High Holy Days Volunteers: All Ages Welcome!
Join our High Holy Days Team and become part of the camaraderie and community that takes place when you say, “Yes, I want to help!" In addition to the wonderful feeling that we get by contributing, many of us have met each other and other members through our volunteer efforts. Such interactions add to the feelings of spirituality and connectedness that come with the High Holy Days. We have many opportunities for both young people and adults. (If you are looking for volunteer hours for school or a program, sign up and we will sign for you!). No experience is needed, as one of our leaders with assist and guide you. You may read about the different opportunities below; if one area is of interest, click on the signup to learn more and join the team! All volunteers will have reserved seating so they may join their families once done with their volunteer duties.
Guest Welcome Table For Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur Family Services
We are looking for one adult and one youth ambassador to welcome families, talk about our youth and family programming, and answer questions at each of our family services. Or, you can just be friendly and help our guests feel comfortable. To learn more, go to our High Holy Days Family Ambassador Signup.
Check-In Crew
If you are comfortable marking our members and guests as in attendance, then this volunteer position is for you! Join by signing up on our High Holy Days Check-in Crew Signup.
Parking Crew
Put on an orange vest, get some sunblock, and tell those cars where to go! This is a wonderful opportunity for someone who loves to be outside with a team of people and play Tetris with real cars! Mark, our parking coordinator, will teach you the ropes. View the availability by going to our High Holy Days Parking Signup.
Setup/breakdown or distribute ritual books
This is a great time for you to bring a friend or make a new one while providing much needed help in preparing for services. Appropriate for teens and adults, this does not require a huge time commitment. You may either help with setup and breakdown of chair or help with collection and distribution of books. We have many slots available; to sign up, visit our High Holy Days Setup/Breakdown and Book Distribution Signup.
Greeters
Welcome people coming from the parking lot into the building and direct them to the check-in staff or to the welcome table as appropriate. Help control the flow of traffic to keep the lobby from getting overfull. You may signup through our High Holy Days Greeter Signup.
Ushers
Our ushers are the kind people who help everyone find seating, assist with special needs, and direct us to safety in case of an unexpected event. This important job is made easy with the training and leadership provided by Stephanie, our fearless Usher Leader. If interested, click on the High Holy Days Usher Signup.
If you want to talk or learn more about any of these opportunities, contact Izy, our High Holy Days Coordinator, by leaving a message at the office.
Meet Some of Our High Holy DaysVolunteers!
How are we able to bring High Holy Days to our fellow members and community? It takes over 50 volunteers who are involved in planning, innovating, and problem solving for weeks and even months to bring our holiday experience to fruition.
Who are the people involved? We’d like to introduce you to a few of our volunteer leaders.
Usher Coordinator, Stephanie P.
Hi, I’m Stephanie, and I’m the Usher coordinator — or, as I like to think of myself, the queen usher with a walkie-talkie. I’ve been in this role for multiple years, and it’s allowed me to get to know some really wonderful people. Joining a committee is a great way of meeting new people and feeling connected. Ushering is not just getting people into their seats but also helping to keep everybody safe and to deal with unexpected situations that may arrive. Training is involved — but it is not arduous, and there are no tests. It is an honor to usher, and I hope you will honor me with your participation and be an Usher.
Parking coordinator, Mark N.
Mark and Sandra moved from New Jersey to this area in August 2020. They retired at the same time and looked for a Reform temple in the area when they joined Beth Shalom. They were very active in their NJ Temple and were looking for ways to help the community and meet people from the Beth Shalom, as they knew no one except for Sandra's brother and sister. Having had experience in organizing High Holidays at their NJ temple, Mark asked for what help was needed, which brought him to volunteer to help out on the parking lot squad to make sure everyone is safe. He looks forward to working with the group to make High Holy Days services a good experience.