Mandell JCC Rings in the Jewish New Year With Free Tishrei Holiday Events

The Mandell JCC welcomes the Jewish New Year with free events for the whole family, including readings, tastings, and hands-on activities to celebrate the High Holy Days, Sukkot and Simchat Torah, at various locations and at the Mandell JCC, Zachs Campus, 335 Bloomfield Avenue, West Hartford, CT. 

The High Holiday celebration begins with Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) at the PJ Library Rosh Hashanah Storytime, on Wednesday, September 12, 2012 at 10:30 a.m. at Over the Moon, 38 West Main Street, Avon, CT. Hear some holiday story favorites from the PJ Library and ring in the New Year with a sweet treat. Then, at 12:30 p.m. in the Mandell JCC Chase Family Gallery, make holiday cards for family members and hear the sounds of the shofar with Rabbi David Small of The Emanuel Synagogue, at Hands-On Rosh Hashanah. The festivities continue on Friday, September 14 with High Holiday Tastings at the Mandell JCC from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and at Whole Foods Market Bishop’s Corner from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. At Big Tent Rosh Hashanah on Monday, September 17 at 5:00 p.m., enjoy apples and honey at Beth David Synagogue, 20 Dover Road, West Hartford, with the Mandell JCC and Congregation Beth Israel. Participants will then walk over to Trout Brook for a brief Tashlich (Casting of Sins) service. 

Celebrating Sukkot (Festival of Booths) at the Mandell JCC is both fun and delicious, as families gather together to make their own edible Sukkahs Tuesday, October 2, 2012 from 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. and again on Wednesday, October 3 from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. The Tishrei Holidays continue with Hands-On Simchat Torah (Rejoicing with the Torah) on Friday, October 5 from 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. and Tuesday, October 9 from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m, where families will learn how the Torah was written and make their own edible Torah. The Sukkot fun finishes on Sunday, October 7, 2012 from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. at Auerfarm, 158 Auerfarm Road, Bloomfield, CT. Join the Mandell JCC for a hayride, snacks, apple picking, pressing, and cider-making with family and friends. 

For more information on the Mandell JCC’s Tishrei Holiday events, contact the Member Services Center, 860-236-4571, or visit www.mandelljcc.org. For news and updates, follow the Mandell JCC on Facebook and Twitter. 

The Mandell Jewish Community Center, Zachs Campus, 335 Bloomfield Avenue, West Hartford, CT, is open to everyone and supported by funds raised by the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford, a recipient of funding from the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford, and a member of the JCC Association of North America.