The pandemic's first High Holiday season has synagogues wondering: Will people pay dues?

(JTA) - Like many synagogues, Temple B'nai Hayim used to rely on the High Holiday season to survive financially.

The small Conservative synagogue in Southern California would receive the lion's share of its revenue in the run-up to the holidays: Members sent in their annual dues, which included entry to High Holiday services, and non-members purchased tickets just for the High Holidays.

But with the option of holding regular in-person High Holiday services off the table due to the coronavirus, the synagogue is anticipating a decline in revenue this year and responding by reimagining its financ...