Shanah Tova everyone!

It was so amazing yet different than what I’m used to celebrating Rosh Hashanah in St. Louis!

On Sunday I went with my host family, the Samsons, to the service at Shaare Emeth and it was incredibly powerful and spiritual to be there! It was my first time ever that I was at a service on Rosh Hashanah, because in my kibbutz we don’t have synagogue.

On Monday I gave a speech at Shaare Emeth in front of more than 600 people! I’m so glad I had this opportunity to introduce myself to so many people! Afterwards I went to the children’s program and then went apple picking with my family, it was really fun!

On Tuesday I went to the service at Kol Rinah and was introduced there to the congregants, hang out with the teens at USY and went to a holiday meal with a family from Kol Rinah. It was so nice to meet and talk to so many people there and to get to know new people!

I am so fortunate to have this opportunity to celebrate with you all for the first time away from home the high holidays!

On Wednesday at the Religious School at Kol Rinah I led an activity about Yom Kippur and share with the kids how different it is in Israel, everything on that day is shut down and even if you don’t fast, you know it’s Yom Kippur and it is a very special day in Israel.

On Thursday at the ECC at Kol Rinah we also talked about Yom Kippur, learned the word “SLICHA”, which means ‘sorry’ in Hebrew, talked about how hard it is to say sorry but how important it is, and wrote on a shofar the kind deeds that we can do.

On Friday, I had a cooking class at the ECC at Shaare Emeth and we baked Challahs for Shabbat! I shared with the children that in my kibbutz the kids do it every Friday and we had so much fun together!

Have a great week and “G’mar Chatima Tova”, Shaked

Sam March
Author: Sam March