sanctuary service are 74% sold out and that the family service already has a wait list.
For the past two years, the synagogue has been closed while the now-72-year-old building has been undergoing the first major thoroughgoing upgrade since the early 1970s. Over that time period, regular weekly minyan services have being held at Temple Shalom and Shabbat and High Holiday services at the Asper Campus.  The congregation is scheduled to resume regular Shabbat and weekday services in its own building again after Rosh Hashanah.
Elbaze does note that, due to current fire code conditions and the need to make the sanctuary better able to accommodate wheelchairs, there are somewhat fewer seats in the sanctuary than there were before.  On the other hand, services have been live-streamed now for several years.
“We have quite a few people from out of town who regularly follow our services online,” Elbaze points out.
Once again, this year, the popular Rabbi Emeritus Alan Green – who was the Shaarey Zedek’s senior rabbi for 18 years – is returning to lead Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services in the main sanctuary with Cantor Leslie Emery, the Quartet, and the Ruach Volunteer Choir. Rabbi Anibal Mass will be leading the popular family service with Noah Trachtenberg, a Youth Band and the Dor Chadash Youth Choir.
 
For the members  of Congregation Etz Chayim, these will be the first High Holiday services in the synagogue’s new south end location at 1155 Wilkes.
“We are essentially sold out for Yom Tov,” reports  Jonathan Buchwald, Etz Chayim’s executive director.  “Our members are really excited about our first Yom Tov in our new building.” 
Congregation Etz Chayim came into being on July 1, 2002, as a result of the merger of the Rosh Pina, Bnay Abraham and Beth Israel Congregations – the three largest synagogues in north Winnipeg.  While the resulting new congregation had been davening at the former Rosh Pina’s building – which dated back to 1952, the broad and members had been – for several years – talking about relocating to south Winnipeg, where the majority of its members live.  The discussions finally became reality within the past year. Last year, the congregation acquired the former Shriners headquarters while at the same time selling their north Winnipeg building to a church group. Following a complete renovation of the new building, the membership was able to begin services in March.
By necessity – in reflecting the congregation’s slowly declining membership numbers  –  the new Etz Chayim is considerably smaller than its predecessor.  To accommodate the demand for Yom Kippur seating in particular, Buchwald reports, the Kol Nidre service will be held at the Holiday Inn  Express at the airport – and there with two services for Yom Kippur day.
The services can also be followed online.
Rabbi Kliel Rose and Cantor Tracy Kasner will, as usual, be leading Etz Chayim’s High Holiday services.
“We will be holding our special family service again this year geared towards families with young children,” Buchwald notes.  This will be a unique service involving songs, activities and storytelling. It will take place in the mornings of the second day of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur day.
Etz Chayim will also be holding Junior Congregation for the two days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur day for both the morning and afternoon services.
Services are available either in-person or online.

Temple Shalom, our community’s 60-year-old Reform Congregation, will be introducing their new clergy this year at Yom Tov.  The 2024 High Holiday services will be led by cantorial soloist Janet Pelletier Goetz as well long time Temple Shalom member Myriam  Saitman – who is set to begin training in September toward her rabbinical  ordination – and, for the first time, choir leader Erica Tallis –a  2020 graduate of the Desautels Faculty of Music at the University of Manitoba.

South end Winnipeg further offers a fourth liberal Jewish option in the form of Rabbi Matthew Leibl’s “Services on the River: A Modern High Holidays”. This is the second year that the former Shaarey Zedek – and now independent – rabbi is leading his own service at the Gates on Roblin.
He reported last year that he had a lot of people asking him to lead Yom Tov services.  ”Last year, I had about 250 people attending my service,” he says.  “I am hoping to have a similar number this year.”
The venue has room for up to 300 people.
“Services on the River: A modern High Holidays” are once again scheduled for   the second day of Rosh Hashanah, Erev Yom Kippur and Yom Kippur in the morning.
The three services, Leibl noted last year, “are designed to offer moments of reflection and introspection, beautiful live music, and a celebration of the Jewish New Year, all against the pastoral backdrop of the Assiniboine River, which will also be our site for Tashlich on Rosh Hashanah.” 
He explained that he will be blending his trademark Torah commentary, relevant explanations, and some humour with a mix of traditional and contemporary liturgy, to deliver a High Holy Day experience that will feel both familiar and modern.   He adds that he will again be working with the husband and wife cantorial team of Justin Odwak and Sarah Sommer.
All services will run 90 minutes.  While families are encouraged to attend, there are no programs designed specifically for children. 

South Winnipeg’s orthodox options include the Adas Yeshurun Herzlia and the Chabad Lubavitch centre. The former – led by Rabbi Yossi Benarroch  – has a membership of about 100  and can accommodate up to 250.  The latter has a capacity of between 200 and 300.
 
The Simkin Centre is holding Yom Tov services that are open to the general public.  The services, which will begin at 10:00 A.M. on all three days of Yom Tov, are being led by Steven Hyman with the Simkin Centre Choir, led by Bonnie Antel.
Heather Blackman, the Manager of Resident Experience, is asking that anyone who may be planning on attending the service from the public RSVP either by email (heather.blackman@simkincentre.ca) or telephone (204 589-9008), so that she knows how many to plan for.
 
While it is too early to report as to High Holiday attendance at the Chevra Mishnayes Rob Waldman, the president of the egalitarian congregation in Garden City, says that the board is hopeful that there may be a few former Etz Chayim people in the North End who may choose the Chevra Mihsnayes this year.
A few former Etz Chayim members have been attending Shabbat services at the north Winnipeg congregation for the past several months.
Last year’s attendance was 100.
Once again, Al Benarroch will be leading the services.  
                          
Still with the North End, the venerable House of Ashkenazie, the last of our community’s older-style Orthodox congregations, also, according to president Gary Minuk, is hoping that there will be 30 to 40 daveners for the High Holidays this year.

One other Orthodox north Winnipeg alternative is the former Chavurat Tefila – on the corner of Hartford and McGregor – which merged last year with the Talmud Torah and is now operating under the Chavurat Tefila Talmud Torah name.
Last year, attendance at the CT-TT was around 40. The leadership is hoping to match, if not exceed, that number this year.  Services this year will be led by Rabbi Menachem Frenkel from Baltimore.

Finally, for those who enjoy an alternative – yet traditional service in its own way – after a two-year absence, Camp Massad is resuming its innovative Rosh Hashanah service.  Daniel Sprintz, the camp’s executive director, is pleased to announce that Massad will again be hosting its usual Rosh Hashanah program on the second day. 
“We offer a creative and interactive service that combines some traditional prayers with contemporary readings, folk music and our usual Camp Massad shtick,” Sprintz says.  “Our services will be followed by a kosher lunch and Tashlich at the Lake.”
Last year, just over 100 attended.  He is hoping to have a somewhat larger number this year.

Yom Tov this year begins on Wednesday, October 2, in the evening.
Wishing all readers a sweet new year.