From Congregation Har shalom, Missoula:

Hello dear friends in Great Falls!
I agree with President Laura that Rabbi Ruz made a wise decision. At Har Shalom, we decided that we could not gather indoors because our ventilation system is questionable. We felt we could not make the necessary renovations in time for the holidays. So, we initially decided to lead the service from the sanctuary on Zoom with only service leaders present. Then, one of our board members had a breakthrough Covid infection and several members were close contacts, two of whom would be service leaders, reading Torah along with me, OY! So out of an abundance of caution and the desire to put no one at risk, we are now almost completely online for the High Holidays. Only our outdoor Shofar Drive-in and Tashlich will be “in-person” outdoors.

These last-minute adjustments are time-consuming. I know you are completely able to do your own thing, but you are also welcome to join forces with us for any of the services. I’m attaching the schedule. All of the online services will be on Zoom Join Us

Whatever you finally decide to do, just wishing everyone a truly good New Year, filled with hope and sweetness!
B’ahava,
Rabbi Laurie

NEWEST REVISED High Holiday Schedule 09/01/2021
This is our calendar for High Holidays 2021/5782, updated 9/1 to take place on Zoom because of a recent Covid case in our leadership team (recovering well). As always, no tickets are required; all events are free, and donations are welcome. We are taking the Delta variant and current rise in local infections seriously, and decided that we will broadcast the main services on Zoom from our homes. Other changes may be coming as our pandemic situation develops.

• Monday, Sept 6 2021, Erev Rosh Hashanah……6:30 to 7:30 pm, Zoom
• Tuesday, Sept 07, 2021, For Everyone (kids, families, dogs) Shofar Service……9 to 9:30 am, back garden, rain or shine
• Rosh Hashanah Service……10 am to 11:15 am, Zoom
• Tashlich at the Clark Fork/Boone and Crockett……Noon to 1 pm
• Friday, Sept 10, 2021, MAOR “Shabbat Shuva Across Montana”……6 to 7:15 pm, Zoom
• Saturday, Sept 11, 2021, Shabbat Shuva Torah Study……10 am to noon, Zoom
• Wednesday, Sept 15, 2021, Kol Nidre……7 to 8 pm, Zoom
• Thursday, Sept 16, 2021, Yom Kippur Morning Service……10 am to noon, Zoom
• Cheshbon Hanefesh, soul-accounting text study…..3:30 to 4:30 pm, Zoom
• Yizkor…..6:30 pm, Zoom
• Neilah, Closing of the Gates and Havdallah, end of Yom Kippur……6:45 pm to 8 pm, Zoom

Since Rabbi Ruz will not be coming to Great Falls for Rosh Hashanah, it has been decided that we will not have in person services at the Bethel this year. There are a number of reasons, but paramount among them is that there is not sufficient time to prepare, and the continued threat of COVID in our community makes getting together indoors a challenge.

People wanting to attend services Monday evening and Tuesday can attend Beth shalom in Bozeman’s services via YouTube and on Zoom. See their schedule below.

Our GFHA community will gather outdoors for Tashlich on Tuesday, 09/07/2021, at 1pm at Giant Springs. The address for Giant Springs Heritage State Park is 4803 Giant Springs Road. Click here for driving directions.

It is suggested that Kol Nidrei/Erev Yom Kippur be live-streamed with Beth Shalom in Bozeman or the online service of your choice, but that on Thursday afternoon, 09/16, Rabbi Ruz could lead a discussion on Zoom, and then the Yizkor and Neilah services. This is not a definite schedule yet, so please check Aitz Chaim for updates

Submitted by Nadyne Weissman

High Holidays Schedule at Beth Shalom (From their web site)
Rosh Hashanah and the following week end

• Saturday evening, 09/04/2021, 6 pm: S’lichot on Zoom For more information contact rabbisonja@bethshalombozeman.org
• Monday evening, 09/06/2021, 6-8pm: Erev Rosh haShanah at the Ellen Theater:* in person and livestreamed on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/bethshalombozeman
• Tuesday morning, 09/07/2021, 10:00am-12:00pm: Rosh haShanah Morning at Congregation Beth Shalom:** in person at the synagogue and livestreamed on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/bethshalombozeman
• Tuesday afternoon, 09/07/2021, 4-5pm: Rosh haShanah Family Service Join us on Zoom
• Tuesday evening, 09/07/2021, 6pm: Nosh haShanah for Young Adults
  – at Story Mill Park. For more information contact amber@bethshalombozeman.org

• Friday evening, 09/10/2021, 6pm: Shabbat Shuvah across Montana Join us on Zoom
• Saturday morning, 09/11/2021, 9:30am: Torah Study
• Saturday afternoon, 09/11/2021, 3-5pm: Tashlich and Shofar Service at the Lalani Pavilion in Story Mill Park:*** in person
• Tashlich: at the creek
• Shofar Service: at the Lalani Pavilion

Yom Kippur

• Wednesday evening, 09/15/2021, 6-8pm: Kol Nidrei/Erev Yom Kippur at the Ellen Theater: in person and livestreamed on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/bethshalombozeman
• Thursday morning, 09/16/2021, 10:00am-12:00pm: Yom Kippur Morning at Congregation Beth Shalom: in person at the synagogue or live streamed on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/bethshalombozeman
• Thursday afternoon, 09/16/2021, 12:30-2pm: Beit Midrash with Rabbi Pilz Join us on Zoom
• Thursday afternoon, 9/16/2021, 4-5pm: Yom Kippur Family Service Join us on Zoom
• Thursday afternoon/evening, 09/16/2021, 5-6:30 pm: Yizkor Service and Ne’ilah at Congregation Beth Shalom: in person at the synagogue and live streamed on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/bethshalombozeman

Tuesday evening, 09/28/2021, 7pm: Simchat Torah Concert with Amber Ikeman at the synagogue and live streamed on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/user/bethshalombozeman)

Please, by all means, contact rabbisonja@bethshalombozeman.org in case you have questions, concerns, or ideas of how we should move forward.

Excerpts from recent emails:
From: Ruz Gulko
Date: September 4, 2021 at 9:15:20 PM MDT

My dear friends,

After weighing all the risks, I have decided it is not wise for me to come there on Monday. We can set up a zoom link so that I can lead services remotely.

Some of the thinking that has gone into this decision is as follows.
In Israel they are vaccinating with third (booster) shots for everybody my age; they have been doing that for a while and they are already down to 30somethings!! I know there is some good solid science there! However, there is no Moderna shot yet. Very worrying, especially because I got my second shot over five months ago.

So when I found out that Covid is surging in Cascade county, and that the hospital has opened up a new floor for Covid patients there, I became very worried. I have now thought of nothing else for 48 hours. Needless to say, as a person with fibromyalgia, it has not been an easy time!

I am ever so sorry!! I just believe that this is the better option for me.
Please be in touch so we can talk about setting up a zoom link.

Sent from my iPhone

From: Congregation President Laura Weiss
Sent: Saturday, September 04, 2021 10:46 PM

Hello everyone.

I think Ruz has made a very wise decision. As we hear more and more about breakthrough cases, we just need to take the extra precautions, especially if in a higher risk group. This trip is not essential and safeguarding Ruz’s health takes priority.

We might even want to rethink whether we want to meet in person at all.
Perhaps we should all do the service via zoom?

Let’s think carefully about how we want to handle the upcoming holidays.

-Laura