The melodies of Selichot
In the Ashkenazi tradition, special prayers of repentance, called selichot, are said during the days before Rosh Hashanah, and it is customary to have an inspiring selichot service at the end of Shabbat preceding Rosh Hashanah.
Each year, EBMC, EMS, HEM, SAMS & Kol Nefesh Masorti communities join for this beautiful service, with a choir made up of members of the participating shuls, hosted this year by Hatch End Masorti.
We had rabbis past and present from each of the communities and visitors from Oxford and
further afield.
The service started with a beautiful Havdallah to see out shabbat and to welcome the new week, this was followed by a short learning session to set the scene.
The Selichot choir conducted by Chazan Jackie Chernet led the singing with everyone joining in with beautiful, spine tingling melodies with such ruach, evocative of all that is powerful about the high holydays and a perfect introduction to the upcoming yomim tovim.
