Tashlikh in Your Town
God will return to us in love, cover up our iniquities;
You will cast away all our sins into the depths of the sea.
Micah 7:19
One of the most memorable customs of the High Holy Days is tashlikh. We gather at the water’s edge to reflect on our misdeeds from the previous year, consider our areas of growth, read prayers and verses, and toss breadcrumbs into the water to symbolically cast away our sins, just as the Prophet Micah asked God to “hurl all our sins into the depths of the sea.”
While traditionally, we perform tashlikh on Rosh Hashanah, this service can technically be performed any time between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. This year, we are creating several opportunities for you to engage in tashlikh in the days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, so that you can experience this service in small group settings:
Self-Guided Tashlikh in Your Town: (for all ages)
Included in your 5781 Yom Tov/Holiday Kits is a tashlikh booklet, which contains all the readings and instructions for you to have a meaningful self-guided tashlikh service. There is
also a list of recommended locations for tashlikh throughout Rhode Island. Bring your booklet, some breadcrumbs (or, for a more environmentally-friendly option, some fish food or birdseed), and head to your closest body of water. Self-Guided Tashlikh can be performed any time from September 20–25, or September 27 before Kol Nidrei.
Tashlikh Z'man Kodesh: (for all ages; geared towards adults)
During our 5:45pm Z’man Kodesh on September 21–24, in addition to the Minhah service, we will be led in tashlikh. Join us using a landline, smartphone, tablet, or computer! Consider taking your cell phone and some breadcrumbs (or fish food or birdseed) to your closest body of water so that you can actively participate in the service. To join, please call 929-436-2866 or visit www.zoom.us; when prompted, enter the following meeting ID: 405 452 0081 and password: 226005.
Tashlikh in Your Town: Family & Teen Edition (for families with children ages 0–grade 8, and for 9th–12th graders)
Families with children ages 0 through grade 8 are invited to join together in small groups for a 15- minute tashlikh service, led by a member of the clergy or staff. Tashlikh services will be held in 15-minute increments from 4:00–5:45pm on September 22–24 throughout Rhode Island. Everyone must register in advance for a specific time and location. We will also be hosting two teen-only tashlikh services for our high school students. Click here to sign up by Thursday, September 10.
