THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Friday, August 29, 1975 19
Joyous Celebration o High Holy Days in Israel
The Jewish New Year in
Israel begins not with a one-
night revel but with a
23-day season. Compressed
into three bright weeks, this
year from Sept. 5-27, are no
less than six full holidays,
and nine semi-days which
find Israelis praying and
fasting, feasting and sing-
ing, travelling and picnick-
• ing. It's not difficult for
anyone to lose track of time
during this first month of
the Jewish year, when shops
and banks seem to open and
close by some grand design
unknown to mere mortals.
Israel becomes a living en-
cyclopaedia of tastes, smells
and observances that Jews
. have brought with them
from 80 lands.
Rosh Hashana, the "Head lieve that the Heavenly de-
of the Year," formally opens cree can be changed or sof-
the High-Holy-Day season, tened. The Sabbath.. of
coinciding this year with the Repentence, which falls this
Sabbath.
year on Sept. 13, is marked
Jewish homes celebrate by special sermons in the
the New Year with festive synagogues to arouse the
meals and family gather- congregations to good deeds.
ings. Before the meals, it is
On these days as well, it is
the custom in most commu- customary to go on pilgri-
nities to eat a piece of bread
mages and walks to Holy
and. a slice of apple dipped Places, especially in Jerusa-
in honey to symbolize "that lem.
a good and sweet year may
With the chanting of the
he renewed for us."
Kol Nidre prayer at sun-
Israeli tables, with rites down on September 14, Yom
varying among different Kippur — the Day of Atone-
immigrant groups, are also ment — will begin in full
filled with symbolic foods solemnity. On Yom Kippur,
such as pomegranates, no traffic moves as all Jews
whose many seeds denote spend the day either fasting
fertility and a multiplica- in the synagogue or at
tion of good deeds, and home. -
headmeat, particularly the
Three days later it's Suk-
head of a sheep in Sephardi
kot — the Feast of Taberna-
homes, and of a fish in Ash- cles. Walls go up on front
kenazi homes.
lawns, in alleyways, on
Besides symbolizing the roofs, and even on porches
"Head of the Year," these overlooking city streets.
are eaten with the hope that Young boys heading home
"we may he the head and with their wagons or bicy-
not the tail." Israeli baker- cles loaded down with
ies all sell the popular round branches for the roofs of
wallas, , denoting the yearly their sukkot, are a common
cycle, which are enjoyed by sight.
Jews from the Occident and
After the first day of Suk-
Orient alike.
kot, which falls this year on
The interesting custom of Sept. 20, there are six half-
tashlich, the "casting" of the day holidays when busi-
old 'year's transgressions nesses and shops close
into the depths, is per- early.
formed by groups of obser-
The seventh day of the
vant Jews on the first day of Feast of Tabernacles is Sim-
Rosh Hashana, along the hatTorah (Rejoicing of the
entire seashore, the banks Law), which is celebrated in
of rivers and the edges of Israel the same as in Jewish
nearly every body of water communities around the
including wells and the an- World, when the cycle of the
cient pools of Jerusalem.
reading of the Torah Scroll
Many Israeli families will is completed and another is
use the long Rosh Hashana begun immediately, as the
weekened to visit friends and Scrolls are carried around
travel to the beach, to their the congregation in seven
favorite picnic spot, or to encirclements (hakafot),
camping grounds.
each time accompanied with
Although bus service singing and dancing.
closes down everywhere ex-
It has become a custom in
cept Haifa and East Jerusa- Israel to hold public,
lem, taxis and other trans- "second hakafot" programs
portation is available and on the night following Sim-
private cars may be rented hat Torah to identify with
before the holiday in all ma- Jews outside Israel who ob-
jor cities.
serve eight days of Sukkot.
The 10 days of Rosh Ha-
Hugh crowds of Israelis
shana and Yom Kippur are and tourists attend these
known as the Days of Awe, public gatherings in parks
for tradition says that it is and city squares where the
during this week when the hakafot take place to the ac-
fate of the world hangs in companiment of bands and
the balance before the Holy dancing in the street.
One. It is a time of soul-
searching and repentance,
when life tries to continue
He who leases one garden
normally in Israel but is a
will feed on poultry, but he
perceptible hit slower.
who leases many gardens
By doing penitence during will he eaten by the poultry.
these days, the faithful be-
—The Talmud
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1.1
Danny Cohen's
parents Know
why they joined
Temple Beth El..
...
tor Danny
Photograph—Craine, Detroit
Danny Cohen, age four, is a very special member of Temple Beth El.
Little Danny is receiving something very precious—pride in his faith,
and in his people.
Danny's parents understand how important it is to start his religious
education at an early age.
Temple Beth El makes sure that even to a three foot, four-inch little
boy, God doesn't seem that far away. The foundation is begun in the
Temple's Nursery School, then is built upon through the years at Religious
School.
Danny feels a part of the Temple family. He goes to services, family
dinners, movie parties, picnics and more, sponsored by our Married Group,
Men's Club and Sisterhood.
When Danny comes into the Temple's Sanctuary, he knows he belongs
there ... because we built it, and everything in it, just for Danny. At Temple
Beth El we know Danny Cohen is oar future.
For more information about
your future, please call
today:
Irving I. Katz
Temple Beth El
4700 Telegraph
Birmingham
Phone: 851-1100