High Holy Day Soloist 2025

Temple Israel is a small, Reform synagogue served by Rabbi Cynthia Minster. We are a small community who welcomes the skills of a cantorial soloist to join us for the High Holy Days.

Required services are: Erev Rosh Hashanah, Rosh Hashanah, Kol Nidre, and Yom Kippur. We would welcome your participation in our Selichot service, but that is not required. We use the Mishkan HaNefesh machzorim. We use a combination of cantorial and folk melodies. 

Our services are about two hours. Erev Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur services begin at 7pm. Morning services begin at 10am. Yizkor / Neilah begins at 5pm.

Our congregants will leyn Torah and read the Haftorah in English. Ideally, the cantor/cantorial soloist will be able to help as gabbai during the Shacharit Torah services. For the High Holy Days, we hire a piano accompanist to support the cantor/cantorial soloist’s prayer leadership. If you are local to the Bay Area, we will arrange in-person, on-site rehearsals with our accompanist. Alternatively, we can arrange Zoom meetings. 

Rabbi Minster will provide the order of each service and suggested composers. Our accompanist is returning from last year and is highly skilled. 

We also ask that you participate in a debrief of the holidays.