Congregation Beth Israel will hold a free outdoor service in Elizabeth Park on Wednesday, Oct. 2.

Submitted

Congregation Beth Israel will begin the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) with an outdoor service in West Hartford’s historic Elizabeth Park on Wednesday, Oct. 2, at 5:30 p.m. The service is family-friendly, free and open to the public.

“Rosh Hashanah in the Park” is an annual event that attracts hundreds of guests from the West Hartford Jewish community and surrounding areas. Rosh Hashanah is Hebrew for “head of the year,” and marks the new year according to the Hebrew calendar.

One of the Jewish “High Holy Days,” Rosh Hashanah is a joyful celebration which includes the sounding of the shofar, a bugle-like instrument made from a ram’s horn, announcing the beginning of the “Days of Awe” between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

Led by Rabbis Michael Pincus and Andi Fliegel, the Rosh Hashanah in the Park service features lively singing and music with guitar, clarinet, and drums. ASL interpretation will be provided for the deaf. In case of inclement weather, this service will move to the synagogue.

Congregation Beth Israel is a Reform Jewish synagogue of over 600 families, tracing its history to 1843, when Jews were first given the legal right to establish a synagogue in the state of Connecticut. Today, Congregation Beth Israel is a welcoming community where people of all ages and backgrounds can deepen their spirituality and engagement through prayer, celebration, learning, and efforts to repair the world.

For more information, please visit www.cbict.org.

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