Chabad of the Bluegrass offers outdoor High Holiday service

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ)- Chabad of the Bluegrass will be offering pandemic modified services to celebrate the Jewish High Holidays in 2020.

Chabad says it has experience coordinating outdoor services, but this year it had to adapt because of coronavirus.

Free Rosh Hashanah Shofar services will be held Sunday, September 20th at the Chabad Center for all Jewish Lexingtonians.

The center says its service will include prayers for all of humanity’s well-being, a key theme of the holiday. The service will focus on the sound of the Shofar, a trumpet made of a ram’s horn, traditionally used in religious ceremonies. It’s symbolically sounded during Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. .

“The Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, my personal mentor, and the most influential rabbi in modern history, insisted that the observance of hearing the Shofar— the key observance of Rosh Hashanah—be made accessible to all Jews even those not attending synagogue,” Rabbi Shlomo Litvin explained. “Chabad has always prioritized making Judaism available to all. During the COVID-19 pandemic, this has taken on a whole new meaning, but our mission to serve everyone remains the same.”

Services are most often held in a synagogue, but Chabad has recently been bringing the celebration to those who can’t always make it with a short Shofar focused service over past years.

“Our goal is to lower the barriers of entry, and to encourage each and every Jewish person to actively participate in the observances of Rosh Hashanah,” said Shoshi Litvin. “This year, that means bringing a Rosh Hashanah service to a location where people can safely participate and continuing our unique practice of making it free of charge.”

Chabad says this year’s service will include the sounding of the shofar and words of inspiration.

You can attend services Sunday, September 20th at noon and 5:00 pm. In between, the annual Campus Shofar service will take place at 3:00 p.m. outside the WT Young Library, followed by the Tashlich Service.

Chabad says it will also try to accomodate anyone who requests a personal service.

If you can’t leave home, Chabad is offering a Rosh Hashanah-at-home kit, which will include a holiday guide, candles, and traditional treats.

Chabad also says it will still host its traditional High Holiday service in its new open-air sanctuary, but with a smaller crowd and distanced seating.

It will take place at 568 Columbia Avenue:

-Friday, September 18th at 8:00 p.m.

-Saturday, September 19th at 10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.

-Sunday September 20th at 10: 00 a.m.

For more information about this ceremony contact Chabad of the Bluegrass at 859 813-0770 or chabadofthebluegrass@gmail.com.