Members need to be logged in to their ShulCloud account and have their 2026-2027 Membership Commitment Form submitted in order to complete the High Holiday Registration Form.
If you have any questions or need any help with registering for these services, please contact our office, and we will be happy to complete the form with you either in the office or over the phone.
We will set out reusable name tags for those who have them, and we will print temporary names tags based on the names provided in your registration in lieu of a ticket.
Guests are welcome to participate in all of our High Holiday Services and Programming for a fee of $360 per person. Family Members who are members of other URJ (Reform Movement Congregations) can submit the official HHD Reciprocal Seating Form, and there is no charge for them to attend. Please do not include these individuals in your count and skip that section.
For Congregation Etz Chaim members: most URJ congregations offer reciprocity for members in good standing. Please let us know if you need us to submit a reciprocity form on your behalf. Please note: congregations’ policies on visitors vary and are beyond our control. You can contact our office if you need financial assistance as a guest or for a guest.
Please Help Support Congregation Etz Chaim’s Annual High Holiday Food Drive
CEC is asking for your help in collecting food for the People's Resource Center! Please take a bag (or two or three!) and fill it with non-perishable food items. Donations should have an expiration date minimum of six months from now; diapers and baby formula are always appreciated! High-need items include cereal, tuna/canned meats, canned pasta, soup, canned fruits & veggies, peanut butter, jelly, laundry detergent, dish soap, and other cleaning supplies.
Please return your bag to CEC by Wednesday, October 1. Donations brought prior to Yom Kippur morning should be left in the designated area in the library. On Yom Kippur morning, people will be available in the parking lot to collect the filled bags. You are also welcome to donate online to "High Holiday Food & Sukkot Diaper Drive". Thank you for supporting this worthwhile cause.
“Let your voice resound like a Shofar…share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless into your home.” Isaiah 58
We are offering babysitting free of charge for children 3 months through 2nd grade. Children 8 and older are encouraged to participate in the main sanctuary service or attend the 2nd-5th grade program and service offered each morning. Additional material will be available for them during this time. Our services are expected to be about 2 hours. We understand that children may need to move their bodies or take breaks from the service. This is ok. We have a sensory room that children can access (with parental or adult supervision), where children can take appropriate breaks while still watching the service.
The Union for Reform Judaism has developed a children's activity book, Our Story, Your Table, that can be used by families with children grades 1-7 to reflect and prepare for the High Holidays. Use this link to access this free resource.
Rosh Hashanah: We begin with the greeting "L'Shanah Tovah Tikateivu" or "L'Shanah Tovah u'Metukah" - May you be blessed with a sweet new year. You can also say "Shanah Tovah" (Happy New Year) or "Chag Sameach" (Happy Holidays).
Yom Kippur: We say "G'mar Chatimah Tovah" - May you be inscribed in the book of life or "Tzom Kal" - May you have an easy fast.
We welcome all people who choose to join us for our High Holiday programs and services. We know that we may have individuals join us for whom this is their first Jewish experience. Please help us to welcome them with open arms, and to help them to navigate our building and our prayer experiences. We also encourage you to include pronouns on your name tag when you receive it upon arrival. Please click here to learn more about pronouns and why we are including them.
For any accommodations for those who are joining in-person or remotely, can contact inclusion@mycec.org, and we will try to meet those requests. There will be closed captioning and sign-language interpretation available for all adult services in the sanctuary. We are looking at making this available via our stream, but we have not yet confirmed the technology. The congregation also has limited large font books available to borrow.
In-person:
If you plan to join us for in-person services, you will be greeted by a volunteer or staff member who will check you in, and provide you with a name tag. As this is a busy time of year, please allow extra time for this process. Name tags help us get to know each other and keep our community safe, and feel free to include your pronouns on your name tag. Please click here to learn more about pronouns and why we are including them.
Streaming:
Available services will be streamed via our YouTube Channel, which can be accessed through our website via the "Watch Online" button. Friends and family (including prospective members) are welcome to stream our services, and we invite them to make a donation to help support the ongoing costs of providing this experience.
CEC has a great tradition of volunteers who welcome our community into the building. Designated volunteers will be available to help assist with any concerns, or questions, you may have during your time at CEC.
Elul is the month in which we prepare for the High Holidays. This month helps us to turn inward and reflect on the past year, as we prepare to welcome in our new year. The High Holidays have the power to transform our lives. If we see these holidays as only an obligation to be fulfilled, we miss the inherent opportunity. Learn about the overall themes of the services to help you find deeper meaning in the strands of belief that are woven together in the High Holiday liturgy and practice.
We will have parking attendants supporting traffic flow and providing additional security. Please arrive with enough time to park. Please drive slowly, and carefully, as you enter and exit the parking lot. There are a limited number of accessible spaces. Requests can be made during the registration process.
You can purchase a set of Mishkan HaNefesh, the High Holiday prayer books, from our inventory. This two-book set is available for you to purchase for $48. There is also a Kindle version available from Amazon.com.
The safety and security of our members is of the utmost importance. We continue to review and update our safety and security policies and assess any risk to our community. CEC welcomes all people, of all backgrounds and abilities, who choose to join us for the High Holidays. Please help us support our welcoming community by introducing yourself to individuals you do not know. We have name tags for each person who registers upon arrival to assist with this process.
In case of a medical emergency, please note that there are two AEDs in the building. Armed security officers will be on the premises during our High Holiday services, as they are during all school programming, religious services, and other major events. If you see any suspicious activity or behavior, please inform one of our senior staff members or security officers immediately.
We hope you can join us for a community oneg following Erev Rosh Hashanah services, Yom Kippur Break Fast, Sukkot services, and Simchat Torah/Consecration. Do you have a special recipe or just like to make food? We are looking for yummy food for the Rosh Hashanah oneg or Yom Kippur Break Fast. Contributions to the Ritual and Religious Fund for Oneg are also welcome. You may donate to our Oneg Fund, and co-sponsor these moments for as little as $18 and as much as $360.
We are preparing our Congregation Etz Chaim School of Remembrance for Yizkor Services. This booklet will be used for Yizkor Service on Yom Kippur. We will include any names of loved ones that you have in your ShulCloud account or include them on your High Holiday registration form. Yizkor Scrolls will go to print on September 18th. It is common for families to make a donation in honor of their loved ones at this time and on the anniversary of their passing. Click here to make a donation.
