| 1)
Tell
me
about
the
Beth
El
Congregation
of
Mansfield. The Beth El Congregation of Mansfield is a small, unaffiliated synagogue located on the UConn Storrs campus. We have shared a building with the Hillel Foundation for over 50 years. Our members come from the University and its surrounding towns. Please see our homepage for more information. 2) What services will be offered? We will be offering progressive / participatory services for: Erev Rosh Hashanah, Rosh Hashanah Morning, Kol Nidre and Yom Kippur Morning. 3) Who is invited? University students, faculty, and staff, and members of surrounding communities are all welcome. Families, older children and teens, and individuals seeking a supportive yet meaningful prayer experience are encouraged to attend. No tickets or reservations are required to participate. No matter your previous experience or background, we welcome you to join us. 4) What will these services be like? These services will use an alternative, abbreviated machzor (High Holiday prayer book) that contains selections from the traditional High Holiday prayers, supplemented with contemporary English readings, and will include time for learning and discussion. Congregational singing with the Cantor will be a key component to the service. Services will be held “in the round” in order to create an informal, comfortable setting. In lieu of a sermon, there may be a short teaching, story, or discussion. 5) Where will these services be held? All of the Beth El Congregation’s services will be held at the Buchanan Auditorium at the Mansfield Public Library located at 54 Warrenville Road (Route 89), just minutes from the UConn campus. The Buchanan Auditorium is a building separate from the library with its own parking lot, kitchen, bathrooms, etc. The building is fully wheelchair accessible. To get to the Mansfield Public Library, drive approximately 3.5 miles south of the UConn campus (toward Willimantic) on CT-195/Storrs Rd. Turn left on CT-89 / Warrenville Rd and go about 3 tenths of a mile. The library is on your right. The first entrance is the lot adjacent to the Auditorium. For more detailed driving directions to the location, please go to: http://www.biblio.org/mansfield/About%20Us/directions.htm 6) When will these services be held? See Calendar for dates and times. 7) What else should I know about the High Holiday services? Immediately following Erev Rosh Hashanah services, we will share the traditional snack of Apples and Honey outside the Buchanan Auditorium (weather permitting). We'll provide the apples and honey, you bring the desserts to usher in a sweet New Year. On Rosh Hashanah Day, after morning services, the Beth El Congregation of Mansfield will hold a vegetarian potluck lunch at the Rosen-Collins Residence (223 Gurleyville Road, Storrs, CT – adjacent to the campus. Maps will be available at the morning service). If you want to join us for the vegetarian potluck lunch, please bring some food, dessert, or beverage. After lunch on Rosh Hashanah, we will hold a Tashlich service where we symbolically cast away the sins of the previous year into a nearby stream. On Yom Kippur afternoon, you are welcome to attend Yizkor even if you are fortunate not to have lost a loved one. We will remember those who came before us and take this opportunity to share our memories of them. In the afternoon of Yom Kippur afternoon, Mark Frydenberg will offer a study session. The Neilah (Concluding) service, a family-friendly service, open to all, will allow us to end the High Holidays together. 8) Where can I park? The Buchanan Auditorium is located at 54 Warrenville Road (Route 89). The first parking lot entrance is for the Auditorium and can hold roughly 30 vehicles. For the Rosh Hashanah Potluck Lunch and Tashlich Service, there will be plenty of parking along the access road to the Rosen-Collins residence. Maps with detailed directions to the Rosen-Collins Residence will be available at the morning Rosh Hashanah service. 9) How can I help?
Feel free to contact Mark Naigles, the President of the Beth El Congregation of Mansfield, at mnaigles@yahoo.com to volunteer. 10) Where can I get more information? Feel free to contact Mark Naigles, the President of the Beth El Congregation of Mansfield, at mnaigles@yahoo.com with any questions you may have. |