New Year wishes were exchanged as 1500 chairs filled with Jews were about to make St. Louis history in reform Jewish synagogue Shaare Emeth. Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, attracted KSDK cameramen who eagerly set up their cameras in the sanctuary so that they could get their last shots of people coming in before the service started. Congregants, both old and young, kissed and welcomed each other on this holy night Sept. 4.

Rosh Hashanah is Hebrew for “Head of the Year” and is celebrated by looking back at the mistakes and sins that have been made throughout the year. Unlike the American New Year, which was 2013, the Jewish New Year is 5774. Instead of toasting champagne to resolutions, Rosh Hashanah is celebrated with honey-dipped apples as a symbol of beginning a sweet new year. Though this night is full of warmth and happiness between families, Rosh Hashanah has not always been this positive.

B’Nai El Reform Jewish Congregation is a temple that has been alive in St. Louis for over 100 years. In its most recent years, B’Nai El has had a devastating struggle to keep its congregation members and even more of a struggle to keep a permanent rabbi. As the congregation lost more and more of its members, B’Nai El lost its liveliness as well. With much conflict between board members and a limited list of options, the decision was made to merge B’Nai El with another much livelier and larger congregation- Shaare Emeth.

“We have about 1500 chairs in here. That’s a first for sure. This is gonna be an interesting service without a doubt,” said Rabbi Goldstein, standing in the aisle with awe as he slowly looked at all of the people in the sanctuary. He and two other rabbis prepared to get on the bema to begin the first service to ever have two different congregations come together as one.

Everyone sat impatiently in their seats as the rabbis conversed one last time before the big showdown. Fathers and grandfathers adjusted their Yakima’s. Prayer books were passed down the row. All eyes were on the rabbis, all ears hungry for a good service. As the rabbi told everyone what page to turn to in the prayer book, a one-of-a-kind service had begun.