Celebrate the New Year with Harvard Hillel
Dear fellow member of Harvard’s Jewish community,
As the year 5786 approaches, we invite you to experience the High Holidays with Harvard Hillel, which include services, study and song, and a community-wide break-fast. With four distinct prayer communities offering meaningful ways to observe Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, there’s a spiritual home for everyone in our pluralistic community. All of our offerings are open to the entire community – no Harvard affiliation is required to attend.
Get Your High Holiday Tickets Today
Chose Your High Holiday Experience
Orthodox
Experience the High Holidays with Torah teachings from our new Orthodox Rabbi, Rav Ethan Fried ’16. We’re delighted to welcome back Alexander Zaloum ’16, who is traveling specially to lead Shaharit on both days of Rosh Hashanah. Our Orthodox Minyan continues to offer traditional services with the warmth and energy our community has come to cherish.
Conservative
For the first time, our Student Conservative Minyan (SCM) is opening its doors to the broader community this High Holiday season! Rabbi Elisha Gechter (Senior Director of Community Engagement) and Talia Young (Conservative Rabbinic Advisor) will guide services that blend tradition with student leadership, and Rabbi Jason Rubenstein (Executive Director) will deliver a sermon at Kol Nidre. SCM is actively seeking community and student voices to participate – if you’d like to have a role in the service, please reach out to Talia Young or student gabbai Judy Epstein ’27.
Reform
Join Monica Steiner (Reform Rabbinic Advisor) and Hebrew College Rabbinic student MJ Gilbert for services that are modern, moving, and deeply rooted in tradition. This year’s musically-infused liturgy will feature both traditional melodies and contemporary tunes, drawing from Ashkenazic and Mizrachi musical traditions to create an uplifting spiritual experience. Rabbi Jason Rubenstein will give a D’var Torah on the first night of Rosh Hashanah.
Worship & Study Minyan
Our multigenerational Worship & Study congregation continues its tradition of joyful participation and spiritual exploration. Rabbi Jim Morgan will deliver sermons on Erev Rosh Hashanah and Kol Nidre, while Rabbi Elisha Gechter will share a d’var Torah on the first morning of Rosh Hashanah. Our member Michal Goldman will offer teachings on Yom Kippur morning. This lay-led community embodies our commitment to Jewish pluralism, traditional egalitarianism, and freedom of inquiry.
After Kol Nidrei services, join an evening of song and study led by Rabbi Jason Rubenstein and Rabbi Elisha Gechter, open to all prayer communities.
After the conclusion of Yom Kippur, we invite everyone to our community break-fast at 7:00 PM.
Registration not required.
View complete service schedules and additional details on our website.
May the new year hold only goodness, blessing, and peace for you and for our entire community.
L’shanah tovah!
Celine Ginsburg
Director of Development