Synagogues observe New Year

Beginning Sunday and over the next week and a half, Temple Emanu-El and Chabad of Hawaii, Honolulu’s two main synagogues, will observe Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year. Events are open to the public.

Rosh Hashana is a two-day holiday that falls on Monday and Tuesday this year. But since Jews follow a lunar calendar, a day actually starts at sunset the previous day, meaning the two-day period begins Sunday.

Commemorating the creation of the world, Rosh Hashana more importantly begins a 10-day period of judgment by God, repentance and the seeking of forgiveness for sins committed over the past year, called the High Holy Days or the Days of Awe. It culminates on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, Sept. 26, on which God judges a person.

Here are the highlights:

CHABAD OF HAWAII

Ala Moana Hotel, 410 Atkinson Drive, 735-8161, www.chabadofhawaii.com

Rosh Hashana

» Sunday: Evening service, 6:30 p.m.; children’s service, 11 a.m.

» Monday: Service,

10 a.m.; children’s service,

11 a.m.; Tashlich service (a custom of "casting away" one’s sins upon the waters), meet at the hotel and cross the street to Ala Moana Beach Park around 4 p.m.; evening service at the hotel, 7 p.m.

» Tuesday: Services at

10 a.m. and 6 p.m. (shofar blowing will be done intermittently on Monday and Tuesday)

Services will be held in Hebrew and English. Morning services will be followed by a Kiddush/oneg lunch; evening services will be followed by dinner. Prices for dinner are $65 for adults and $45 for children (ages 2-12); 50 percent kamaaina discount is available. Prepaid reservations are required; call or email chabadhawaii@aol.com. There will be a $15 donation requested for lunches only.

Yom Kippur

» Sept. 25: Candle lighting at 6:05 p.m.; fast at

6:19 p.m.; Kol Nidre evening service at 6:30 p.m.

» Sept. 26: Services begin at 9:30 a.m. Yizkor (the memorial prayer said four times annually for deceased parents or children) will be said at 1 p.m., Mincha service at 5 p.m. and Ne’ilah service at 5:45 p.m. The fast ends and a meal is served at 7 p.m.

TEMPLE EMANU-EL

550 Pali Highway, 595-7521, shaloha.com.

Rosh Hashana

Visiting Rabbi Lenore Bohm will co-lead services with resident cantorial soloist Ken Aronowitz. Bohm was one of the first 50 women ordained by the Reform movement and has spent most of the last 30 years in San Diego as a congregational rabbi and director of the Jewish Healing Center.

Temple President Cliff Halevi said the guest speaker will help lead the temple into "a brand new era," according to a press release, as the newly elected board voted recently not to renew Rabbi Peter Schaktman’s contract. "Rabbi Bohm is not coming here just to lead holiday services, she is coming here to fill us with love and compassion, to connect us to Judaism and the Jewish people, and to inspire us to rededicate ourselves to being a community that feels like an extended family," Halevi said.

» Sunday: Ma’ariv (evening) service, 7:30 p.m.

» Monday: Shachrit (morning) service, 9:30 a.m.; family service, 2 p.m.; Tashlich at Magic Island, Ala Moana Beach Park, 4 p.m.

» Friday: Shabbat service, 7:30 p.m.

» Saturday: Torah study in library, 9 a.m.; Shabbat morning library service,

10 a.m., followed by potluck Kiddush.

Yom Kippur

» Sept. 25: Kol Nidre service starts promptly at

6 p.m.; there will be no admittance until chanting of Kol Nidre is complete.

» Sept. 26: Service,

9:30 a.m.; family service,

2 p.m.; Mincha, Yizkor and Ne’ilah services; 3 p.m.; fast ends, 7 p.m.