Erev Rosh Hashanah brings back memories...of Rosh Hashanah pasts...when I was a child...my father became Rabbi of a shul in Queens, NY when I was 2 years old...I remember in my childhood -- the trials and tribulations of building that shul...they said it couldn't be done..but my father, A"H prevailed...one year Rosh Hashanah we davened in a storefront...I remember being very very scared of the chazzan when he fell "korim" during aleinu..it scared me for years...I remember that memory from the store "shul". I also remember a little boy asking if I were the RAbbi's daughter and I asked my mother "what's that?" (to my parent's credit they never put that yoke upon us...you have to act a certain way because you are the Rabbi's daughter)...We also davened in a tent under the steel frame of the new shul...then the shul was finally built...on usual Shabbosim it was divided in 1/2...one half for the sanctuary and 1/2 for the social hall but on the Yamim Noraim (or High Holidays) as they were called, it was packed to the back...most of the congregants were not observant..only a handful of shomer shabbos, but to my father's credit...many of their children went on to become observant through Y.U. seminars, many attending Y.U. and Stern and now their children are way to right of them. My father believed that shul should start at 8 am and end promptly at 1 on R.H. His feeling was that, those who wanted to daven it all would be there at the beginning but why be matriach the kahal to stay late in the afternoon. Musaf always started at 11 and ended at 1...He also limited his sermons to not more than 20 minutes...I don't ever remember my father writing or practicing his sermons but they were always relevant, up to date and lots of times had to do with current events. Of course, my mother and sister and I had to sit in first row...so everytime we got up the whole ladies' section got up..even if we were going to the bathroom..or standing to straighten our skirts..the women behind (who had no clue about davening) got up..very humorous. The Baal Tefillah for Musaf was the same every year...I still remember his tunes and when D.H. got a job davening for R.H. one year I was the one who taught him some of the tunes (LOL...with my terrible voice) I remember my mother, A"H, who was not a well woman, felt sick one R.H. we were sitting in the first row, next to the mechitzah which was in front of her and to the side...it was terrible so after that we got seats on the aisle...I think that is why, to this day, I demand an aisle seat for R.H. I cannot sit between people or too close to the wall/mechitzah. Tashlich was always at a park near the East River...a great time for socializing...and my parents always visited the former president of the shul after Tashlich. Don't remember more of R.H. growing up...will probably reminisce about Y.K. and Sukkos over the next few weeks.
Best wishes to all for a shana Tova.
BubbyT