When the sun sinks into the Pacific...

When the sun sinks into the Pacific on Sunday of next week, it will mark the arrival of a new year --5753--for the more than 650,000 Jews in Los Angeles.

That sunset brings the holiday of Rosh Hashanah (New Year), which commences a 10-day period of introspection, self-examination and interpersonal reconciliation, ending at the close of Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement).

On Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Jews throughout the Southland will throng synagogues to pray and listen to the shofar, or ram’s horn. Rosh Hashanah will be observed by Conservative and Orthodox Jews from sundown Sunday, Sept. 27, through sundown Tuesday, Sept. 29, and by Reform Jews through sundown Monday, Sept. 28. Yom Kippur will be observed by all from sundown Tuesday, Oct. 6, through sundown the following day.

On Rosh Hashanah, worshipers acknowledge God’s sovereignty over all creation. Yom Kippur is a day devoted to fasting, prayer and remembrance of the dead.

Many Southland Jews have long had their holiday plans in place. They are members of synagogues or have made arrangements to attend services at the synagogue of family or friends. Some have devoted the month prior to the New Year holiday to studying, meditative introspection and asking forgiveness from people they have wronged.

Like other teachers, Rabbi Jonathan Omer-Man, director of Metivta: A Center for Jewish Wisdom, says that for Jews who have not prepared, the holidays can be “a low point and an almost guaranteed failure,” especially if they are unaccustomed to praying and do not belong to a community group or synagogue.

“When people attend services only during the high holy days, they have magical expectations,” he said, “a wonderful rabbi, a magnificent choir, a moving cantor, a friendly congregation. But it’s a losing proposition.

“Any other time of the year, someone’s going to notice you and come over to talk,” he explained. “But when you come for the (high) holidays, it’s too crowded and impersonal.”

Nevertheless, many Jews do not prepare spiritually or otherwise for the holidays and decide at the last minute where to worship. Jewish leaders acknowledge that demand for seating at high holy day time surpasses by far that for any other day of the year. It also places a burden on synagogues to accommodate thousands of non-members. (According to the 1990 National Jewish Population Survey conducted by the Council of Jewish Federations, only 41% of American Jews are synagogue members, yet 86% attend high holy day services.)

According to Rabbi Paul Dubin, executive vice president of the Board of Rabbis of Southern California, the response to this problem in cities with large Jewish populations, such as Los Angeles, is for many synagogues to sell tickets to non-members for any space that may be available. Although time is short and synagogue staffs are deluged at this time of year, Dubin’s office can direct late planners to synagogues or organizations near them that may have tickets left for sale. His phone number is (213) 852-7710.

In the Southland, it is not uncommon for a ticket to cost more than $100 for the four to six high holy day services. (Synagogues do not pass collection plates, as do many churches; they rely on membership dues and fund-raising campaigns.)

“Synagogues are open all year,” Dubin said. “Someone has to pay the teachers, the mortgage and upkeep.” He said it is an almost universal policy of synagogues that sell tickets to offer them at reduced rates or free for people who genuinely need financial help and make arrangements in advance. * Some synagogues rent large auditoriums and accept last-minute attendees. Temple Beth Shalom, a Conservative synagogue in Long Beach, convenes special free High Holy Day services for non-members. Kehillat Ma’Arav: The Westside Congregation, which conducts Conservative services at the Sheraton Miramar Hotel, has seats available for non-members who can pay and those who can’t.

* Rabbi Jeffrey Marx of Sha’arei Am: The Santa Monica Synagogue--which holds Reform services at the Airport Marina Hotel--says, “No one is turned away from our door. Our ticket price is $100. We ask that those who can’t pay that much pay what they can afford.”

Sha’arei Am can be reached at (310) 453-4276.

“Part of what it means to belong to a Jewish community is giving,” adds Marx. “But unfortunately, unaffiliated Jews often see tickets as a penalty tax.” Rabbi Richard Levy, executive director of the Los Angeles Hillel Council, agrees. “It would be better if people could see the financial outlay as one of their charitable contributions for the year--as part of their high holy day work of prayer and observance,” he said.

* The Hillel Council conducts high holy day services, free to students and open to members of the community, at a number of locations. For ticket information, call (310) 208-6639.

* Rabbi Shlomo Schwartz holds free high holy day services, followed by a social hour and informal discussion, at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel. He characterizes his all-English service as “Hassidic Reform.” “I don’t oppose the existence of synagogues,” said Schwartz, “but Judaism is not a monolith. Come Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, every Jew who hasn’t gone (to services) the past 17 years feels a twinge. Someone has to say, ‘We care about you.’ “For information call (310) 391-7995.

* Metivta, which holds services at the Brentwood Presbyterian Church, emphasizes Jewish meditation. Tickets are $120, with scholarships available if arranged in advance. Phone (213) 934-7066.

* Chabad of California holds free Hassidic Orthodox services throughout Southern California. Call (310) 208-7511.

* The Council on Jewish Life of the Jewish Federation has received tickets from a number of synagogues, which it distributes at no cost to recent Russian immigrants, welfare recipients and people with disabilities. Call (213) 852-7706.

Interested parties should verify all ticket prices, locations and times of services. When seeking to make special arrangements with a synagogue, advises one administrator, “Always speak directly with the rabbi, if you can. Rabbis don’t turn people down.”

VISITORS

His Holiness Pope Shenouda III of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Egypt addresses a meeting of Town Hall of California luncheon Tuesday at the Biltmore Hotel. For price and reservations, phone (213) 628-8141.

The Rev. Emilio Castro, general secretary of the World Council of Churches, will speak at St. Francis Episcopal Church in Palos Verdes Estates at 7 p.m. Friday on his recent visit to South Africa and urban unrest in Los Angeles. A dinner will precede the talk. Tickets are $7. The church is located at 2200 Via Rosa.

CELEBRATIONS

The Benedictine monks of St. Andrew’s Abbey in the Antelope Valley will hold their 35th annual Valyermo Fall Festival next weekend, Sept. 26-27.

Originally an intimate country fair, the event has grown to include music and drama, art and crafts boutiques, costumed medieval knights in armor staging duels with ancient weapons. The monks are known for their ceramics, which will be on sale.

Admission is free, but a parking fee of $3 is requested. Child-care will be provided. Proceeds of the festival will go toward maintenance of the retreat center and reconstruction of a 50-year-old youth center. Direction signs will be posted just east of Pearblossom on California 138. For additional information, phone (944)-2178.

Ground will be broken in Compton at noon today by members of First Congregational Church of Los Angeles and Habitat for Humanity, as well as representatives of Los Angeles County. A Habitat team is “blitz-building” a house for a needy family in six weeks. First Congregational has “adopted” the house by donating materials and labor. At least 10 parishioners, from 8 to 80 years of age, will work on the house six days a week. Watt Homes is donating its services as general contractor.

The address is 2162 Knopf St., Compton. (213) 386-9930.

Please address notices to: Southern California File, c/o Religion Editor, Los Angeles Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, CA 90053. Items should be brief and arrive three weeks prior to the event announced.