Creative Ways 
to Celebrate

Families innovate to make the holidays 
meaningful during COVID 19.

JENNIFER LOVY CONTRIBUTING WRITER
T

eshuvah (repentance), tefil-
lah (prayer) and tzedakah 
(charity) constitute the 
three central themes of the High 
Holidays. This year, families 
especially may need to add a new 
theme — creativity — into their 
New Year observances. 
Temples and conservative syna-
gogues will mostly hold Zoom ser-
vices because the ongoing impli-
cations of COVID prevent them 
from hosting indoor gatherings. 
However, some parents worry that 
worshiping in this way will not be 
as meaningful for their children as 
attending services.
A few weeks before Rosh 
Hashanah, Amy Brody, a West 
Bloomfield mom of three girls 
ages 3, 5 and 7, started contacting 
a few friends and proposed the 
idea of holding their own outdoor 
service. While she understands 
and supports the notion that con-
gregational services have to be 
online, she doesn’
t want her chil-
dren’
s High Holiday experience to 
be in front of a screen. The Brodys 
are members of Temple Israel and 
Shaarey Zedek and often go to ser-
vices at both places. 
“I want them to participate in 
communal prayer, and I know that 
with my girls that won’
t happen on 
a screen.
” 
Many congregations and reli-
gious organizations are modifying 
and expanding holiday offerings 
and providing programming 
beyond the internet to address 
such concerns. For example, small 

outdoor Rosh Hashanah and Yom 
Kippur services, tashlich services 
and shofar services are among the 
options available, and many are 
geared toward families.

POP-UP PRAYER
To make it easier for families look-
ing for a way to pray without being 
in front of a screen, Rabbi Simcha 
Tolwin of Aish HaTorah launched 
a national initiative that helps fam-
ilies host a service. Called PopUp 
Shul (popupshul.com), the idea is 
to provide all the materials needed 
for a Rosh Hashanah and Yom 
Kippur service, including online 
training before the holidays. 
Participants can choose from 
one of four services; a traditional 
one, a family service, a meditative 
one, and one designed for families 
with teens and college kids, which 
includes tools for engaging those 
who are reluctant to participate.
“There are so many great ways 
to mark these holidays, but par-
ents are going to have to dial in 
and learn something new,
” said 
Rebecca Starr, a community 
educator, Hartman Institute staff 
member and wife of Congregation 
Shaarey Zedek’
s rabbi, Aaron Starr.
“It’
s going to be a significant 
responsibility because it’
s more 
than just attending services. I think 
people are going to do some cre-
ative things in terms of fun family 
mitzvah projects and how they’
ll 
approach prayer in a way that’
s 
meaningful to them.
”
Starr went on to say that “par-

18 | SEPTEMBER 10 • 2020 

Rosh Hashanah 5781

TOP: Harry Feber of West Bloomfield blowing shofar, with Shaarey Zedek 
director of youth and family learning, Ari Reis, looking on. 
MIDDLE: The Bocknek Family, Erica, Andy, Ethan, Lielle and Kefira, celebrating 
the holidays last year with The Well on the Detroit Princess River Boat. 
BOTTOM: Leaders Rabbi Aaron Starr, Rabbi Yoni Dahlen and Ari Reis.

KELLI DADE-HAINES
COURTESY OF THE BOCKNEK FAMILY

