SCV Jewish community gearing up for ‘World Series of the Jewish calendar’ 

Rabbi Mark Blazer of Temple Beth Ami speaks to attendees at Chabad of SCV on Oct. 7, 2024, for the one-year anniversary of the Hamas terrorist attack in Israel. Tyler Wainfeld/The Signal.
Rabbi Mark Blazer of Temple Beth Ami speaks to attendees at Chabad of SCV on Oct. 7, 2024, for the one-year anniversary of the Hamas terrorist attack in Israel. Tyler Wainfeld/The Signal.
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Rabbi Mark Blazer of Temple Beth Ami likened Yom Kippur, the holiest day for the Jewish community and the end of the Jewish calendar, to Major League Baseball’s World Series. 

Yom Kippur begins on Friday and annually takes place on the 10th day of the month of Tishrei in the Hebrew calendar, 10 days following Rosh Hashanah, the beginning of what is known as the High Holy Days. Tishrei is the first month of the Hebrew calendar. 

Historically, the World Series begins around the time that Yom Kippur falls, though in recent years baseball’s championship has occurred later in October due to the postseason being lengthened. 

“In many ways, it’s a day that everybody pays attention to, but that analogy works also. It’s usually around the same time,” Blazer said in a Wednesday phone interview. “But also there’s the sense that this is it, this is over. It all ends with this. And so this period of the beginning of the year marks that intro, that beginning period where we say, ‘OK, now we’re into this year. This year has started on the Jewish calendar. It’s time for us to be serious and to really understand that this year has started, whether we like it or not, whether we were ready for it or not, this year is this year is underway.” 

Known as a day of fasting, Blazer said this year’s Yom Kippur is unique in that it also falls on Shabbat. Yom Kippur begins at sundown on Friday and ends at sundown on Saturday, the same time frame as the weekly day of rest. 

According to Blazer, that only occurs about once every seven years due to the Gregorian calendar and the Hebrew calendar being slightly different. He said fasting typically doesn’t occur on Shabbat, but an exception is made for when it intersects with Yom Kippur. 

“Fasting on Shabbat is usually not something that we’re supposed to do,” Blazer said. “The one exception is when Yom Kippur falls on it, because Shabbat is really supposed to be a day of joy and celebration and enjoying stuff, and so to deny yourself stuff on Shabbat is not something we do, but on Yom Kippur, that’s an exception.” 

For many Jews, Yom Kippur is a “serious time of reflection,” Blazer said. And unlike the secular New Year, there are no parties, though communities do gather to join in on the repentance. 

“The focus of this is not just to celebrate a new year,” Blazer said, “but to also consider that if we’re blessed with another year on this planet, what are we going to do at that time? How are we going to make it meaningful? How are we going to have an impact? How are we going to be able to affect people’s lives in a positive way while we’re here?” 

Services will be held by Temple Beth Ami on both Friday and Saturday. The service schedule is as follows: 

  • Kol Nidre: Friday evening, 8 p.m., Valencia United Methodist Church, 25718 McBean Parkway. 
  • Yom Kippur Morning: Saturday, 10 a.m., Valencia United Methodist Church. 
  • Jonah: Saturday, 5 p.m., Temple Beth Ami, 23023 Hilse Lane. 
  • Neilah: Saturday, 6 p.m., Temple Beth Ami. 

Children’s services will also be held at Valencia United Methodist Church at 10 a.m. on Saturday. For more information or to RSVP, visit tinyurl.com/mw9suj7m

Blazer said services and reflections this year will have an added meaning as Jews across the world think about those fighting to protect Israel against terrorist groups. The Israeli Defense Force has been in conflict on multiple fronts since Oct. 7 of last year when Hamas led a terrorist attack on civilians, including at a music festival in Israel, that saw hundreds killed and taken hostage. 

Those IDF soldiers, Blazer said, won’t be able to have traditional Yom Kippur services, but their willingness to fight for Jews everywhere to be able to do so is something he cherishes. 

Temple Beth Ami is accepting supplies — such as winter clothing, pain medicine and Neosporin — and donations that will be sent to the soldiers. Those can be dropped off during any of the services this weekend, or at any point before. The last day to donate is Saturday. 

Blazer said these items, along with money for army helmets and boots, are needed because many of the resources are going toward the protection of civilians in Israel via the Iron Dome. 

Donations are also being accepted at templebethami.org/shuva, or text SHUVA to 41444. 

For any questions, contact [email protected]

Blazer said his temple is also doing its normal charity work in the Santa Clarita Valley, partnering with the SCV Food Pantry on a food drive. 

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