What time are services?
Here is our complete service schedule.
Where will services be held?
We are thrilled to welcome our entire community and guests to our scenic Bel Air mountaintop, where all our High Holy Day services will be held. For our families with children ages 0-6th grade, our daytime services will be held in our indoor/outdoor Katz Family Pavilion.
What makes a service “family-friendly”?
While worshippers of all ages are welcome at any of Stephen Wise Temple’s High Holy Day services, our family-friendly services are designed to be spiritually meaningful but also a little easier for our younger worshippers. These services are shorter in duration, and while the major High Holy Day liturgy and rituals are covered, these services will feature more melodies that inspire communal singing and you’ll get a story rather than a traditional sermon.
What are my options to observe Yizkor?
On Yom Kippur Day, Yizkor will be included in the 9:00 a.m. Congregational Service and offered again in a separate Yizkor service at 3:00 p.m.. Both services will be held in the Sanctuary.
Are there services for Second Day Rosh Hashanah?
Yes. One of our most beloved services is our community Second Day Rosh HaShanah celebration. With our entire clergy team, we will gather in our Sanctuary on Friday, October 4 at 10 a.m. This service will also be streamed online at WiseLA.org/Online and on this page. A complimentary community brunch will be served after this service.
Where will I park for services?
Guaranteed on-campus parking will be limited to those needing accessible parking and select donors There will be a few remaining on-campus parking reserved for members on a first-come first-served basis. We will have ample parking across the street on the campus of Milken Community School: East Campus (formerly American Jewish University) and in the Casiano neighborhood, with frequent shuttle service to and from our campus. Rideshare services such as Uber and Lyft will have a designated drop-off and pick-up spot on campus, should you prefer that option.
I want to bring my family with me, but they are not members. What should I do?
Each member family may purchase up to four (4) guest tickets for family or friends for each service at a special member rate. You can do that on your ticket request form or by contacting the Membership office at 310.889.2230 or [email protected]. If you are a Shomrim (Guardians), Shutafim (Partners), or Bonim (Builders) donor, please contact the Development Department to reserve your additional tickets
I need more than four guest tickets. What should I do?
If you need more than four (4) additional tickets per service for guests, please contact the Membership office at 310.889.2230 or [email protected].
Can non-members purchase tickets for services?
Yes! We are excited to continue our tradition of welcoming the wider community to our campus for High Holy Day worship. If you are not a member of Stephen Wise Temple, you can purchase tickets using this form.
Can I share our streamed services with my relatives?
Yes! We are proud to provide our beautiful services online free of charge. You can simply share this link with anyone you’d like to welcome to our online experience. And, if you think they would appreciate an ongoing connection to our community, feel free to invite them to join WorldWiseAccess, our special, low-cost membership for our friends living outside Southern California.
What if I need to change my tickets?
As always, we will do our best to accommodate your needs. If you need to change your location requests after they have been submitted, please contact the Membership office at 310.889.2230 or [email protected].
Can I get tickets at the door?
Our online ticketing form will be closed from 5 p.m. on Tuesday, October 1, to 8 a.m. on Sunday, October 6. If you need to request tickets for Rosh Hashanah services between those times, you can call 310.889.2230, email [email protected], or request tickets at the Will Call tables in front of our Sanctuary or Katz Family Pavilion.
Is seating assigned or open?
In keeping with the Stephen Wise Temple tradition, you need only choose your preferred time and venue – there are no assigned seats at our services. If you have accessibility needs, please be in touch with our office at 310.889.2230 or [email protected] so that we may accommodate you.
What happens if it is really hot?
As always, our air conditioning units are fully serviced immediately prior to High Holy Days and we will have technicians standing by. Furthermore, for our outdoor spaces, we will provide evaporative coolers to keep things comfortable. All of our outdoor seating on Nahmias Plaza will be covered by a large shade structure. We will have a hydration station available, with water and cups. We also advise you to wear appropriate clothing.
How do I get tickets to the Family Services?
If you are a member with a child or children ages 12 and under, you will automatically receive a family ticket for each of our family-focused services. These include:
- Rosh Hashanah Day Tot Service (9:30 a.m.) or our K-6 service (10:45 a.m.), or both, depending on the age(s) of your child(ren).
- Yom Kippur Tot Service (9:30 a.m.) or our K-6 service (10:45 a.m.), or both, depending on the age(s) of your child(ren).
- Both the Tot and K-6 Family Services will be held in the Katz Family Pavilion
If you are not a member of Stephen Wise Temple but want to bring your family to any of these services, you may purchase tickets here.
Can I bring my grandchildren to services with me?
Yes! For children under 12, we recommend that your family join us for our family-oriented services. If your grandchildren are older, or you wish to bring them to our more adult-oriented services, you can request those tickets here.
I love worshiping with my children, but I also want to experience prayer focused on my spiritual needs. What are my options?
Praying together as a family is so important for our children’s spiritual development, and we love being a part of the memories you make together at the High Holy Days. While we hope that you and your family pray together at our Tot or K-6 services, we also provide the opportunity for you to take the time and space to focus on your own spiritual growth during these Holy Days. As part of our Days of Awesome programming, we provide free childcare for children ages 2-5, and alternative activities for children in grades K-6 (pre-registration strongly recommended). Find out more about Days of Awesome HERE.
Which services will be livestreamed?
We will be broadcasting and recording Erev Rosh Hashanah, Rosh Hashanah morning, Rosh Hashanah second day, Kol Nidre, and Yom Kippur morning and afternoon services from our Sanctuary.
Bookmark our WiseLA.org/Online page, our High Holy Days page, subscribe to our YouTube channel, and share the links far and wide!
In addition to our YouTube and webpage streams, you can also watch us on your smart TV. Here’s how:
Roku: Search for “Stephen Wise Temple” and add our channel
FireTV and Apple TV: Download the YouTube app, and search for “Stephen Wise Temple”
I missed the service! I couldn’t get enough of that beautiful music! I want to show that sermon to my mom! Can I find them later online?
Yes! Although not all services will be streamed, you will be able to watch all of our recorded services after they have concluded at WiseLA.org/HighHolyDays, or on our YouTube channel. Don’t want to search through a service to find our clergy’s words of wisdom or our inspiring melodies? We’ll have each sermon and musical highlights available, as well! To get alerts when we add new content, be sure to hit the ‘Subscribe’ button.
Do I have to wear a mask on campus?
Masks are optional for both indoor and outdoor services. If you feel ill or have a cough or a fever, we ask that you please join us online. We will look forward to seeing you back on campus when you are feeling better!
