HOLIDAYS

Southland Jews will remember deceased family and friends Sunday with community services at Jewish cemeteries--customary memorial rites during the High Holy Days, which will conclude Oct. 11 with Yom Kippur.

Thousands of food parcels will be brought to Mt. Sinai Memorial Park at 5950 Forest Lawn Drive in the Hollywood Hills. The cemetery sponsored a citywide food drive for the SOVA Food Pantry that will conclude with its memorial rites at 10 a.m. Sunday. Short sermons, music and blasts from the shofar will be part of the hourlong service. (213) 469-6000.

Rabbis Elijah Schochet, Steven Tucker and Gary Johnson will lead memorial services at 10 a.m. Sunday at Eden Memorial Park, 11500 Sepulveda Blvd., Mission Hills. (818) 361-7161. The Orthodox-oriented Sholom Memorial Park in Sylmar will begin its 45th annual rites at 11 a.m. with Rabbis Yohoshua Berkowitz and Alan Kalinsky leading the service at 13017 N. Lopez Canyon Road. (818) 899-7061.

* Navaratri, a nine-night Indian festival of dance linked to a Hindu story of the goddess Durga’s victory over the buffalo demon (a symbol of evil), began Thursday at the Valley Hindu Temple, 18700 Roscoe Blvd., Northridge. A special ceremony will be performed at 8 p.m. this Thursday, the most significant night of Navaratri. (818) 772-7736.