This Month in The Tent: Preparing for the High Holidays

The High Holidays are on their way, so before you head out for summer break, visit The Tent, the URJ’s online communication and collaboration forum, for a full list of tried-and-true High Holiday preparation suggestions, including these and other tips.

• Tickets: Provide all relevant information, including (as applicable) pricing policies for members and guests, distribution methods, availability, and special offers for students and military personnel.
• Seating: Describe policies concerning saving seats, as well as accommodations for those with special seating needs.
• Parking: Describe availability, use of shuttle buses, special arrangements that have been made with local law enforcement officers or neighbors, and considerations for people with wheelchairs and strollers.
• Security: Explain the security procedures, including what type of identification, if any, will be required to enter the building, and what parking decal must be displayed in vehicles.
• Special Situations: Describe how to obtain hearing devices, large-print or Braille prayer books, and where to stow strollers.
• Children: Delineate between worship service attendance and childcare/babysitting policies.

The Tent also has High Holiday resources to help ensure that everything runs smoothly at your congregation throughout this busy season:

• Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur Holiday Happenings guide
• Courtesy seating request form
• Customizable ads (ordering instructions are in the document)
• Great conversations on a variety of topics, including this one about increasing youth participation during holiday worship

Looking for more? Join us in The Tent on June 17th for our next YamJam, an interactive live chat, about The High Holidays in the Age of Audacious Hospitality. Search #HHD or #HighHolidays for additional resources and conversations, and keep an eye out for a Tent announcement about how to promote non-member engagement opportunities in your congregation during the High Holidays. Seasonal Info: The URJ Biennial will be held in Orlando, FL, from November 4-8, and registration is now open! Special pricing is available for early bird registrants and congregational delegations. Visit the Biennial 15 group in The Tent for a social media Biennial recruitment toolkit and colorful advertising graphics (located in the group’s file library) to help your congregation promote Biennial and build a delegation. Tent Tip: Not hearing from The Tent often enough? Receiving too many emails? You can customize your email notification preferences so you’re only notified about activity that’s important to you. Watch this brief webinar and review the accompanying Q&A to learn how to set your preferences. Join the conversation and access these and other great resources in The Tent. For additional support, contact the URJ Knowledge Network team.