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each other a blessing for the year to 
come. Then we come together and 
end with a big camp-style Ne’illah 
service where everyone’s holding 
Havdalah candles, we’re singing 
songs together, and it’s so filled with 
ruach and joy. It’s just an awesome 
moment,” Dahlen says. 
Often for young families partici-
pating in traditional High Holiday 
services, there’s a sense of needed 
decorum — a feeling of not want-
ing to disrupt anyone else and of 
embarrassment or guilt if their 
children are being too loud. At the 
same time, they want their kids to 
experience the High Holidays while 
still being able to make noise, move 
around and dance if they want to. 
What CSZ highlights through the 
PrayGround, Dahlen says, is how 
that’s exactly the way kids pray. 
“We want them to feel like shul 
is a place where they can be them-
selves and no one’s shushing them 

or telling them to sit down or stop 
dancing. We want the opposite. We 
want them to hear Jewish music and 
Jewish prayer and to feel like they 
can get up and dance and own it.”
These are the first High Holidays 
at CSZ since Oct. 7 and the ensu-
ing war. After what’s been a tough 
year for the Jewish community 
overall, Dahlen says the synagogue 
has focused on the idea of “we will 
dance again,” of defiance and taking 
a year that has felt so heavy and sad 
and infusing as much hope and joy 
as they possibly can. 
“Raising Jewish pride in the face 
of despair and hate is what we’re 
focusing on.”
The PrayGround is free and open 
to the community. High Holiday 
tickets at CSZ are not needed to 
attend. For the sake of security, 
though, CSZ asks that people regis-
ter at https://shaareyzedek.shulcloud.
com/event/prayground.html. 

A Reform-Renewal Shul

Please join us for 
High Holy Day Services 

Open to the community!

Warm. Spiritual. Totally Welcoming.

Our Rabbis, Board of Trustees and synagogue community invite 
you to join us for Shabbat services.

Please check shirtikvah.org for exact service dates/times 
& to view our live stream.

3900 Northfield Parkway • Troy, MI 48084 | shirtikvah.org | (248) 649-4418 
@CongregationShirTikvah

3900 Northfield Parkway • Troy, MI 48084

shirtikvah.org | (248)649-4418

 @CongregationShirTikvah

Thursday, October 3rd at 4:00pm 
Young Family Service 
Apples and Honey

Friday, October 4th at 11:00am 
Tashlich in Jaycee Park 
(Long Lake between Rochester & John R in Troy) 
Bring your own picnic lunch at Noon

Saturday, October 12th at 4:00pm 
Young Family Service

Friday, October 18th at 6:15pm 
Shabbat Under the Stars in the Sukkah 
Cider & Donuts Oneg

Friday, October 25th at 6:15pm 
SimchaToberFest 
Tour de Torah, Klezundheit band, dancing 
with the Torah & potluck dinner to follow

JEWISH NEWS

THE DETROIT

New arrival 
in the family? 

Share your joy with 
a birth announcement 
in the Detroit 
Jewish News. 

Scan this QR code 
to get started.