2022/5783 High Holy Days

The High Holy Days are a journey that we take together as a community. This journey is a great celebration as we welcome in the new year and all the future has in store for us. We reconnect with old friends. We make new links as we meet people coming to the community for the first time. We feel a spirit of connection as we join together in song, prayer, and learning. The High Holy Days provide us, as does much of Jewish life, with an opportunity to plug into something greater than ourselves and to reach out to other people in our community. We hope you meet someone new this holiday season, as that simple step helps our Jewish community to grow and develop. We also hope that you are replenished by the energy of people coming together to worship and reconnect with the faith and heritage of our ancestors.

We look forward to seeing you during the holy days!

How to Participate in Services

We are excited to once again have services in-person for the High Holy Days and are looking forward to welcoming you back into our building. All services will be held in the Millstone Sanctuary with the exception of Children’s Services which will be in the school hallway and Erev Sukkot which will be outside in front of the UH sukkah. We will also livestream on our website, YouTube and Facebook. Once a service is finished, it will be available to watch again from the beginning.

Name Tags

At the beginning of Septembwer, we will send out name tags that will serve as your ticket. When you arrive for High Holy Day services, please present your name tag (just like a ticket) to an usher. Children in grades 12 and under are not required to have a name tag. College students need only to show their student I.D. for admission.

We know the holidays are a time where families and friends wish to be together and all are invited to worship with us. To allow us to prepare for larger than usual attendance and for security purposes, all adults must have a name tag, members and guests alike. Therefore, we ask that you obtain guest name tags in advance of the High Holy Days for any non-members attending services with you. Please call the office at 314-469-0700 to arrange for name tags for your guests, including names and contact information.

Prayer Books

We will use our High Holy Day machzor, Mishkan HaNefesh. The prayer books will be provided at all in person services. We understand that some will still feel more comfortable participating in services from the comfort of your own home. If you are watching from home and wish to use a prayer book, there are three options to choose from:

Purchase books from Unique Treasures for $44 per set.
Purchase an ebook of Mishkan HaNefesh from Amazon that you can view on your computer, iPad, tablet or phone.
Members may check out books (as you would from a library) and return them after the High Holy Days.

You may also contact 314-469-0700 for assistance.

Parking for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur

Enter the sanctuary parking lot only via the Old Woods Mill entrance.
Exit the sanctuary parking lot via Conway Road.
If our lot is full, you will be directed where to park.

Valet parking for those with a Disabled Placard will once again be available, thanks to the Betty and Eugene Wolff Transportation Fund. Drop-off will be at the sanctuary entrance and pick-up will be at the school entrance.

Transportation

Do you need a ride to UH for a service or program? United Hebrew provides transportation for those who are unable to drive, compliments of the Betty and Eugene Wolff Transportation Fund.
Contact 314-469-0700 to arrange your ride.

Memorial Book

Our Yizkor book contains the names of our dearly departed and it is a source of comfort for the entire year, with special readings, prayers, and the Kaddish. Submissions for this year’s book are due by August 29.

Submit your entry here.

The book will be available on the UH website, as well as in print at the Memorial/Yizkor Services. If you are unable to attend services and would like a print copy, please contact Esther Olson at eolson@unitedhebrew.org or 314-469-0700.

HHD Food Drive

Start the New Year off right! Let your first mitzvah be to support the Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry and UH’s Backpack Buddies.
Please bring your food donations to the chapel lobby before Yom Kippur services.

Joseph Bags

We offer activity bags that may be checked out in the main office for young children who are attending services with their parents.

Elul Programs

During the month of Elul, we are called to begin the process of reflection and repentance in preparation for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. We are offering many opportunities for all ages to reflect and study throughout the month.

Click here for a list of all of our classes and programs.

Holy Days Schedule

Selichot

Saturday, September 17

Family Shabbat with Alan Goodis
10:30 a.m. – Millstone Sanctuary, Livestream & Facebook
UH is excited to welcome back musician Alan Goodis who will join us for Shabbat leading up to Selichot. Born and raised in Toronto, Alan Goodis is a proud product of URJ Goldman Union Camp Institute. Alan is a strong presence in the Reform Jewish movement and works tirelessly to engage and empower Jewish youth and adults through music.

Family Shabbat Project with Rabbi Reinhart
11:30 a.m. – Messing Auditorium
Join us for an a fun family project to get us ready for the Holy Days.
Registration Coming Soon.

Driving in Selicha Mode
8:00 p.m. – Spielberg Chapel and on Zoom
The various sounds, melodies and tones of Selichot is an overture to the modalities found in our Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services (think Avinu Malkeinu, Shomeir Yisraeil, Ashamnu etc). Cantor Eichaker will explore and demonstrate a few of the melodies we sing on Selichot and how they help prepare us to engage in the Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur prayers more deeply. The music of Selichot is a warm-up in a way and can be viewed as an “amuse bousch” (a relatively small complimentary appetizer).

Selichot Service
9:00 p.m. – Millstone Sanctuary, Livestream & Facebook
On the Saturday evening before Rosh Hashanah, we gather together for a very special service to help us prepare for the upcoming High Holy Days. The service is called “Selichot,” named for our prayers for forgiveness that we begin to offer at this time. The Selichot service introduces us to the themes, liturgy, and music of our Yamim Nora’im
(Days of Awe), thus helping us to get ready for this most holy and important time of year. During this service, we change the covers of our Torah scrolls from beautiful blues and vibrant colors to the symbolic white covers of the season and our service concludes with the sounding of the shofar. There will be a dessert reception
immediately following the service.

Rosh Hashanah

Erev Rosh Hashanah: Sunday, September 25

Erev Rosh Hashanah Service
7:30 p.m. – Millstone Sanctuary, Livestream & Facebook
Our worship services are a joyous combination of our traditional and contemporary styles.

Rosh Hashanah Day: Monday, September 26

Children’s Service
9:00 a.m.— School Hallway, Livestream & Facebook
Join UH Clergy and Artist-in-Residence, Rick Recht for a lively and fun children’s service where we’ll sing, pray, and hear the shofar.

Morning Service
10:00 a.m.—Millstone Sanctuary, Livestream & Facebook
Celebrate with the UH clergy and Rick Recht where we’ll sing, rejoice, and pray as one. Our worship services are a joyous combination of our traditional and contemporary styles.

Rosh Hashanah in the Orchard
1:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.—Eckert’s Millstadt Farm
2719 Eckert Orchard Lane, Millstadt, IL 62260
Bring a picnic lunch and join us at Eckert’s Farm for an afternoon of apple picking. At 2:00 p.m., there will be a sing-a-long with UH Artist-in-Residence Rick Recht and the UH clergy. This is perfect for the whole family and friends. There will also be a tashlich experience. Non Members are welcome! United Hebrew will cover one small bag of apples per family if you RSVP by September 1. After that date you will need to purchase apples on your own if you choose to pick in the orchard.
Register

2nd Day Rosh Hashanah: Tuesday, September 27

Morning Service
10:00 a.m.—Millstone Sanctuary, Livestream & Facebook
This beautiful morning service has a slightly more traditional feel without the accompaniment of instruments. Led by UH clergy.

Tashlich
12:00 p.m.—Lake on Ladue Rd.
Join us on the second day of Rosh Hashanah to observe Tashlich.

Memorial Service at United Hebrew Cemetery

Sunday, October 2

Memorial Service at UH Cemetery
10:00 a.m. – United Hebrew Cemetery
7855 Canton Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63130

Yom Kippur

Kol Nidrei: Tuesday, October 4

Kol Nidrei Service
7:30 p.m.—Millstone Sanctuary, Livestream & Facebook
Join us for this inspiring service which begins with the beautifully haunting melody of Kol Nidrei played on the cello. The lights are dimmed as we reflect on the melody of this powerful prayer.

Yom Kippur: Wednesday, October 5

An early Memorial Service will follow directly after the morning service.

Yom Kippur Learning Sessions
A series of offerings will be available to assist in reflection. There will also be a Book of Jonah Reading and Discussion. A complete list will be available in September.

Afternoon, Memorial and Concluding (Neilah) Services
4:00 p.m.—Millstone Sanctuary, Livestream & Facebook
Yom Kippur and our day of fasting will end with the sounding of the shofar.

Sukkot

Sukkot Service in the UH Parking Lot
Sunday, October 9
6:30 p.m.—UH Parking Lot, Livestream & Facebook
Join us in front of the UH Sukkah for a fun outdoor service.

Sukkot Morning Service
Monday, October 10
9:00 a.m. – Millstone Sanctuary, Livestream & Facebook

Simchat Torah

Erev Simchat Torah
Sunday, October 16
6:30 p.m. – Millstone Sanctuary, Livestream & Facebook
Join us as we unroll the Torah completely and begin our transition from the end of the Torah to the beginning.

Simchat Torah Morning Service and Yizkor
Monday, October 17
9:00 a.m. – Millstone Sanctuary, Livestream & Facebook

Additional Resources

United Hebrew’s 2022 High Holy Day Brochure

Rosh Hashanah Home Ritual

Yom Kippur Home Ritual

ReformJudaism.org’s Holy Day Pages

High Holy Days