Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year, marks the return to roots and community. Members of the Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation marked the holiday with an original and unique service Friday night in Dawes Park.

In 2021, during the pandemic, congregants created what they called a Shofar Walk. They met outside along the lakefront, carried a chuppah canopy and stopped seven times to blow the shofar, a ram’s horn that symbolizes the holiday.

The JRC Shofar Walk continues. Richard Cahan, a member, filmed Friday’s event. The synagogue had more traditional services scheduled Saturday and Sunday.

Below, in an extra Evanston Minute, at the end of the Shofar Walk, Rabbi Rachel Weiss invites members – young and old – to blow the shofar for one final blast. See who could blow the longest. (Videos by Richard Cahan)

Richard Cahan takes photos for the Evanston RoundTable. He also is publisher of CityFiles Press, a small but mighty media company that believes in the power of words and pictures. You can reach him at...

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  1. I’ve always wanted to know what a shofar sounds like! Thank you for including the videos. Music is such a good educator: 8 short words — “return again to the land of your soul”, sung beautifully in unison (and parts!) — teaches me about the essence of Rosh Hashana. Looked like a very meaningful and joyous celebration along Evanston’s awesome lakefront 🙂

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