Home > Spirituality > Holidays > High Holidays 5786/2025 > Detailed High Holiday Information
The Festival Services are officiated by Rabbi Greg Harris, Rabbi Deborah Megdal, and Hazzan Asa Fradkin. These traditional services bring together families and friends for familiar prayers, powerful spiritual moments, and provocative sermons. Synagogue leaders are honored for their service to the community. The Conservative movement’s High Holiday prayer book, Mahzor Lev Shalem, is used. Special musical arrangements of the prayers complement traditional readings. The Festival Sanctuary service will also be livestreamed.
Offered on the first day of Rosh Hashanah, Kol Nidre, and Yom Kippur through the end of Musaf, Kol Haneshama is a multi-sensory experience through the days of awe liturgy that encourages encounter with self, community, and the richness of Jewish tradition. Join us for communal prayer, study, meditation, singing, and transformation that will help you re-anchor yourself for a season of a renewal and healing, and find self-expression in the Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services.
Led by Rabbi Rami Schwartzer, the service is warm and accessible, participatory, and engaging. The Kol Haneshama service will also be livestreamed.
On Rosh Hashanah Day One and Yom Kippur, we are offering a shorter, lay-led outdoor service at Seneca Creek State Park in Gaithersburg. The Outdoor High Holiday Service includes all of the highlights of a traditional High Holiday service in a more casual setting.
As this is an outdoor service, casual attire, sun protection, and bug spray are encouraged. There is ample parking, including some accessible parking spaces. However, as the terrain of the park can be uneven, we encourage those who need a more accessible service to join us at Beth El.
Bring a picnic lunch on Rosh Hashanah and stay after services to enjoy the park while kids have fun on the playground.
Yizkor will be recited during this service on Yom Kippur.
At Tashlich, Beth El gathers on the bridge over the stream behind the Sunrise Senior Living building (formerly Spring House) on Battery Lane in Bethesda to conduct the ritual of symbolically throwing our sins in a body of moving water. Join us on the first day of Rosh Hashanah at 4:00 pm for the traditional Tashlich service. Instead of bringing bread, please consider bringing items that are friendly and safe for local wildlife such as cracked corn, oats, rice, birdseed, frozen peas, chopped lettuce, or sliced grapes.
For those who are unable to join us in person, services will be available online. Please click here to see the full schedule of online services.
On Yom Kippur, we recite the Yizkor prayer to remember those we’ve lost, whether many years ago or very recently.
In the stillness of the afternoon, between the intensity of the prayers, gather with Hazzan Asa Fradkin and Rabbi Rami Schwartzer to enter the quiet power of melody. Through the ancient practice of nigun—wordless, winding song—we open the heart, settle the spirit, and draw close to something deeper. No experience needed; off-key voices most welcome.
On Yom Kippur, Rabbi Megdal will offer an afternoon seminar at 3:30 pm. More details to come.
With a special invitation to those who have experienced a recent loss, please join us at 3:30 pm on Yom Kippur for a brief teaching and discussion, led by Rabbi Harris, on themes of remembrance, grief, and healing. All are welcome.
This service for families with young children from birth through pre-k celebrates and recognizes the holidays with singing and stories. Led by Dan Goldman and Karen Berman, the service time and location is TBD.
Offered on both days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur morning, Beth El offers two Family Service. One service s geared toward families with children in Kindergarten – 2nd grades and the second service is for families with children in 3rd-5th grades (younger and older siblings are welcome). The services are designed to include both parents and children in the themes of the holidays, exploring Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur through age-appropriate learning, songs, and prayer. Due to space limitations, at least one child in the household must be in the appropriate grade range in order for Family Service tickets to be issued. These services will take place at Bethesda United Methodist Church.
This service at Beth El on Rosh Hashanah Day 1 and Yom Kippur is for students only. It’s perfect for more independent children whose parents wish to attend the main service or accompany younger siblings to a different Family Service.
This service for children in 6th grade offers a focus on prayer and making connections with the holidays as students prepare for their b-mitzvah.
In addition to attending a service above, all post-b-mitzvah teens are invited to discuss themes of the High Holidays with members of Beth El Religious School’s Upper School faculty.
On Yom Kippur, the new Youth Lounge will be open from noon until the main service concludes for kids and teens 4th grade and older to play board games and hang out. Beth El has some of the newest and greatest board and card games but kids and teens are also welcome to bring their own to share with others!
Parents of young children – we know the High Holidays present a challenge trying to balance meaningful family holiday experiences with your own personal spirituality. Babysitting will be available in the Preschool wing at no cost on the first day of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur for children ages 6 months to 10 years so you can have time for prayer with your community after family programming concludes.
