Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch
On September 24, 2000, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that "near sundown Friday, many of the region's 62,000 Jews will observe the beginning of the Jewish New Year 5761. The evening service begins 10 days of prayer, repentance and family gatherings for the observant. Jewish holidays always begin on the eve of any holy day. Sept. 30 is Rosh Hashana, the first day of the New Year. Morning service that day begins with a series of prayers, the first letters of which spell: "Tear up Satan" in Hebrew. Then, the shofar - the natural, hollow ram's horn - is blown. For the initial 10 days of the year Jews are supposed to take stock of their activities over the previous year. They prayerfully consider how they might better reflect the Torah's directives. Rosh Hashana is Hebrew for head - as in the head of the year. Jews believe that on that day God judges every human being. Those who are righteous are deemed worthy of life in eternity. Those who are bad eventually will be sent to death for eternity. Most people are judged in the middle, rabbis teach. Those in the middle are given 10 days, until the holy day Yom Kippur, to improve.
If they have offended anyone in the previous year, they must ask their forgiveness. If they have not given enough to charity or not done enough good works, they may catch up over these special days of prayer and reflection. If they have cheated, they are to make good their wrongs."