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Tekiah Around Town
Tekiah: one of the long deep calls sounded on the shofar as prescribed in the Jewish ritual for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur
Shofar: an ancient musical horn typically made of a ram’s horn, used for Jewish religious purposes.
Sunday, September 20th is the second day of Rosh Hashanah, and sponsored by Temple Emanu-el located on the East Side of Providence, volunteers will be spanning out across Providence to blow the shofar at multiple locations at 3pm and then convene in one location on Wingate Road for a second blowing of the shofar at 3:30pm.
For congregates who want to attend, the temple instructs all attendees over age two to wear a mask and distance themselves from family or friend pods they are normally with. Congregants who want to participate in the program are given a link to go to to self-assess their health and to affirm that they have not traveled to a Covid hot spot in the past 2 weeks. They also note that if a shofar blower does not feel well on Rosh Hashanah, they will NOT sound the shofar.
Here are the locations if you should see the shofar blowing happening.
Please to not approach the group in any way, but watch from a distance, due to coronavirus protections.
3pm – Barrington – Hanson Rd.
3pm – Pawtucket – Lafayette St. – Between Swan St. and Dartmouth St.
3pm – Providence – Corner of Lorimer Ave. and 4th St.
3pm – Providence – Corner of Wriston Dr. and Cole Ave.
3pm – Providence – Corner of Bevelin Rd. and Cole Ave.
3pm – Providence – Corner of Wayland Ave. and Elton St.
3pm – Downtown Providence – Corner of Stillman St. and Moshassuck Ct.
3pm – Providence – Corner of Emeline St. and Taber Ave.
3pm – Providence – Corner of Sheldon St. and Traverse St.
3pm – Warwick – Shalom Dr.
3:30pm – Providence – Wingate Rd.
About Temple Emanu-El
Temple Emanu-El is an exciting Conservative congregation that has been a strong Jewish community in Providence, Rhode Island for nearly one hundred years. We take pride in our long history of being a traditional and progressive inclusive community; a community of people of all genders, sexual orientation, and multi-faith families.
Our members are a diverse group of interesting and interested people, who express their Judaism in a wide variety of ways. We strive to meet the needs and deepen the experiences of all who come through our doors. We are proud of our rich past and our vibrant present, and we are excited for you to be part of our future!
Other public Shofar blowing ceremonies:
Temple Shalom, of Middletown – Tashlich & Shofar Services – Saturday, Sept. 19 – 1pm, Third Beach, Middletown
Chabad of Northern Rhode Island – Sunday, Sept. 20 – 4:30 p.m. – Lincoln Woods State Park
URI Hillel – Sunday, Sept. 20 – 2-2:30pm – Scarborough Beach, North Pavillion
What is a Shofar?
A shofar is a ram’s horn that is blown like a trumpet during services. The four sounds of the shofar — tekiah, shevarim, teruah, and tekiah gedolah — remind many people of a crying voice. Hearing the shofar’s call is a reminder for us to look inward and repent for the sins of the past year.
The shofar is created by hollowing out a ram’s horn, shaping it, and polishing it.
The shofar is evocative of the portion that is read on Rosh Hashanah, the story of the binding of Isaac. It calls to mind the image of the ram stuck in the bush that Abraham ultimately sacrificed instead of his son — reflecting our own sometimes difficult parent-child relationship with God.
Shabbat Shalom!
Feel the peace of God that passes all understanding
when the shofar is blown.
– Mary Halsey