Distance Doesn’t Mean Disconnection: High Holy Days Streaming at Neshamah

Every fall, as we hustle for our High Holy Days, I think about the people who are with us but not in the room.

The college freshman in a dorm in Gainesville or Boston. The grandparents in New York who can no longer make the trip south. The parents who just helped their young adult move into a new apartment in a new town for their first “real” job.

For years, the High Holy Days carried an unspoken rule: if you weren’t physically there, you missed it. At Neshamah, our High Holy Days streaming service exists for one simple reason. Distance doesn’t mean disconnection.

The first High Holy Days away from home can be surprisingly lonely. Maybe there’s a Hillel nearby and maybe there isn’t. Maybe it feels strange to walk into a room full of strangers on the holiest days of the year. I hear this from students every single fall.

Our livestream gives our college students and young adults a way home. They can watch the service they grew up with, hear the melodies they know, and see familiar faces.

And because the whole family can tune in, a student on campus can share the service with parents and grandparents in real time. Some families even schedule a phone call right after services to talk about what they heard.

Always Improving the Online Experience

I’ll be honest. Streaming a service isn’t easy. There are technical issues we are always working on. But my real goal is to make remote viewers feel like participants, not spectators. That’s why we keep improving our online experience every year.

We listen closely to feedback from our online community, and every suggestion helps us do this better. If you watched with us this year and have an idea, I would truly love to hear it.

One Community, Many Doors

Neshamah was built on the belief that there should be no barriers between people and Jewish life. No dues. No membership requirements. And no geography standing in the way.

Our streaming service is one more door into the community, and it’s open at the High Holy Days, Shabbat and other occasions throughout the year. 

Check out our Neshamah Online Hub here:

https://niboca.org/neshamah-online/

As we look ahead to High Holy Days 5788 in Fall 2027, with tickets going on sale in May 2027, I hope you’ll share this with the people you love who live far away. Send it to your college student. Forward it to the grandparents. Tell them they have a seat with us.

Because on the holiest days of the year, the most important thing isn’t where you are. It’s who you’re with.

Everything at Neshamah starts with a conversation. We’re here whenever you’re ready.

With love and blessings,
Rabbi Amy