“The high holy days offer moments to reflect as a community on the year that has passed and to make plans for the year ahead”.
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SYNAGOGUES are preparing to mark the Jewish New Year in services from Sunday until Tuesday.
With upcoming Jewish High Holidays, the Jewish faithful are reminded, yet again, of the importance of returning to their roots, recharging their spiritual reservoir, and filling their vessels anew to properly take on the New Year.
“On Rosh Hashanah it is written and on Yon Kippur it is sealed”, Marcus said. “Yom Kippur is a fast day, yet some of us have medical issues”. The Hilgh Holy Days are the 10 days between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur – the Day of Atonement and the most sacred Jewish holiday.
The idea is that a Jew will go to God on Yom Kippur with a clean slate. “We will meet evenings and mornings to pray together, and after the services, we will celebrate together in homes”.
In Judaism we look to the Torah for guidance, and it explains that redemption is possible through repentance (Teshuvah), prayer (Tefillah) and charity (Tzedakah). Fleekop says the two holidays are considered to be connected. “It’s a little bit more formal of a service”. It’s much more a solemn occasion. Jews spend time considering their achievements and failings in the past year.
Because of the importance, attending the services is a priority. When I was growing up, the mothers in our church would always say, “Thank God for Jesus”. Depending on the ethnicity of the Jews celebrating the new year, other foods may be a tradtition.
Chabad in Goshen is hoping that, by making services accessible and affordable, more Jewish people in the area will opt to observe the High Holidays. The choir sings very traditional songs, Mrs. Katz said.
Rosh Hashanah is not only celebrated by looking forward to the new year, but also by looking back on any mistakes or regrettable choices in the previous year.
“They like to keep in touch with those that are older and homebound or otherwise unable to participate in the way they would want to”, he said.
She said the children enjoy polishing the silver platters and they can see the difference they have made.
Jacobs said, just as Rosh Hashanah services are different than a regular Sabbath, so are Yom Kippur services, which use the same prayer book that is used for Rosh Hashanah. “To illustrate, God will ask me ‘Why weren’t you Moses?’ But I’m not qualified to be Moses”. On Yom Kippur he seals the books for another year. “It only atones for your iniquity against God”.
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