ST CHARLES, Mo. — As we celebrate the beginning of the Jewish High Holy Days, one local Rabbi tells 5 On Your Side he's planning to celebrate a bit differently.
When reflecting on the last year, which included a terror attack by Hamas and a rocket attack by Iran, Rabbi Chaim Landa finds himself at a loss for words.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever experienced something like this before,” Landa said. “I think what people don’t realize is how real this is for members of the Jewish community.”
That’s why he’s looking forward to celebrating Rosh Hoshanah, the start of the Jewish New Year, with a traditional meal of apples and honey symbolizing a sweet and fruitful year.
“There's a lot of darkness out there, and it's a difficult time, but we have the responsibility to change that,” Landa said. “We need to intentionally be positive and look for opportunities to come together and celebrate the good things."
A typical Rosh Hoshanah service takes place inside a synagogue.
“A lot of people are intimidated of being a prayer service if they haven’t been for a long time,” Rabbi Landa said.
That’s why he’s expecting his home service, which typically accommodates a few dozen people, to host up to 150 worshipers.
“The entire year what we have seen is this Jewish awakening,” Landa said. “I’m talking about people who all of a sudden want to have a Jewish name. They’ve never had a Jewish name and they want one. They’ve never owned a Yakama or Star of David, but they want that. They want to say I’m proud.”
Due to the increase in antisemitism across the United States, Landa has added security, but he says that shouldn’t keep people away regardless of their heritage.
“What I tell people is you’ve just got to show up,” Landa said. “Let God know that you’re here. That’s a big deal. It really is just as simple as showing up.”
If you would like to accept Landa’s challenge and show up there are a number of outdoor Shofar services scheduled for Thursday evening.
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