NEW YEAR'S GREETING; HIGH HOLY DAYS START TONIGHT.Byline: Holly J. Andres Staff Writer A New Year begins for Jews at sundown today - the new year of 5760. ``Rosh Hashana is the beginning of the High Holy Days, the Days of Awe, when Jews prepare to meet their creator,'' said Rabbi Richard Camras of Shomrei Torah Synagogue in West Hills. ``Jews must reckon with past behaviors in hope that they will be inscribed in·scribe tr.v. in·scribed, in·scrib·ing, in·scribes 1. a. To write, print, carve, or engrave (words or letters) on or in a surface. b. To mark or engrave (a surface) with words or letters. in the `Book of Life.' '' The ``Book of Life'' Camras refers to comes from the traditional Jewish belief that on the first day of the new year God writes down the names of the righteous. But in the 10 days that follow Rosh Hashana, Jews have a chance to turn away from wrongdoing wrong·do·er n. One who does wrong, especially morally or ethically. wrong  do , ask for forgiveness for any wrongs done to others and repent before the book is ``closed'' on Yom Kippur Yom Kippur [Heb.,=day of atonement], in Judaism, the most sacred holy day, falling on the 10th day of the Jewish month of Tishri (usually late September or early October). It is a day of fasting and prayer for forgiveness for sins committed during the year. . ``We begin on Rosh Hashana to think about the mistakes we made in the past year and to change those mistakes. The message this year is how can we be more `a light unto the nations,' which simply means for us to be an example to others on how to live our lives correctly,'' said Rabbi E. Robert Kraus Robert Kraus (1925 – August 7 2001) was an American children's author, cartoonist and publisher. He drew more than 400 cartoons and 21 magazine covers for The New Yorker. of Temple Beth Torah of Granada Hills. ``It's also a time that we should work harder to make this new year a peaceful year,'' he added. Rosh Hashana is observed mostly in synagogues during evening and morning services over a two-day period. Reform congregations often hold services for only one day, while Orthodox and Conservative congregations schedule services for the two days. A shofar, or ram's horn ram's horn n. Judaism A shofar. Noun 1. ram's horn - annual of southern United States to Mexico having large whitish or yellowish flowers mottled with purple and a long curving beak , is blown near the end of the morning service as a symbolic reminder for Jews to ``wake up'' and turn away from wrongdoing. This year, because Rosh Hashana falls on the Jewish Sabbath, some synagogues may not blow the shofar during Saturday's service. Jewish families celebrate Rosh Hashana at home by eating sweet foods and food in round shapes. Traditionally, apple slices are dipped in honey, which symbolizes the hope for a sweet new year. Challah, or egg bread, is made with raisins to emphasize sweetness and is twisted into a round shape. The round shape of the challah and other foods eaten on the holiday is a reminder that one year is ending but a new year begins. Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement Day of Atonement n. See Yom Kippur. [Translation of Hebrew yôm kippûr.] Day of Atonement Noun same as Yom Kippur Noun 1. , will begin this year at sundown Sept. 19. Jews abstain from abstain from verb refrain from, avoid, decline, give up, stop, refuse, cease, do without, shun, renounce, eschew, leave off, keep from, forgo, withhold from, forbear, desist from, deny yourself, kick ( all food and drink for a 24-hour fast. The shofar is blown again at the conclusion of the afternoon Yom Kippur service to end the High Holy Days. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Students at Abraham Joshua Heschel Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel (January 11, 1907, Warsaw, then Russian Empire – December 23, 1972) was considered by many to be one of the most significant Jewish theologians of the 20th century. Day School in Northridge blow their shofars for Rosh Hashana. David R. Crane/Staff Photographer |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion