High Holidays 2010/5771

by Alice Swersey

This year we're excited to hold High Holiday Services in our own home in Chatham Center. For our congregation's first five years, High Holiday services were held at the Malden Bridge church we shared with our Methodist friends. 2005 saw the first high holiday services held in our own newly renovated building. The following year, to accommodate our growing membership, services were held in a tent behind the synagogue but, unfortunately, there wasn't adequate handicap access.

For the past three years we've held Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services at the Chatham Fair Grounds. Although that venue met our requirements of location, space, parking, and handicap access, this year Rosh Hashana falls on September 8th, just two days after the Chatham Fair closes, making it impossible to get the grounds and building ready in time.

Knowing this, we spent last winter planning and designing a gently sloping wooden walkway that would give everyone safe access to our backyard. Begun early this summer, construction and landscaping have now been completed.

With the walkway in place, we're able to bring everyone together under our tent. I want to welcome you all to The Chatham Synagogue Netivot Torah High Holiday services for 2010/5771.

L'shanah tovah tikateivu.