Prayer has to speak to us if it is to speak to God. We have to be able to understand it if we are to put into it our heart and soul. – Rabbi Jonathan Sacks ztz’l

Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur celebrate the creation of the world, the coronation of its Creator and our moment to return to G-d and our true selves. The Machzor – the festival prayer book – is meant to aid us in this quest. After all, we are told that “Teshuva (penitence), prayer and charity avert the evil decree.” Yet, prayer is not easy. We are daunted by the concept, the often-opaque language, and the sheer number of pages of the book before us. How do we connect to the shul service or to the prayers themselves?

In response, in 2011 Rabbi Jonathan Sacks ztz’l created a new translation where he expressed the poetry and power of these ancient Hebrew prayers, while in his introductions and commentaries, provided a whole new meaning of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

Join us in unpacking the Rabbi Sacks Koren Machzor, where the powerful words of Rabbi Sacks bring not only depth of understanding but reflection on what these holy days mean for us today.