Celebrating the High Holidays with Children at Congregation Shaare Emeth

Welcome to the High Holidays!

We are delighted to celebrate this sacred season with families of all shapes, sizes, ages, and backgrounds. Whether this is your first High Holiday experience or a cherished annual tradition, we invite you to join us for meaningful worship, engaging family services, and special programs designed for children and their grown-ups. Together, we’ll sing, learn, reflect, and celebrate in ways that are joyful, accessible, and welcoming to everyone. We look forward to creating memories, building connections, and sharing the spirit of these holy days with your family.

Grown-Ups, We Didn’t Forget About You!

We’ve planned these holy days with intention, so your children and you get the most out of your time spent here. While your children enjoy Rosh Hashanah Remix (3rd-6th grade) or childcare (6 months – 7 years), take time to reconnect, reflect, and find your own spiritual renewal in the Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur Sanctuary service.

2026 • 5787
Elul & High Holiday Events & Services for Families with Children

October 03
9:30 am - 11:00 am

Birthday of the WorldFamilies with Children Ages 0–5

Congregation Shaare Emeth, 11645 Ladue Road, St. Louis, MO 63141

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About the High Holidays

The Jewish New Year, known as Rosh Hashanah or “head of the year” in Hebrew, is one of the holiest days of the year. Celebrating the first of the month of Tishrei, Rosh Hashanah is symbolized by apples and honey, representing a sweet new year. The Reform movement, and Congregation Shaare Emeth, celebrate Rosh Hashanah for one day, while some other communities celebrate for two days.

Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement, takes place 10 days after Rosh Hashanah. It is a time of confession, fasting, repentance, and prayer where Jews typically participate in tashlich and teshuvah.

Tashlich is the ritual of casting pieces of bread, which symbolize our sins, into a body of water usually containing fish. According to tradition, fish swim with their eyes open at all times, just as we want God’s eyes to be watching over us always. By symbolically casting away our sins, we express a desire to cast aside negativity and start anew.

Teshuvah is repentance. This is the process of thinking about our past mistakes that we hope not to repeat in the future. We apologize and ask forgiveness from those whom we have wronged, are asked to forgive those who have wronged us, and ask for forgiveness from God.

View our High Holiday Frequently Asked Questions here.

ABOUT

Leanne & Harvey Schneider

2026 Harris Frank Community Service Award Honorees

Harvey and Leanne Schneider have devoted their lives to strengthening both the Jewish and broader St. Louis communities through leadership, service, education, and a deep commitment to bringing people together.

A St. Louis native, Harvey Schneider attended local public schools before earning both his undergraduate business degree and law degree from Washington University in St. Louis. Following graduation, he moved to Washington, D.C., where he served as a trial attorney in the Tax Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. After five years of federal service, he returned to St. Louis and became a partner in private law practice. Over a legal career spanning more than five decades, Harvey represented family-owned businesses and private individuals in a wide range of business matters.

Harvey’s commitment to civic and Jewish communal life has been equally extensive. He has served as President of Congregation Shaare Emeth, the Interfaith Partnership of Greater St. Louis, the Central Agency for Jewish Education, the Little Symphony Concerts Association, and the Forever Young Club at the Missouri Athletic Club. In addition, he dedicated 26 years to public service on the Planning and Zoning Commission of the City of Town and Country, including three years as chairman.

After graduating from Washington University, Leanne Schneider spent a year studying in France. Upon her return to St. Louis, she became deeply involved in international student exchange programs, first with the Experiment in International Living and later with AFS, fostering cross-cultural understanding and lifelong connections among people of different backgrounds. This commitment to building bridges naturally extended to her involvement with the Interfaith Partnership of Greater St. Louis.

Leanne also taught French and Spanish at Brittany Junior High School before she and Harvey started their family. Throughout the years, she has shared her passion for education and community service by tutoring New Americans through the English Language School, serving on Congregation Shaare Emeth’s first Caring Committee, and volunteering as a reader with Ready Readers. Today, she continues to nurture her love of learning and literature through a book club that includes many members of Congregation Shaare Emeth.

Together, Harvey and Leanne have exemplified a lifetime of generosity, service, and leadership. Their dedication to education, interfaith understanding, civic engagement, and Jewish communal life has enriched countless lives throughout St. Louis. They are the proud parents of three children and grandparents of four, and their enduring legacy continues to inspire future generations.