Shanah Tovah!

Shanah tovah means "good year" in Hebrew. Rosh HaShanah, the Jewish New Year, starts tomorrow at sundown. Rosh HaShanah, along with Yom Kippur, is one of the high holidays - the two major Jewish holidays. It's a time for reflection and introspection, where we think about the year that has passed and resolve to make changes for the coming year. It's also a time of joyfulness and hope; we made it through one year and hope for all kinds of good things in the year to come. It's traditional to eat apples dipped in honey to symbolize a sweet new year. Honey cake is another sweet treat that many people enjoy at this time. Sadly, I'll be skipping the honey this year because of the risk of botulism.

And like all Jewish holidays, you're supposed to spend a considerable amount of time at the synagogue for religious services. Services are punctuated by the blowing of the shofar, a ram's horn, which can be seen and heard here. Yes, the shofar has broken through on youtube!



The sound of the shofar is supposed to call us to repentance and reflection. Isn't it a haunting sound? The shofar is my favorite part of the service.

Also an Eid Mubarak to all! I love it when everyone's holidays coincide. It reminds us that we're all more the same than we are different.

L'shanah tovah, and may we all be inscribed and sealed in the Book of Life for a good year!