This was originally posted in our private Facebook group, but I’ve been asked to add it to the blog for general information. The following is inspired by that original post:
If you’re new to singing the Jewish High Holy Days, there’s one thing you need to understand before you say yes to a gig: once you accept, you’re committed. Here’s what that means in practice.
If you have not sung during the High Holy Days before, one of the most important things to know is that the schedule for each congregation is fixed — if you are offered and accept the job, your calendar should be locked in.
Every congregation has its own schedule, and the service days shift on the standard US calendar each year because they’re based on the lunisolar calendar. But those days are actually sacred — and that means once you’ve accepted the engagement, your commitment is too.
How it works
Temple engagements during the HHDs are not flexible, and if you have a regular job or church position that conflicts, you will need to arrange coverage for the original job on your end — vacation days, PTO, a substitute, whatever your situation requires. Just as a church can’t move Christmas, a temple can’t move Rosh Hashanah. Yom Kippur in particular is typically a full-day commitment. This is standard for this kind of work, and it is part of what you are agreeing to when you accept the job. This post offers more information on what you can expect, at least in Southern California.
If that kind of scheduling commitment isn’t workable for you right now, that’s completely fine — but it does mean HHD placements aren’t the right fit for you at this time.
If you have questions about what the schedule typically looks like or what to expect, ask the contact person for the specific position you’re looking at, or check in with a friend who has worked the High Holy Days for at least three years. That’s an interesting rule of thumb: three HHD seasons is about what tends to bring pro singers into a sense of confidence and understanding about what the gig requires. In my experience, it has proven true over and over.
Every gig is different, of course, so ask questions rather than making assumptions about how things work and what they need from you. This is a good rule across all the gigging you’ll do. You’ll work more, and will sidestep (or more easily manage) a lot of misunderstandings.
Thank you all — we’re looking forward to placing as many of you as possible this season.