A workshop to assist you with advice and song choices for Halleil and other musical opportunities throughout the week of Succos including Hoshanos/Shabbos Chol HaMo'eid/Sh'mini Atzeres.

• That awkward moment when your neighbor or that staffer at the airport asks you what the palm tree and lemon are for and you have no clue what to answer...
• That awkward moment when you shake the same palm tree and lemon with enthusiasm but have no clue why...
• That awkward moment when you're marching around the Shul with that palm tree and lemon because everyone else is doing it, but no one can explain why...

● What are Hoshanos? We encircle the Torah & Bimah/Mizbei'ach (Altar) with Lulav & Esrog in hand. Great. Why? Gotcha! And what is Hoshana Rabbah about?
● What is the point of Dalet Minim (4 Species) anyway? Why do we shake them?
● The 7 Hakafos (Circuits) of Succos apparently culminate with the 7 Hakafos of Simchas Torah. What's the connection?

A panoramic view of Parshas Ha'azinu with a focus on the following questions:

● What is the point of Shiras Ha'azinu? Is it supposed to be hopeful and encouraging? That is the impression you get from Parshas Vayeilech. But, when you read Ha'azinu, the message and meaning appear to be overwhelmingly negative... That in mind, what is the message and meaning of Ha'azinu? Is there an order or structure to the song?

A few minutes of Mussar and inspiration on Parshas Ha'azinu with a review of Yomim Nora’im.

An overview of the Yom Kippur Machzor which will simplify the otherwise complex Davening and address these basic questions about the themes of the Davening:

● Kol Nidrei is an awkward intro to Yom Kippur. The haunting melody sets the solemn tone well, but the legal nullification of vows does not seem to fit its tune. Moreover, it is kind of strange that rather than making real life commitments and resolutions, we recite a legal loophole that states that we're not bound by our promises. What kind of attitude and message are we trying to project on our way into Yom Kippur?
● Eileh Ezkerah: Why do we devote a section of Yom Kippur Davening to the Asarah Harugei Malchus (10 Martyrs)? Isn't that somewhat 'tone deaf'?
● Why do we lein about Gilui Arayos at Mincha? Why do we take away Mincha's Ashrei-U’Va L’Tziyon and say it in Ne'ilah? What even is Ne'ilah?

Ne'ilah. Enough said.

The long awaited workshop on the Seder Avodah of Yom Kippur Musaf through Eileh Ezkerah to the end. Here, we cover both the complicated Nusach and several powerful tune options all the way through the end of this Davening.

A workshop on the Hineni as well as part 1 of the Chazaras HaShatz for Yom Kippur Musaf which covers several powerful Piyutim including U'Nesaneh Tokef, Kedushah, Aleinu, and Ochilah (and ends right before the Seder HaAvodas Yom HaKippurim which will be covered in Part 2).

A few minutes of Mussar and inspiration on Parshas Vayeilech.

A panoramic view of Parshas Vayeilech with a focus on the following questions:

● The Parsha begins, 'Vayeilech Moshe'-'And Moshe went,' but never discloses WHERE Moshe went. Where was he going?

● What exactly is Hak'heil? Why does Moshe leave this Mitzvah topic for one of his final speeches?