Note: Some of this information applies to Rosh Hashanah: Friday eve Sept. 26, 2003, through Sunday night Sept. 28, 2003 only.

Renewing our commitment to Jewish life on Rosh Hashanah, we pray to be inscribed in the "Book of Life" for a good and sweet year. The machzor prayerbook helps focus our hopes for health, peace and prosperity.

The services, hearing the Shofar and the holiday dinners are imbued with a spirit of improving our relationships with G-d and with our fellows, exchanging the traditional greeting: Leshana Tova Tikatev Vetachatem “May you be inscribed and sealed for a good New Year."

Candle Lighting

Women and girls usher in Rosh Hashanah by kindling and blessing the candles 18 minutes before sunset.

Sweet Foods

We eat foods symbolizing sweetness, blessing and abundance for the New Year. We dip the Challah in honey, and begin the holiday dinner with apple dipped in honey.

Unlike the regular braided Shabbat Challah, the round High Holiday Challah resembles a crown, symbolizing the Divine coronation and wishes for a smooth and easy New Year.

A popular dish is Tzimmes, a stew of carrots, sweet potatoes and prunes. A favorite pastry is taiglach, a pyramid of dough balls covered with honey, topped by a maraschino cherry. Some serve the head of a fish. We also eat pomegranates, whose abundant seeds represent our multiple Mitzvah merits.

The Shofar

Rosh Hashanah’s highlight is the sounding of the Shofar on Sunday, Sept. 28. If you cannot participate in the full synagogue service, at least try to hear the Shofar.

The Shofar sounds touch our soul’s innermost chords; it is a cry from the heart like a lost child calling for its parent. The Shofar exclaims: "Awake from your sleep, and arise from your slumber. Examine your deeds, improve your ways, return, and remember your Creator." (Maimonides)

Proclaiming G-d’s coronation, the Shofar recalls historic events involving the ram's horn: the Binding of Isaac on Mount Moriah, the Shofar sound at Mount Sinai, and heralding the final Redemption with Moshiach, speedily in our days.

Before candle lighting on Saturday night Sept. 27, a new fruit (not yet eaten that season) is placed on the table, and eaten after reciting kiddush, before the hamotzi blessing on the Challah. Popular fruit choices include fresh figs, dates, kiwi, mango or papaya.

The Tashlich Ceremony

Sunday afternoon, following the services, we recite Tashlich at a lake or pond, symbolizing our 'casting away' of sin. As fish depend on water for life, so do we depend on Divine Providence.

Ten Days of Repentance

The 'Ten days of Teshuvah’ between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are a time for repentance, personal reflection and improvement. During this week we increase our Torah study, giving charity, and general Mitzvah observance. The verdict of Rosh Hashanah’s Judgement is not sealed until Yom Kippur’s closing Neila prayer.

Still, the 'heavenly gates' remain open until Hoshanah Rabbah the following week; we are given yet another chance to improve. Repentance is welcome all year round, but these days are most opportune for coming closer to G-d.

Fast of Gedalia

Monday, September 29, following Rosh Hashanah, we commemorate the tragic assassination of the last Jewish governor after the First Temple's destruction.

Shabbat Shuvah October 4

Shabbat Shuvah echoes the Haftorah: "Return O Israel to G-d." The Rabbi addresses the congregation on Teshuvah and Repentance.

Eve of Yom Kippur

For the custom of Kapparot ("atonement"), a man uses a rooster, and a woman, a hen. Circling the fowl overhead, a prayer is recited and charity is donated. The Kapparot ceremony can also be observed by using money contributed to the needy.

Sunday, October 5 we eat two festive meals, one at noon, the other about one hour before sunset

On Erev Yom Kippur it is customary to ask for a piece of lekach (honey cake) from another person, often the rabbi, a symbolic substitute for aid we may have been fated to beg in the coming year, and a wish that the recipient enjoy a sweet year.

After the final meal, the father places his hands on the head of each child, reciting the Biblical blessing: "May G-d make you like Efraim and Menashe (for a son), or "May G-d make you like Sarah, Rivkah, Rachel, and Leah” (for a daughter).

Yom Kippur begins before sunset Sunday October 5 with candle lighting and blessing.

Yom Kippur

The holiest day of the year begins at sundown Sunday, October 5 until nightfall of October 6. We are prohibited to eat or drink, wash our body or use lotion, wear leather shoes or have marital relations. White clothes are worn to symbolize purity.

After candle lighting, we rush to the synagogue for the Kol Nidrei prayer, when the Holy Ark and Heavenly gates are opened.

The Kol Nidrei chant is a historic tune traced to the Jewish Marranos in hiding who used this opportunity to declare their faith defying the Spanish Inquisition.

We reflect on our past misdeeds and resolve to improve in the future. We recite the Viduy confessing our sins, tapping our heart and asking forgiveness, enumerating sins we may have committed. Viduy is said in the plural ("We have sinned...) for all Jews are one - we are responsible for each other. Yom Kippur atones only for sins against G-d, but not for wrongs against people. We personally apologize and seek forgiveness for ill feelings during the year.

Yizkor

The Yizkor memorial prayer for family and friends is recited during the morning service, and money is pledged to charity in their memory. The ‘Avodah’ service recalls the High Priest’s Yom Kippur service in the Holy Temple.

Sukkot (October 10 through October 19)

The solemnity of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur culminates with the joy of 8 days of Sukkot. The first two and last two days are full holidays, when we light the holiday candles, attend services, and recite Kiddush.

The intermediate Chol Hamoed days allow limited work, and are a time for family visits, outings and travel. We bless the Four Kinds each weekday, and eat in a Sukkah booth, recalling our ancestors’ wandering in the wilderness and living in foliage huts. The Sukkah also recalls the protective 'clouds of glory' that surrounded Israel during their forty years in the desert.

All meals are eaten in the Sukkah, weather permitting. Some decorate and ornament the Sukkah; others prefer its unadorned natural simplicity.

A Sukkah lacks the comforts of a house, the weak frame and foliage are as frail and temporary as life itself. It is nice to look up to Heaven for a change, rather than to a plastered ceiling. The rustic Sukkah suggests that Divine Providence is our most enduring shelter.

The Four Kinds

Each day of Sukkot (except Shabbat) we make a blessing and shake the 'Four Species' -the Etrog (citron), Lulav (palm branch), Hadassim (myrtle branches) and Aravot (willow branches).

Some of these species are fragrant and tasty, while other are plain and simple, representing different types of people. Holding them together symbolizes our unity as a people: we need each another. The four species are waved in all directions, signifying that G-d is everywhere.

Hoshanah Rabbah (Tishrei 21, Friday, October 17)

The morning services include special Hoshanot prayers "Help us, O G-d," as we encircle the bimah seven times with lulav and etrog. We beat the aravot (hoshanot)- five bound willow twigs- on the floor five times.

In the afternoon we eat a festive meal in the sukkah. Kiddush is not recited, but we eat Challa in honey, and delicious Kreplach symbolize severity covered by loving-kindness.

Shmini Atzeret and Simchat Torah (October 17-19)

On Saturday, Shmini Atzeret, Yizkor is recited for departed family and friends.

On Simchat Torah night (some also do so Shemini Atzeret night), we march seven hakafot encircling the Synagogue bimah platform, singing and dancing with the Torah scrolls.
The final Torah chapter on Simchat Torah morning completes the yearly cycle. Young and old are called to the Torah for an aliya, and we then start reading the Torah from the beginning.

LET'S GO TORAH!

"Sing and rejoice with the Torah...for it is our strength and light!" Simchat Torah unites Jews of all backgrounds. Young and old, rich and poor, observant or not, all share the Torah joy.

JOY, not 'OY'

We celebrate Torah with joy, not as a burden. A Mitzvah that is dry rote and routine, without joy and spirit, is like a lifeless body without soul.

This parable by the Dubner Magid illustrates how a joyless mitzvah misses the point: A diamond merchant once gave his son a sum of money to purchase stones. When the son returned home with his purchase, the father saw him sighing and sweating under a heavy load on his back.

He realized his son's terrible mistake: "If he is 'kvetching' and complaining, he must have the wrong merchandise. Had he bought the PRECIOUS stones I wanted, he would not have suffered it as a burden, but enjoyed it with delight!"

Mitzvah Joy

"Although all the holidays are joyous, Sukkos has even more celebration...The joy of doing a mitzvah, and the love of G-d who commanded it, is a great service. It is unfortunate for a person to deprive himself of this joy, as it is written, 'Because you did not serve G-d with joy and good heart'... One who remains aloof, considering the joy beneath his dignity...is foolish...All who participate in this joy are dignified and honored, serving G-d with love, as David, King of Israel, says, "I am humbled, for the true greatness is to dance and sing before G-d." (Maimonides)

Dancing and Hakafot

Each part of our body has its own mitzvah; we pray with our lips, read Torah with our eyes, light Shabbos candles, wear Tefilin and give charity with our hands. We study with our brain, love G-d with our heart, and hear the Shofar with our ears.

Every part of the body has its mitzvah, and every mitzvah has its day. On Simchas Torah, the feet have their day. We march and dance with our feet, elevating and uplifting our whole body.