The Rabbinical Association of Greater Kansas City invites the Jewish community to join together on Sunday, September 22 for an evening of engaging discussion and Torah learning as we begin to prepare for the High Holy Days during challenging times. The program will take place at host congregation, Beth Torah, 6100 W. 127^th Street in Overland Park.

The evening will begin with a dessert reception at 6:30 p.m. and will be followed at 7:00 with a panel discussion with panelists Rabbis Caitlin Brazner, The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah; Rabbi Mark Glass, Congregation BIAV; and Rabbi David Glickman, Congregation Beth Shalom.  The rabbis will share and discuss texts and teachings on the topic: Grappling with Failure.”’ Each rabbi will share one of their favorite Jewish texts related to failure, and as a group discuss different perspectives and approaches to wrestling with their missteps from the past year.

Rabbi Caitlin Brazner states: “The Rabbinical Association is excited to offer this new High Holy Day preparation program for the Greater Kansas City Jewish community. This gathering will give everyone an opportunity to come together as we wrestle with one of the hardest challenges the upcoming season poses: grappling with our mistakes and “failures” from the last year. What does it really mean ‘to fail’? How can we transform our missteps from the last year into intentions for change and growth in the year to come? This night will give us all the chance to engage with these tough questions and help prepare ourselves for the cheshbon hanefesh, the accounting of our souls, that this season demands.”

After the panel, attendees will have an opportunity to participate in small breakout discussion groups and will be invited to share their personal reflections on the provided texts and their own experiences of grappling with failure, especially in the context of the chesbon hanefesh (the accounting of our souls) which we are invited to do during the Yamim Noraim (the Days of Awe).

“The Rabbinical Association decided to pivot towards a new High Holy Day preparation program in lieu of the previously offered Community Selichot observance,” comments Rabbi Mark Glass. “We’re responding to feedback that our previous Selichot program (while meaningful and engaging!) was challenging for the wide range of observance and practice of our community. It is our hope that this new program, focused on learning and discussion, and scheduled for a Sunday evening (as opposed to Saturday night), will be more accessible for the entire Jewish community.”

Visi https://www.kcrabbi.org/ for more information about the program. Register by Thursday, September 19 at: https://forms.gle/8c9Pwb9fgkphLnm36

For further questions, contact Annette Fish, Rabbinical Association Administrator, afprogram@aol.com or 913-327-8226.

This program is offered by the Rabbinical Association of Greater Kansas City in collaboration with area congregations and generous support from The Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City.