FAQ

The livestreaming schedule is available on our High Holy Days website.

The general public may join us for all High Holy Day services which will be livestreamed on our general website, High Holy Day website, YouTube, Facebook, JBS (Jewish Broadcasting Service) and by call-in services.

Central’s Clergy has created unique prayer books to lead our High Holy Days worship services. There are four separate prayer books for this year's High Holy Days for S’lichot, Rosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur, and our Family services. We are using the same prayers books as last year.

• Members: Prayer books will be available in-person at the venue for the duration of the High Holy Days. If you would like to order your own or are joining us virtually, we will include an order form in our weekly newsletters for hard copies of the Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur prayer books only. Please note that these are the same books used last year. The deadline to order is Friday, September 1. To access the S’lichot or Family Service prayer book PDFs, visit our Livestreaming page. 
• Neighbors: All Neighbors who are new to Central (as of last year’s High Holy Days) will automatically be sent the Machzors used for Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur. They will not have to submit an order form. 
• General Public: The prayer books are available as free PDFs on our Livestreaming page. The PDFs are downloadable and printable. 

We recommend downloading the PDF and emailing it as an attachment to your local print center (Office Max, Staples, etc.) These establishments typically have a unique email address for you to send printable documents to. Contact your local printer to find out more information.

All members in good standing are automatically registered for services. Being in good standing means you have either paid your current membership dues, are on a payment plan, or have been in touch with the Membership department about your membership dues.

• Central will be emailing tickets in mid-August. In addition, starting Sunday, August 20, members can find a link to their tickets at the top of the Central Weekly newsletter, which is emailed out every Sunday.
• Members without emails will be mailed physical tickets.

Your service schedule and location are printed on your tickets. Please reach out to membership@censyn.org with any questions. 

Yes. Accessibility details for all holiday service locations (Main Sanctuary, David Geffen Hall, and Beir Chapel) can be found on our Venues page.

• Members were emailed an order form in late July to purchase guest tickets. Each member household is eligible to purchase up to 2 guest tickets. Please note your guest’s ticket will be sent to you, not your guest. 
• If a member has any questions about purchasing guest tickets, please reach out to membership@censyn.org for assistance. 

Tickets are required to attend any service (including free services).  

Rosh HaShanah Full Holiday $225 (includes Rosh HaShanah Morning, Erev Rosh HaShanah, and Tot & Family services; no tickets required for Rosh HaShanah 2nd Day)
Erev Rosh HaShanah only $125 
Rosh HaShanah Family services $0 

Yom Kippur Full Holiday $225 
includes Yom Kippur Morning, Kol Nidrei, Yom Kippur Afternoon, and Tot & Family services 
Kol Nidrei only $125 
Yom Kippur Afternoon (Yizkor) only $0 
Yom Kippur Family services $0 

• Central offers services for the general public called the Community Services. These are open to all who would like to attend and are held in Central’s Beir Chapel located in our Community House which is just down the street from the Main Sanctuary. Tickets are required and will be available in mid-August. 
• Those who are current members at another synagogue can attend Community Services with Reciprocity for free (see how below). 

• As a URJ (Union for Reform Judaism) affiliated synagogue, Central Synagogue is able to participate in outgoing and incoming reciprocity for anyone traveling during the High Holy Days. If you are a member in good standing at another congregation, you are qualified to receive a High Holy Day ticket through reciprocity.
• Guests of current Central members will be assigned the same service schedule as your Central host through reciprocity.
• Those who are not guests of current Central members but would like to attend in-person services through Reciprocity are accepted only for Community Services in Beir Chapel.
• All must complete the URJ Reciprocity Request Form. Central’s Membership team will process these requests in August, and tickets will then be sent.

Yes, but you must fill out this Domestic Courtesy Seating Request for Reciprocity Form. Email the completed form to membership@censyn.org or mail it to Central at 123 E 55th Street, New York City, NY 10022.

Members:  

• Names of loved ones who have passed away in the last year will be read aloud during the Yom Kippur Yizkor service on September 25.  
• Additional names submitted by members will be added to the Memory Book, a printed booklet available for members to pick up at services. 

General Public and Neighbors:  

• Names submitted by the general public and Neighbors will be added to The Book of Remembrance, a digital booklet which will be published online on September 24th (Kol Nidrei). During the Yom Kippur Yizkor service on September 25, a QR code will appear on-screen which links to The Book of Remembrance. 

Members:  

• A submission form will be emailed later this summer for you to submit names to be added to the Memory Book. For members who do not have email, a card will be mailed out for you to write names on and send back to Central. 

General Public and Neighbors:  

• The general public and Neighbors can use this online form to submit up to three names of immediate family members (who passed away between September 28, 2022, and September 17, 2023) to be added to The Book of Remembrance. Please note that a contribution to Central does not automatically add a loved one to The Book of Remembrance.  
• Submission deadline is Monday, September 18, 2023, 5:00 pm ET.