The Jewish Community Chaplaincy Program, housed at Jewish Family Services (JFS), will offer its Service of Spiritual Renewal on Sunday, Aug. 31, at 4 p.m. in the social hall at Village Shalom. (Rosh Hashanah begins on the evening of Monday, Sept. 22)
This gathering will be led by Jewish Community Chaplain Rabbi Jonathan Rudnick and Lezlie Zucker, music coordinator for Congregation Beth Torah. They will be joined by Rabbi Monica Kleinman, assistant director of programs for the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies. The one-hour service will include traditional and contemporary prayers, songs and readings to usher in the High Holiday season and words of hope for the year ahead.
"As a Jewish people contending with the still unfolding post-Oct. 7 trauma that continues in Israel and its reverberations across the Jewish world, getting ready to begin a new year on the Jewish/Hebrew calendar can be both hopeful and uncertain," Rabbi Rudnick said. “As we gather for our next Service of Spiritual Renewal, let us remind each other that hope endures, and the remaining pages of our Books of Life are still unwritten and await our stories. Please join us in community to offer and receive the strength of Jewish human connection.”
Those interested in attending should RSVP by emailing their name and the number of people planning to attend with them to Moshit Snir at or by calling (913) 327-8250. The Service of Spiritual Renewal will be recorded and made available for viewing after the event at jfskc.org/jewish-resources.