Below you’ll find the 5787/2026 High Holiday schedule and information about each of our services and programs.
Registration is required for all in-person High Holiday services and there is no cost to attend any of our High Holiday programming. *The only exception is Tiny Torah: High Holidays for Littles, which is free for Hill Havurah members; $50 per child for non-member families.
Registration is now open to all! Use the form linked below to register for all High Holiday programming. Once services reach capacity, we will begin a waitlist.
If you need assistance with registration or accessing your account, please contact us at info@hillhavurah.org
7:30 PM Havdalah & Selichot Service
Join Rabbi Hannah and the Havurah Ensemble for a musical, reflective Havdalah and Selichot service. We’ll re-enter the High Holiday season through melody, dressing the Torah, and thinking through our past year. Light refreshments will be served.
10:30 AM Young Families: Rosh Hashanah Pop Up @ Stanton Park
Welcome the new year together with songs, stories and a little sweetness! Join other Hill Havurah young families in the park for a joyful, kid-friendly pre-Rosh Hashanah gathering. Led by Rabbi Hannah and Laurie Solnik. We’ll celebrate the new year, connect with friends old and new, and enjoy some apples and honey along the way.
* Bring a picnic blanket and/or chairs!
6:00 PM Erev Rosh Hashanah Service
Welcome the New Year with Rabbi Hannah, Student Rabbi Lev, Michael Allen, and the Havurah Ensemble.
* Join us after the service for our community dinner! (Pescatarian & vegan menu, with plenty of gluten-free options.) Everyone welcome!
9:30 AM Rosh Hashanah Morning Service
Welcome the New Year with Rabbi Hannah, Michael Allen, and the Havurah Ensemble.
*If you plan to participate in the Morning Service and have young children, programming is available during the service with advance registration. See below!
Tiny Torah: Rosh Hashanah Service
A High Holidays experience during the morning service, for children ages 6 months to 5 years old — free for Hill Havurah members ($50 for non members) This is not just babysitting; under the warm and creative guidance of Emma Velinsky, little ones will enjoy age-appropriate stories, songs, crafts, and playful activities that introduce the spirit and joy of the High Holidays in a way toddlers can understand.
10:30 AM Rosh Hashanah Family Service
Welcome the New Year with other families! Led by Student Rabbi Lev and geared towards K through mid-elementary schoolers together with their grown ups.
* Stay after services for our Community Oneg!
4:00 PM Tashlich (Anacostia River)
Sing, reflect, and symbolically let go of the past year at the Kayak Dock in Yards Park on the Anacostia River with Rabbi Hannah and Michael Allen.
7:30 PM Kol Nidre
Move into the Day of Atonement with Rabbi Hannah, Student Rabbi Lev, Michael Allen, and the Havurah Ensemble.
9:30 AM Yom Kippur Morning Service
Observe the Day of Atonement with Rabbi Hannah, Michael Allen, and the Havurah Ensemble.
*If you plan to participate in the Morning Service and have young children, programming is available during the service with advance registration. See below!
Tiny Torah: Yom Kippur Service
High Holidays experience during the morning service, for children ages 6 months to 5 years old — free for Hill Havurah members ($50 for non members) This is not just babysitting; under the warm and creative guidance of Emma Velinsky, little ones will enjoy age-appropriate stories, songs, crafts, and playful activities that introduce the spirit and joy of the High Holidays in a way toddlers can understand.
10:30 AM Yom Kippur Family Service
Observe the Day of Atonement with other families! Led by Student Rabbi Lev and geared towards K through mid-elementary schoolers together with their grown ups.
12:45 PM Afternoon Meditation
Join Rabbi Hannah for some mindfulness in the middle of Yom Kippur. More details to come!
Afternoon Learning
Join Student Rabbi Lev for some learning in the middle of Yom Kippur. More details to come!
5:30 PM Yizkor & Ne’ilah
Join Rabbi Hannah, Student Rabbi Lev, Michael Allen, and the Havurah Ensemble to lift up the memories of our loved ones with Yizkor at 5:30 pm, followed by Ne’ilah, our final service of Yom Kippur, at 6:00 pm.
*Join us for our Community Break-Fast following the service! (Pescatarian & vegan menu, with plenty of gluten-free options.) Everyone welcome!
6:00 PM Community Sukkah Party
Join us for a joyful evening of community, song, and celebration in and around the Hill Havurah sukkah! We’ll shake the lulav and etrog, eat and sing with Rabbi Hannah. We will have sukkah decorating fun for kids (and kids-at-heart), and time to relax, reconnect, and revel in the holiday spirit.
Interested in helping set up the sukkah? Let us know!
4:30 PM Simchat Torah
More details to come, but live klezmer music will be involved!
Hill Havurah’s Book of Remembrance, Yizkor (Memorial) Book, will be distributed at our Yizkor service on Yom Kippur day (or in advance if you cannot attend). The book will contain the names of those family members, friends, and colleagues whom you wish to be remembered.
To ensure that the names of those you wish to remember are included in the Book of Remembrance, please submit your information by MONDAY, AUGUST 10.
We request an $18 donation per name.
This High Holiday season, Hill Havurah is once again supporting theLutheran Church’s food pantry.
Hill Havurah members are invited to drop food items at any event at the during the High Holidays.
A full bag provides enough food for a family of four for two days!
FAMILY SERVICES
Led by Student Rabbi Lev, geared towards elementary school aged children together with their families.
TINY TORAH: HIGH HOLIDAYS FOR LITTLES
During Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur morning services, Hill Havurah offers a special High Holiday experience for children ages 6 months to 5 years old. This is not just babysitting; under the warm and creative guidance of Emma Velinsky, little ones will enjoy age-appropriate stories, songs, crafts, and playful activities that introduce the spirit and joy of the High Holidays in a way toddlers understand.
Free for Hill Havurah members. There is a $50 registration fee for non members.
Questions? emmavelinsky@hillhavurah.org
To view our live-streamed services, go to the Hill Havurah YouTube page
An online version of the Hill Havurah Machzor is available here
This mahzor builds upon an edition originally created in 2005 by Hill Havurah lay leader Laurie Solnik, with assistance from Michael Allen, and has been newly developed by Michael Allen and Rabbi Hannah Spiro.
This edition was truly a community effort, shaped by many loving hands along the way. We are deeply grateful to Klielle Glanzberg-Krainin for the kavod—the care, dedication, and countless hours she devoted to bringing this project together. We also thank Sarah Burford for creating the beautiful cover artwork with such thoughtfulness and skill, and the Hill Havurah Ritual Committee for their partnership and wisdom throughout the process: Eric Paisner, Marlene Zakai, Erica Pressman, Kelli Raboy, and Jayme Stroud.
This mahzor draws from many sources and seeks to provide attribution whenever possible. It includes limited, credited excerpts from works not in the public domain, which we believe constitute fair use for the purposes of education, study, and communal prayer.
Our ushers and security volunteers will be at the entrance to welcome you, and you may be asked to present a photo ID at check-in.
Please do not bring large bags or backpacks to High Holiday services. Bags may be subject to search.
We encourage attendees to conduct brief safety and security training by viewing “Run, Hide, Fight,” and “The Power of Hello.”
We encourage everyone to stay aware of their surroundings. If you see anything concerning, please speak with a staff member or a member of the security team.
Thank you for your partnership in keeping our community safe, secure, and welcoming for all!
At all High Holiday services, you can expect to see Hill Havurah greeters and ushers—identified by their lanyards or volunteer name tags. Greeters will stand outside the sanctuary to welcome you, check you in, and direct you to the main sanctuary through the main door. Ushers will be inside the sanctuary to help you find a seat and to assist you in case of an emergency. If you need any assistance, please don’t hesitate to ask a greeter or usher for help.
Whether you are a longtime member, or joining us for the first time, please consider making a gift in support of the 2026/5787 High Holidays.
Hill Havurah is an inclusive, welcoming community committed to making membership and High Holiday participation accessible regardless of financial circumstances. If you have any questions about registration, membership, or financial accessibility, please contact our Executive Director, Brittany Schibuola, at brittany.schibuola@hillhavurah.org
Our community oneg & break-fast features a spread of vegetarian/dairy, and vegan dishes, with gluten-free options available as well. Please let us know if you have a specific dietary restriction we should be aware of!
If you need to use the outside elevator to get upstairs or downstairs into the building, email us at info@hillhavurah.org in advance to arrange for it to be unlocked for you.
If you need accommodations to make your experience more accessible, please do not hesitate to reach out!