THE JEWISH NEWS
A Toast
To Jewish Living
Our L'Chayim
Comes To Life
L'Chayim. It's a toast to the
present. A hope for the future. A
celebration of life. It's a name that
captures the essence of our new
Jewish News special section.
Beginning with this issue, and
monthly hereafter, The Jewish News
will present L'Chayim to you, our
valued readers, with the desire that
it furthers your knowledge,
understanding and appreciation of
Jewish history, culture and customs.
Several aspects of L'Chayim are
unique. It is family oriented, but
appealing to all. It is heavily
experiential. Many features call you
and your family to action, whether
it's sending Rosh Hashanah
greetings to Soviet refuseniks or
researching your family tree. It taps
into a wealth of previously unknown,
or underutilized, community
resources.
Perhaps most unique, L'Chayim
represents a combined effort by an
independent newspaper, communal
leaders, educators and the
innovative Jewish Experiences For
Families program to create a truly
special section for you.
L'Chayim will be cited nationally
as a model of what Anglo-Jewish
newspapers can do to expand their
Continued on Page L-8
oor Holidays Build
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Family Bonds
4w
Rabbi E. B. Freedman,
administrative director of Yeshivath
Beth Yehudah, is the author of this
overview for L'Chayim's premier
issue. For each edition of L'Chayim,
a rabbi, a Jewish educator or other
notable from the community will
present an overview.
Any adult who was brought up
in a traditional or observant Jewish
home can recall the warm family
memories brought on by the High
Holiday season. The feeling of your
father's or mother's hands on your
forehead blessing you as a young
child on the eve of Yom Kippur, the
most solemn day of the year, or the
jubilant dancing in the synagogue
on Simchat Torah, remains with one
for a lifetime.
There are a multitude of family
activities celebrating the Jewish
holidays in the first 23 days of the
Jewish New Year. They can range
from profoundly religious
ceremonies to fun-filled events for
all ages. Following is a look at the
Rosh Hashanah season and how
Jewish families strengthen their ties
to one another while participating in
and perpetuating some of the oldest
and most beautiful traditions in the
world.
* * *
Despite the fact that diet and
physical fitness are in vogue, we
tend to think of holiday celebrations
as opportunities for family dinners
and good food. The High Holiday
season has its special foods replete
with religious significance. On Rosh
Hashanah, it has become
customary to wish each other a
sweet New Year. Because of this
seasonal salutation, Jews around
Rosh Hashanah and Yom
Kippur are the most
important days of the
year for families to be
together.
the world have incorporated sweets
in their holiday culinary offerings.
These include pomegranates, to
remind us of our desire to be a
fruitful nation filled with mitzvot and
good deeds in readiness for the
Judgment Day; and carrots, an
Eastern European tradition which
reminds us that we desire multiple
blessings and many good deeds to
our credit.
Rosh Hashanah and Yom
Kippur are the most important days
of the year for families to be
together in the synagogue and at
home, but there are other customs
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