(EXPERIENCE MAGAZINE) — Beverly Hills, CA — Monday, September 18th, 2023 — The Temple of the Arts at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills; 8440 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills, CA 90211. High Holy Day services will be held on the Eve of Yom Kippur (Kol Nidre) on Sunday, September 24, 2023 (5784) starting at 8:00 p.m., and on Monday, September 25, 2023 (5784) starting at 10:00 a.m., including a Yizkor Memorial Service (memorial service for the departed) starting at approximately 12 Noon.
The High Holy Day Services will include:
- The sounding of the Shofar will be heard on the first of the High Holy Days, the Eve of Rosh Hashanah, that begins the Jewish New Year 5784 on Friday, September 15th, believed to be the creation of Adam and Eve, the first man and woman.
- Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) is the holiest day of the year on the Jewish calendar; it is a day of prayer and fasting for Jewish people around the world. The Eve of Yom Kippur (Kol Nidre) on Sunday, September 24th, and Yom Kippur on Monday, September 25th represent the end of a 10-day period of repentance, which began with the Jewish New Year 5784, Rosh Hashanah, on Friday evening, September 15th. Historically, it is on the 10th day between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur on which Moses completed and brought down the second set of commandments from Mount Sinai, signifying that God had granted atonement for the people’s sin of the Golden calf.
- Rabbi Baron and His High Holy Day Guests will be available to be photographed and interviewed prior to the services on both Sunday evening, September 24th from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. and on Monday morning, September 25th from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. in the Barry and Rina Plost Lobby under the Stanley and Joyce Black Rotunda of the Temple of the Arts at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills.
- The Rabbi will also be inviting Holocaust survivors, Aron Bell (a special guest this year) and David Weiner (a congregation member), and others, to write their names into the historic 70-year-plus Torah Scroll discovered in Filipów, Poland, which will be on public display in the Barry and Rina Plost Lobby under the Stanley and Joyce Black Rotunda of the Temple of the Arts at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills.
Yom Kippur Service Highlights on Monday, September 25th, starting at 10:00 a.m. will include:
- Rabbi Baron’s Guests who will speak include: Cristiano J. Zeledón, Aron Bell (Bielski) and Jonny Daniels.
- Rabbi David Baron’s Living Sermon at 12-Noon.
- A Yizkor Memorial Service (memorial service for the departed) will begin at approximately 12 Noon. Hazzan Nathan Lam will sing “Ani Ma’amin” (“I Believe”) by Azriel David Fastag and the Yiddish Folk Song, “Mameleh” written by Mitchell Parish, Alex Alstone and Al Goodhart, with Yiddish by Miriam Kresyn.
- Cantor Ilysia J. Pierce will sing the Yiddish song “Ribono” with music and lyrics written by Mordechai Brezel; “Dance With My Father” written by Luther Vandross and Richard Marx and “Gam Ki Eilech” by Shlomo Carlebach, which translates to: “Even as I walk in the valley of the shadow of death, I will not fear any hardship for you are with me.”
- Dr. Judea Peal, Father of slain Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl will talk about Daniel Pearl Music Month and sing the Hebrew song, “Mi Haish” (“Who Is The Man Who Desires Life?”) based on Psalm 34 from The Book of Psalms, composed by Baruch Chayat,arranged by Sharon Farber. The text of the Psalm is as follows: Who is the man, Who desires life, Who loves all his days, To see good, Guard your tongue from evil, And your lips from speaking deceit, Turn away from bad, And do good, Seek peace, And pursue it.
- Singer Adrienne Baron will perform the song, “Band of Brothers”written by the late Academy Award and Golden Globe Award-nominated film composer, Michael Kamen.
- Eden Kontensz will sing “We Are A Miracle” written by Yaakov Shwekey.
- Adrienne Baron and Nathan Lam will sing “L’dor, V’dor” (“From Generation To Generation”) written by Meir Finkelstein.
- Servicemen and servicewomen, including Cristina Calderon who have served in the Armed Forces will light Memorial Candles, and Rabbi David Baron will read a list of names of those of have passed over the last year and are now forever sealed in the Book of Life.
- Ilysia J. Pierce and Nathan Lam will sing a medley, “I Will Remember You” by Sarah McLaclan and “I’ll Be Seeing You” by Sammy Fain.
Yom Kippur Service Highlights in the Afternoon on Monday, September 25th, from 2:00 – 5:30 p.m. will include:
- Rabbi Baron will lead a Question and Answer Session with his High Holy Day Special Guests, Cristiano J. Zeledón, Aron Bell (Bielski) and Jonny Daniels, and vignettes from West Coast Touring Production of Wendy Kout’s play, SURVIVORS, will be presented by Arts For Change. The play teaches Holocaust history and tolerance through the enacted testimonies of 10 Holocaust survivors, portrayed by a diverse cast of Latinos, Asians and African-American actors.
- There will be a screening of Adi Eshman’s Academy Award-nominated short 10-minute film, ANNE, seen through the eyes of two girls from different racial background, both of whom identify with the diary written by Anne Frank. Following the presentation of the play vignettes and the short film, Barry Gordon, who along with Ilysia J. Pierce, were the first cantors of the Temple of the Arts when it began 30 years ago in 1992, and who also served as the Former President of SAG-AFTRA from 1988 – 1995, will join a controversial discussion about casting actors who aren’t Jewish in Jewish roles in film, television and in stage plays. In addition, John A. Mirisch, former Mayor of Beverly Hills who currently is a member of the Beverly Hills City Council will speak on “Standing Up To Anti-Semitism” and Dr. Fred Luskin, Director of the Stanford University Forgiveness Projects and World Authority on Forgiveness, will speak on “Forgiveness: The How and Why.” And the there will be a session on Ask Our Rabbi.
- The Closing Mincha/Neilah/Havdalah Service/Final Shofar Blastwill begin at 5:45 p.m.
- After the Closing Prayers, a Mini-Break The Fast Reception will be held in the Barry and Rina Plost Lobby under the Stanley and Joyce Black Rotunda of the Temple of the Arts at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills, catered by Urth Caffé.
Services will commence on Sunday, September 24, 2023 (5784), the Eve of Yom Kippur (Kol Nidre) at the Temple of the Arts at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills, 8440 Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA 90211 at 8:00 p.m., and continue on Monday, September 25, 2023 (5784), the holiest day of the Jewish New Year.
In support of currently striking writers and actors the Temple of the Arts at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills will offer complimentary seating to its High Holy Day Services on both Rosh Hashanah (September 15, 16 and 17) and Yom Kippur (September 24 and 25) for members in good standing with the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA and their immediate families. To make reservations, please call the temple at 323-658-9100 and E-mail Edward Tarango at the temple office at edgar@templeofthearts.org
This year the temple’s services will be live streamed on the temple’s website, www.bhtota.org and Jewish Life Television at www.jltv.tv/channels Tickets for Non-Temple Members for both live Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services are $500 each at the Saban Theatre. Tickets for Young Adults 18 – 35 years of age are $150 each at the Saban Theatre. Steaming year long virtual memberships are $18 each. For further information about the High Holy Day Services please call the temple at 323-658-9100 or log on to www.bhtota.org
