DECATUR - Alec Mervis, 14, missed school Thursday to take part in Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.

"It's one of the most important, holiest days in the Jewish year," said Alec, who is proud of his Jewish heritage and notified teachers at Mount Zion High School that he wouldn't be at school. He also missed part of a school day last week for Rosh Hashana.

He was busy handing out prayer books and helping unroll the sacred Torah scrolls during service at Temple B'nai Abraham.

For most of the day, many in the Jewish community kept their focus on repentance and reconciling with God.

As part of the beliefs of Judaism, Rabbi Elizabeth Hersh said, "God wants us to repent." And later in the day, there is a special time set aside as a memorial period to remember loved ones who died and to reflect on the Holocaust, she said.

Hersh, wearing a long white robe and white skullcap called the Kippah, led the services at the local synagogue.

"Repentance, prayer and charity; those return us to our God. Let us proclaim the sacred power of this day, as it is awesome and full of dread," Hersh said, reading from scriptures in the Jewish prayer book.

Members also repeated passages from the book.

Fran Moss of Peoria was the cantorial soloist, who sang several songs in Hebrew during the service.

And as most rabbis do, Hersh followed the tradition of reading from large Torah scrolls that were removed from within the wall behind the pulpit.

Afterwards, she and some men carrying the scrolls walked the aisles of the sanctuary to allow members to touch the scrolls and be blessed by the holy word.

Hersh said she is used to speaking before large crowds but has enjoyed the smaller town atmosphere since taking over as rabbi of the Decatur synagogue.

She teaches at the CAJE Center for Jewish Education in St. Louis, Mo.

"There is something beautiful about having a smaller community, and I appreciate the efforts going on here in keeping up the faith and the temple going," she said.

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