A Short Description of a Long History of
High Holy Day Ushering

A Short Description of a Long History of High Holy Day Ushering

Volunteer NowBrotherhood again will provide ushers for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services this year to ensure that all congregants are able to find safe and comfortable seats and prayer books for the services they attended. 

The Temple Emanu-El Brotherhood has been providing ushers for High Holy Day and other services for over 90 years ... and this year was no different. This year Brotherhood members are enthusiastically volunteering to help make their fellow congregants services a bit easier and more enjoyable. And this year, given the extra precautions necessary to keep all safe during the Covid-19 pandemic, this role has become even more important.

For many years Past Brotherhood President Harry Kabler was the staple for organizing the HHD ushers. After Harry Kabler retired from this head usher role, the role was assumed by Jack Bell, another former president of Brotherhood. Then another past President Charlie Redden assumed the role. Now Past Brotherhood President Stephen Shore has enthusiastically taken up the mantel to recruit both members who have ushered in the past and those who have never ushered before. Additionally, to increase our diversity and inclusiveness, Brotherhood invites all temple members to serve as ushers.

Our ushers greet congregants as they arrived for services, make sure that everyone has a prayer book and the latest additional flyers, and are able to find seats for all the members of their party. And this year extra care will be taken to keep all safe and healthy in this time of pandemic. Special care is always taken to help those with handicaps and their families.