Page Turning and Clock Watching: Rosh Hashana Unlocked

Welcome to our special-edition Wednesday Wisdom, unlocking the mysteries and frustrations of the Rosh Hashana service. 

With a selection of talks exploring the themes of the day and content geared toward helping us understand and connect to the Rosh Hashana experience. 

Rosh Hashana. A beautiful time in our calendar, filled with joy and hope for a sweet new year.

But also a time of confusion. Fed up of page turning and clock watching, of sitting in Shul not sure what to say, think or feel? Let’s unlock the mystery together.

Schedule:

19:15 – Mincha followed by Maariv

19:45 – Welcome and introduction, by Rabbi Eli

20:00 – ‘The View from the Gallery – How to connect from behind the Mechitza (and in front of it!)’ ~ Shoshana Landau

20:45 – Refreshments 

21:00 – ‘Page Turning and Clock Watching: Reconstructing our New Year’ ~ Samuel Landau

21:45 – End

We are delighted to welcome guest speakers Rabbi Dr. Samuel and Ma’ayan Shoshana Landau, who will host our keynote talks. 

Formerly the Rabbi of Kingston and then Barnet Synagogues, Samuel is a clinical psychologist in the NHS and private practice. Samuel is also an honorary lecturer at UCL, and draws upon his knowledge and expertise to inspire culture shifts in large institutions such as the British Army. 

Samuel’s keynote is a tour-de-force of a journey through the three key sections of the special Mussaf service on Rosh Hashana, tracing its evolution from ancient times through to the modern era, and providing us with the tools and mindset to connect to it in a profoundly eye-opening way. 

Shoshana, originally from Australia and a teacher for the New South Wales Board of Jewish Education, worked in property investment and was also one of the first graduates of the Chief Rabbi’s Ma’ayan programme for women educators. 

Shoshana’s keynote will focus on how to transform what is otherwise a very passive experience for the average congregant (especially for women) into a proactive and deeply spiritual one.