High Holy Days 5785

5785 • 2024

High Holy Days & Fall Festivals

Services and Events

For a complete list of events and services, visit our Events Calendar.

Tickets for members in good standing will be available for pick-up at the door.

Be sure to bring your picture ID so you can claim your tickets.

Click image to view our 5785 High Holy Days Guide

Download our 5785 High Holy Days, Fall Festival Services and Events Timeline

*Zoom links will be sent to all members in good standing.

For a complete list of events and services, visit our Events Calendar.

Links to our services are available through our e-mail updates. To sign-up for our email updates, click here.

High Holy Days Appeal 5785/2024

Hillel the Elder said, “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am only for myself, what am I?

And if not now, when?” – Pirkei Avot 1:14

From Pirkei Avot comes our theme for this year’s High Holy Days Appeal at Congregation Anshei Israel. Most of you are already familiar with this statement from Hillel, but you may wonder how it pertains to your appeal gift to the congregation.

Look around you here at CAI — see how valuable each member is to this organization! Of course, we wouldn’t be here in this building, in Tucson, in 2024, if it weren’t for the monetary and spiritual contributions of those who came before us. They built this congregation, supported and nurtured it, so that it is here for us today: A community where we celebrate baby namings, B’nai Mitzvot, and weddings, as well as daily minyan, Shabbat, and holiday services. We join Adult Education classes to enhance our Jewish learning, while our children thrive at B’Yahad Religious School and the Esther B. Feldman Preschool. Our clergy, Rabbi Metz, and Cantorial Soloist Nichole Chorny, nurture us spiritually in our weekly services and holiday observances. Where would we be without them?

As Jews and members of this congregation, none of us is on our own or disconnected from this shul. We pray, learn, eat, celebrate, and mourn together. We may not see each other on a weekly or even a monthly basis, but we come together at these High Holy Days, these Days of Awe, to experience something as Jews that transcends our individual selves. So, “If not now, when?” Our annual gift to the High Holy Days Appeal recognizes our gratitude for CAI and all that it means for us and our families. “If we are not for ourselves, who will be for us?” We realize that there is no entity out there that supports the needs of our congregation in the way you, and we, as members do. We show that we are for ourselves by keeping CAI healthy, ensuring its existence for future generations. Outwardly, this announces to the community that we are here, and we are going to be here for our children and our children’s children. Otherwise, who will be for us?

Since October 7, 2023, our community has needed to draw together like seldom before. The tragedy of that day and the ensuing war, along with the ongoing refusal of Hamas to release the hostages, causes all of us deep pain. Hillel’s words are so much more powerful when we think of Israel today: If I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?

If there is one word that sums up our feelings about Anshei Israel, that animates Hillel’s words as well, it is gratitude. We are grateful for our lives, for the lives of others whom we cherish, for the gift of each new day on this beautiful earth. Join us and let this sense of gratitude drive your generosity during this High Holy Days Appeal!

Teri & Ole Thienhaus, High Holy Day Appeal Chairs

P.S. If this is your first time giving to the High Holy Days Appeal, a generous anonymous donor will match your donation, doubling your impact!

Thank you again for your commitment to and support of Congregation Anshei Israel!

Click here to make your secure High Holy Days Appeal Donation

Rosh Chodesh Elul Service

Wednesday, September 4 at 7:30am

On Zoom

Followed by shofar blasts.

Join us as we sound the shofar to welcome the month of Elul at our Rosh Chodesh Elul service.

We will also be sounding the shofar during daily morning minyan during the month of Elul.

Check your email for Zoom link and password.

Not on our email list? Click here to join!

Project Isaiah 2024

Tucson’s Annual High Holy Days Hunger Project

Benefiting the Community Food Bank – Ends Friday, October 11

The project is named for the Prophet Isaiah, who when asked why we fast on Yom Kippur, responded, "Is it not to share your bread with the hungry?"
(Isaiah 58:7).

Food donations will be accepted through Thursday, October 10
in the marked box in the Lynne Falkow-Strauss Foyer.

Monetary donations are also greatly appreciated.

Cash or checks (made payable to Community Food Bank)
may be mailed to or dropped off at the Synagogue.

Also, CAI will be collecting donations of food items only from

5:00 to 5:45pm on Kol Nidre, Friday, October 11.

Look for the Community Food Bank truck in the parking lot.

Click here to make a donation

Havdalah & Selichot Program & Service

Saturday, September 28

7:00pm Havdalah Service & Selichot Program
(in-person only)

8:00pm Selichot Service

(Hybrid – in person & on Zoom)

Selichot are Jewish prayers of repentance said in the period leading up to the High Holy Days.

Zoom links were included with our High Holy Days Mailing and will be sent via e-mail.

To sign up for our email list, click here.

Kever Avot Memorial Service

Sunday, September 29 • 10:30am

Evergreen Cemetery, Anshei Israel Section

3015 N Oracle Rd, Tucson, AZ 85705

The Kever Avot Memorial Service, held annually by our congregation. It is a time to come to the cemetery to pay our respects to our dearly departed. Even if your loved ones are not buried in CAI’s section at Evergreen Cemetery, you are encouraged to participate in the service to express your feelings of love and loss.

The service lasts no more than 30 minutes. A special booklet of prayers is used that provides spiritual connection with those who are no longer among the living.

Please bring any ritual items and prayer books to bury in the geniza along with these siddurim.
Photo by Matt Green – CC BY 2.0

Tashlich at the Park

Sunday, October 6 • 10:00am

Ft. Lowell Park

2900 N. Craycroft

We invite everyone to join us as we symbolically “cast away” our sins as the New Year begins. Traditionally, bread crumbs are cast upon a body of water as an act of self purification and to fulfill the words of the Prophet Micah (7:19): “And Thou wilt cast (vetashlich) all their sins into the depths of the sea.”

Bring the whole family and participate in this meaningful experience at Ft. Lowell Park with a family activity as well.

There is no charge to attend; however, reservations are needed by October 1. Call or email Kim at 745-5550, ext. 224 or edasst@caiaz.org.