!lava Nedaber Ivrit: Rosh Hashanah Abounds With Customs

By NIRA LEV

Each month in this space,
L'Chayim will present a Hebrew
lesson entitled, "Nava Nedaber
Ivrit!" (Let's Speak Hebrew), whose
aim is to encourage further study of
Hebrew. The lesson will include a
brief story utilizing the Hebrew
words to be studied, a vocabulary
list with English translations and a
family activitiy which involves using
the new words. The lessons will be
prepared by Nira Lev, associate
professor of Hebrew language and
literature at the Midrasha College of
r— Jewish Studies. Mrs. Lev also
teaches Hebrew language and
literature at the Community Jewish
High School at the United Hebrew
Schools.
Following is this month's
lesson:
Rosh Hashanah has no
resemblance to the non-Jewish New
Year as it is celebrated all over the
world.
Rosh Hashanah, meaning the
head of the year, is the first chag in
our luach, luach ha'shanah
ha'eevri. This chag occurs on the
first two yamim of chodesh
Tishrey, the first chodesh of
ha'shanah ha'eevrit.
The origin of the shem
Tishrey is Babylonian, and it is an
abbreviation of the word tishrittum,
which means raishit, hatchala.
According to our masoret, it was on
Rosh Hashanah that our olam was
created. Rosh Hashanah then, is
yom ha'hooledet shel ha'olam.
This chag, however, is not
chag shel simcha, chagigot and
meseebot. Rather, it is zman for
cheshbon-nefesh, for serious,
solemn machshava and chazara
bi'tshuva. Everyone is given the
opportunity for hatchala chadasha,
for growth and change that result
from looking into ourselves and

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tradition
masoret
trying to become adam yoter toe.
world
olam
Rosh Hashanah abounds with
birthday
yom-hooledet
special minhagim that are all
yom ha'hooledet
symbolic and have their reason.
shel ha-olam ....The birthday of
One of these minhagim is Tashlich.
the world
On the first day of Rosh Hashanah,
chag
shel
simcha
...a
holiday
of joy
minhag
acharey hatzohorayim, the
celebrations
chagigot
is to go to the nearest nachal or
parties
meseebot
nahar and empty one's kissim into
cheshbon-nefesh ....soul searching
the mayim. This symbolizes, of
thought
machshava
course, getting rid of one's
repentance
chazara bi'tshuva
chata'eem and opening daf
a better person
adam yoter toe
chadash in one's life.
customs
,minhagim
Another minhag is to dip a
throw
out!
"Tashlich"
in
tapuach
piece of challa or of a
in the
acharey hatzohorayim
d'vash, eat it and say, "Shanah
afternoon
Tovah Um'tukah." The challot for
a custom
minhag
the chag are made in the shape of
a
brook,
a spring
nachal
Rosh
sulamot because on
a river
nahar
Hashanah a person's place is
pockets
kissim
determined — some will go down
water
mayim
and some will go up.
sins
chata'
eem
chag
A traditional food on this
a new page
are dagim. When eating the dagim daf chadash
a hallah
challah
we say: "Yehee ratzon she'nifreh
an apple
tapuach
ve'nirbeh ka'dagim."
honey
d'vash
People are careful not to eat
sweet
matok
ochel chamutz, and some do not
sweet (fem)
m'tookah
take a nap in the afternoon of the
Shana Tovah
chag in order not to be atzelim in
A good sweet year
Um'tukah
the new year.
Last, but not least, is the
minhag of sending karteesay
bracha to kroveem and chaverim
to wish them: "Shanah Tovah,"
and "Le'shanah tovah tikatevu
ve'techatemu."

Meelon (Vocabulary)

Apples & Honey & Lots, Lots More will
be held this Sunday from 1-4 p.m. at the
Jewish Community Center of Washtenaw
County.
Sponsored by the Jewish organizations
in the county, Apples & Honey will bring
together people of all ages and backgrounds
to have fun and to learn more about the
Jewish holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom
Kippur.
Organizations participating are: Beth
Israel Congregation, Temple Beth Emeth,
Chabad House, Hebrew Day School, Jewish
Cultural Society, Hadassah, Israeli Student
Organization and the Hillel Foundation.
For information, call 971-0990.

Next Issue

Sukkot, Simchat Torah and
much, much more. That's what
you'll find in next month's
L'Chayim. Stories, puzzles,
Hebrew and Yiddish lessons
and the latest in Jewish books,
toys and games. Not to mention
pen pals, recipes, geneaology
and the origins of family names.
Coming to you soon!

Holiday Puzzle
Answers

calender
luach
luach ha'shanah
ha'eevri ....The Hebrew calender
holiday
chag
days
yamim
month
chodesh
ha'shanah
The Hebrew year
ha'eevrit
name
shem
beginning
raishit, hatchala

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; 61 Holiday Festival
In Ann Arbor

Sunday, Sept. 24

ladders
sulamot
fish (plural)
dagim
Yehee ratzon
she'nifreh ve'nirbeh
may we multiply
ka'dagim
and increase
like fish
food
ochel
sour
chamutz
lazy (plural)
atzelim
karteesay bracha ....greeting cards
relatives
krovim
friends
chaverim
Le'Shana Tova
Tikatevu Ve'
may you be
techatemu
inscribed and sealed
for a good year

Elaine Serling, Songster, will perform
Sunday at 2 p.m. at Jaffe Hall, Jewish
Community Center, JPM Building, 15110 W.
10 Mile Road, Oak Park, Mich. There is a
charge.

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Friday, Oct. 13

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A sukkot family service will be held Oct.
13 at Birmingham Temple. Temple school
students will celebrate with songs, dramatic
presentations, parades, and a harvest tribute.
For information, contact Helen Forman or
Beverly Roland at 477-1410.

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS L-7