Bolton Street Synagogue kicks off the High Holiday season in a unique way: by holding their Erev Rosh Hashanah services outdoors in the temple’s meadow.
Erev Rosh Hashanah in the Meadow is one of the synagogue’s most popular events, often drawing a crowd of hundreds of congregants and other community members. This year’s event is set for Oct. 2, starting with a community picnic dinner, a musical prelude and a formal Erev Rosh Hashanah service.
Erev Rosh Hashanah in the Meadow has long been a staple of Bolton Street Synagogue’s annual programming, occurring every year for over a decade. The congregation’s rabbi, Rabbi Andy Gordon, believes it originated the year after the synagogue moved to its current campus in late 2003.
The size and natural atmosphere of the current Bolton Street Synagogue campus was a major factor in choosing the property, and the synagogue has made frequent use of the meadow in the years since. In addition to planning outdoor programs, the synagogue has secured an open space grant from the state of Maryland to ensure no one develops on the land and implemented a garden of native plants.
The picnic and outdoor service is well-loved by congregants as a prayer opportunity in a more casual setting, a chance to take advantage of Bolton Street Synagogue’s outdoor campus and a time to come together as a community.
“We are a community of a lot of transplants to Baltimore from over the years, so coming together as a family and being able to have a Rosh Hashanah dinner together in a picnic style is very Bolton Street,” said Sarah Jacobs, executive director of Bolton Street Synagogue. “It’s a great start to the holiday, being together like that.”
In addition to being a meaningful gathering for the holiday, Erev Rosh Hashanah in the Meadow also provides a stage for several congregants hoping to show off their musical abilities. This year’s service will be preceded by a musical prelude performed by two congregants, flutist Leslie Seid Margolis and accompanist Mark Guiliano.
For the past six years, cantorial soloist Rachel Graber has been performing at these services, along with other High Holiday services at Bolton Street Synagogue. Graber may be better known for her work at Jewish Women’s International, where she serves as the vice president of government relations and advocacy.
“It’s almost like we’re saying goodbye to summer by having an event outside one last time before the winter,” Jacobs said. “We do try to hold Shabbat services outdoors during the summer, so Erev Rosh Hashanah is one last time the community can come together outside.”
Additionally, the Erev Rosh Hashanah event is often a great recruitment opportunity for the synagogue. As it’s open to all members of the community, people unfamiliar with the congregation often attend the picnic and service and get involved from there.
“I love seeing familiar faces, but I always end up seeing a lot of faces I’ve never seen before since the event is open to everyone,” Jacobs added. “A lot of our guests are just coming to see what Bolton Street is like.”
