Happy New Year

SHANA TOVA

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Rosh Hashana is one of the Jewish High Holy Days or Days of Awe. It is the Jewish New Year falling in the 7^th month on the Jewish calendar, Tishrei, celebrating the month in which God created the world. In the Days of Awe and during the preceding weeks, Jews are instructed to scrupulously examine their deeds and misdeeds during the previous year. According to Jewish tradition, God also decides who will live and who will die that coming year. "God sits in judgment; before Him are three great books. The first volume contains the names of the good; the second the names of the bad; the third the names of those who are neither very good nor very bad. While He gives judgment immediately on those whose names are found in the first two books, those in the third are given 10 days - until Yom Kippur - to attempt by prayer, repentance, and good deeds to have their names moved to the first book.* The liturgy prayers on that day also attempt to influence God's decision. The shofar (ram's horn) is blown in the synagogue 100 times each of the 2 days of Rosh Hashana to motivate repentance. On the eve of Rosh Hashanajust before the evening meal, everyone dips pieces of apple in honey and eats them; symbolizing the hope that the coming year will be prosperous and sweet."

*from Next Year in Jerusalem by Teddy Kollek with Tom Dowley, pp. 232-234.