Jewish New Year Ushers in Plans for Future in Great Neck

By Rena Kunis

As the ram's horn ushers in the year 5762 of the Jewish calendar, plans are being made to make the new year one of progress not only for residents of Great Neck, but for the world. Here the High Holiday plans for a few of the local temples and synagogues that responded to the Great Neck Record.

Temple Isaiah plans to handle the rapid growth of its school by splitting the former grade three and four into two sections. Additional family education programs are also planned. At a September Open House, teachers were on hand to greet parents of new and continuing students. ''Hopefully we will spark a number of new friendships,'' said Jill Kaplan, of Temple Isaiah.

According to Mark Twersky, executive director of the Great Neck Synagogue, the temple will welcome a new assistant rabbi, Sholom Axelrod. In addition, the synagogue sponsors a ''media watch'' committee, to monitor the news on radio and television and in newspapers and magazines, to make sure the situation in the Middle East is fairly represented. ''We will not hesitate to cancel our subscriptions, and to recommend that our members cancel their subscriptions, to media that misrepresent the situation in Israel,'' said Mr. Twersky.

At Temple Beth-El, plans have been completed for services to be held in the temple despite the disastrous fire. The services will utilize the sanctuary, which was restored almost immediately after the fire. Plans are being made to hold High Holiday services at Beth-El in two sessions for each observance; the early one for families whose names begin with the letters A through K, and the second for those families whose initials are L through Z. The evening services will start at 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., and the morning ones at 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. The congregants look forward to a year of rebuilding.

Temple Emanuel's High Holy Day season will begin with the Saturday, Sept. 15 Selihot service, with a 9 p.m. mini-concert ''Accept Our Pleas,'' featuring Cantor Bernard Fitch, a soloist with the Metropolitan Opera, and Cantor Robert Abelson, who has sung with the New York City Opera and on Broadway. Dessert and a discussion with Rabbi Robert Widom, focusing on the major themes of the day, will follow the concert, and there will be a late night Selihot service. The entire community is invited.

The High Holy Day schedule of services at Temple Emanuel is as follows: Rosh Hashanah Eve and Rosh Hashanah Day, Sept. 17 and 18; Yom Kippur Eve and Yom Kippur Day on Sept. 26 and 27. Admission is by ticket only. The community is invited to the Sept. 21, Shabbat Shuvah special service of music, at the temple at 8:30 p.m. When asked if the proportion of the details of the High Holiday days are difficult to deal with, as they interrupt the year, Rabbi Widom replied, ''It is the year that interrupts the Holy Day Season, not the Holy Days that interrupt the year.''

At Temple Israel, services will be held Erev Rosh Hashanah, Monday evening Sept. 17, as well as several services on the days of Rosh Hashanah, Tuesday and Wednesday, Sept. 18 and 19. Temple Israel will also hold Yom Kippur Kol Nidre services on Wednesday evening, Sept. 26, and all day for Yom Kippur on Thursday, Sept. 27.

The Lake Success Jewish Center is building a new sukkah and a memorial walk will be held on the holiday of Sukkoth, when booths are erected to celebrate the harvest.

Chabad Lubovitch will hold special services in behalf of peace in Israel, an objective greatly desired by all.

Congregation Chadasha is completing a new building at 695 Middle Neck Road, next to its present location, according to Shlomo Shoub, the office manager. ''This should be a wonderful start to the new year,'' he said.