28 | SEPTEMBER 7 • 2023 

H

igh Holiday 
PrayGround is return-
ing to Congregation 
Shaarey Zedek (CSZ) for the 
third year.
Taking place during Rosh 
Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the 
festival-style alternative program 
is a unique twist on traditional 
High Holiday services — hap-
pening outdoors with interactive 
experiences for congregants of 
all ages.
Originally an idea born in 
2021 when the COVID-19 
pandemic encouraged syna-
gogues to develop alternatives 
to normal indoor services, 
PrayGround has proved to be a 
success for CSZ ever since.
This year, an effort is 
being made to expand the 
PrayGround focus beyond just 
young families — with an over-
all focus on creating community 
and connection for people seek-
ing new and different ways to 
connect. 
“The philosophy behind it 
is really a ‘one size does not fit 
all’ approach to prayer and to 

experiencing the High Holidays 
and all of their magic and pro-
fundity,
” said CSZ’s Rabbi Yoni 
Dahlen.
The Big Tent, the home base 
and center of the PrayGround 
experience, features an alter-
native service for all ages that 
includes a more musical and 
celebratory version of traditional 
High Holiday services.
Other PrayGround offerings 
include a yoga station held in 
partnership with Citizen Yoga, 
which will guide participants 
through a full body prayer 

experience; a drum circle led by 
professional drummer Michael 
Feld; a ruach-filled experience 
of singing, dancing, stories and 
more led by Lindsay Mall; and a 
reading corner with PJ Library’s 
Story Station.
New to PrayGround this year: 
CSZ will bring in therapy dogs.
“With everything going on 
and all the people and noise, 
for some of our kids and some 
of our adults, too, that kind of 
sensory overload is a bit much 
for them,
” Dahlen said. “So we’re 
finding a way of making them 

feel calm and at home, as well.
” 
The whole synagogue campus 
opens up, Dahlen says, with 
people free to wander from 
station to station as they see fit 
and to find different ways of 
connecting to Judaism during 
the High Holidays.
CSZ recently dedicated its 
new playground, which has been 
in the works for a little over a 
year. On whether the new play-
ground will play a role in this 
year’s PrayGround, Dahlen jokes 
that it’s now his biggest competi-
tion for the kids’ attention. 
“Which is a good thing! 
One of the reasons we called it 
PrayGround is because I truly 
believe a foundational way chil-
dren pray is through playing, 
laughter and just being happy,
” 
Dahlen said. “The playground 
is amazing, and we’re getting 
lots of great use out of it. Our 
kids and families are so happy. 
We’re just trying to find creative 
ways of making sure our kids 
can participate and get the High 
Holiday experience while being 
able to play and enjoy every-
thing on our campus.
”
Two big things Dahlen is 
emphasizing coming into this 
year’s PrayGround, not just for 
the CSZ community, but for 
himself, also, is a reminder of 
joy and gratitude. 
“I tend to come into the High 
Holidays with a sense of urgency 
and anxiety of all the things I 
have to get done,
” Dahlen said. 
“
And it’s really important to be 
able to take a step back, take 
a deep breath and to be filled 
with all the blessings around 
us. Being able to take stock of 
all the good in our lives and to 
acknowledge our friends, fami-
lies, neighbors and our beautiful 
community.
” 

For more on this year’s High Holiday 

PrayGround, visit https://shaareyzedek.

shulcloud.com/event/PrayGround or 

contact the synagogue office at 

(248) 357-3344. 
Young families enjoy a musical Shabbat at Congregation Shaarey Zedek

The new playground at 
Congregation Shaarey Zedek

ROSH HASHANAH

DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER

Enjoy a unique twist on traditional High Holiday 
services at Congregation Shaarey Zedek.

 High Holiday 
PrayGround Returns

