By MYRON LOVE Rosh Hashanah, which begins on the evening of Friday, September 15 and Yom Kippur, on Sunday, September 24, finds our synagogue scene in a state of flux. While this will be the last Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur for Etz Chayim congregants in their current 70-year-old location in north Winnipeg, for Shaarey Zedek members this will be the last Yom Tov outside their building on Wellington Crescent – currently undergoing renovations and an expansion.
And, under the dynamic leadership of new executive director Dr. Rena Secter Elbaze, the Shaarey Zedek is going all out to make this a Yom Tov to remember.
This is the second year that the Shaarey Zedek will have been holding Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services at the Asper Campus – with regular Shabbat services at the Berney Theatre and weekday services at Temple Shalom – and, Elbaze says, “in an effort to show our members that we appreciate their patience and understanding during this period of construction, we are offering all of our members free seating for Yom Tov for those who want to attend services in person as well as congregants viewing the services on-line.”
Non-members, she adds, can purchase their seats and will also be eligible for free seating if they participate in our daily minyanim or volunteer their time to help with Shabbat minyanim.
A further incentive will be the return of the popular Rabbi Alan Green to join Rabbi Anibal Mass to lead the main service. Rabbi Mass will also be leading the family service – accompanied by Grant Park High School Grade 12 student Noah Trachtenberg – in the Asper campus Multipurpose room.
Elbaze adds that the popular Quartet will be returning – along with the 20-voice Ruach Folk Choir to further uplift and engage participants in this year’s services.
Childcare will also be on offer.
Elbaze reports that thus far 350 have registered for in-person attendance (“We hope to have 500,” she says) along with106 for the family services and 92 for the online services.
“We have received over $21,000 in donations so far,” she notes.
As to regular Shabbat attendance, the numbers are still not back to where they were pre-pandemic restrictions. Elbaze reports that Shabbat services are averaging about 40 as compared to 175 three years ago.
“We are excited about our future prospects,” she adds. “We are making a concerted effort to attract younger people through organizing regular Shabbat dinners and havdalah parties in members’ homes.”

Meanwhile, Congregation Etz Chayim in north Winnipeg is celebrating its last Yom Tov at its current location at 123 Matheson. In November, our community’s second largest congregation will be leaving behind its 71-year-old building and moving to the former Shriners’ headquarters on Wilkes in south Winnipeg.
For this final Yom Tov on Matheson services will continue to be led by Rabbi Kliel Rose and Cantor Tracy Kasner – with Kelly Robinson leading the High Holy Day Choir. Jonathan Buchwald, Etz Chayim’s executive director, further reports that “this year, in addition to the regular adult choir, we will be incorporating youth voices as well.
“We are also offering a Family Service designed for young families led by Deborah Spigelman and Nina Eilberg. This will be a 45 minute service” and will include storytelling, games and songs.
In addition, there will be a Junior Congregation youth service for all ages and a special designated group for Kadima age children. And, on the first day of Rosh Hashanah and on Kol Nidre there will be a program designed specifically for teens in grades 9 to 12.

Services are available either in-person or online.
Rob Waldman, the president of the egalitarian Chevra Mishnayes congregation in Garden City, says that the board is not expecting much change from last year. “We hope that attendance will be a little higher this year,” he says.
Last year’s attendance was 90 – exceeding all expectations.
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, is also, according to president Gary Minuk, expecting little change for Yom Tov from last year when about 50 were in attendance for the first day of Rosh Hashanah and over 40 for Kol Nidre – numbers which were the best in some years.

One new option this year for frum members of our community living in the North End may be the former Chavurat Tefila – on the corner of Hartford and McGregor – which has reopened – after being closed for three years – as the North End Orthodox Minyan. The new congregation began regular Shabbat services at the end of July and is planning to be open for all Yom Tovim throughout the year – but the situation for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is still to be determined.

South Winnipeg also has a new Yom Tov option this year in the form of services being offered by Rabbi Matthew Leibl at the Gates on Roblin. “Last year, I had a lots of people ask me what I was going to do for Yom Tov,” says Leibl, who has been in demand for weddings, funerals and other community events since he left the Shaarey Zedek four years ago. “I perceived that there was a need for another alternative for High Holiday services.”
“Services on the River: A modern High Holidays” are scheduled for the second day of Rosh Hashanah, Kol Nidre and Yom Kippur morning. “Because the Shofar is not traditionally blown on Shabbat, we decided to celebrate Rosh Hashanah on the second day instead to be able to have the shofar in our service, ” Rabbi Leibl explains.
“ ‘Services on the River’ will be three services 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. Rabbi Leibl adds.
He notes 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 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.
Rabbi Leibl reports that the venue can accommodate up to 400 and that, thus far, he has commitments from about 150.

Both Ruth Livingston and Jack Craven, presidents respectively of Reform Congregation Temple Shalom and the Orthodox Adas Yeshurun Herzlia in south Winnipeg are reporting that it is business as usual this year. Both are hoping to see some growth in the numbers in attendance though, as fears of Covid continue to recede.

The Lubavitch Centre will also be business as usual. Capacity for the south Winnipeg institution is about 250-300. There is no charge for those wishing to attend services.

And, after a three-year absence, the Simkin Centre will again be 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, will be led by Steven Hyman with the choir being led by Bonnie Antel.
Caitlin Liewicki, the manager of Resident Experience, is asking that anyone who may be planning on attending the service from the public to RSVP either by email (caitlin.liewicki@simkincentre.ca) or telephone (204- 589-9008), so that she knows how many to plan for.

Finally for those who enjoy the alternative – and, by now traditional services in their own way – at Camp Massad, there remains one more option for those seeking to attend a High Holiday service. After two years 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 Hashonah 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.”
The service, this year, he notes, is being led by Rabbanit Dorit Kosmin. In pre-Covid times, Sprintz reports, Rosh Hashanah at Massad attracted as many as 150 participants. Last year, 90 attended. He is hoping to have a somewhat larger number this year.
The Registration deadline (massad.ca) is September 15.

Yom Tov this year begins on Friday, September 15, in the evening.
Wishing all readers a sweet new year.