Hava Nedeber Ivrit: Rosh Hashanah Opportunity For Growth, Change
By NIRA LEV
L'Chayim will present a Hebrew
lesson entitled, "H.'va 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 transitions and a
family activity 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
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, meaning the
Head of the Year, is the first chag in
our luach. This chag occurs on the
first two yamim of chodesh
Tishrey, the first chodesh of
Ha'shanah Ha'ivrit. The origin of
the shem Tishrey is Babylonian
and it is an abbreviation of the word
tishritum which means raishit,
hatchala. According to our masoret
our olam was created on Rosh
Hashanah and this chag is yom
ha'hooledet shel ha'olam.
Rosh Hashanah, however, is
not chag shel simcha, chagigot
and meseebot like the non-Jewish
New Year the way it is celebrated all
over the world. Rather, it is zman
for cheshbon ha'nefesh, for serious,
solemn machshavah and chazara
bi'tshuva. On Rosh Hashanah we
are given the opportunity for
hatchala chadasha, for growth and
change that result from
introspection and trying to become
better people.
Rosh Hashanah is also called
Yom Hadin, the Day of Judgement,
and Yom Hazikaron, the Day of
Remembering. According to our
masoret, on this day Ha'kadosh
Baruch Hoo judges us and writes
in Sefer Ha'chayim what our fate
will be. This yom is also zman to
remember all the important
historical events that made us an
am.
In the Tanach this chag is
called "Yom Truah" and "Zichron
Truah," the Day of Sounding the
Shofar and the Memorial of Blowing
the Shofar. These shemot indicate
the main event of Rosh Hashanah
which is t'keeat shofar — the
blowing of the shofar. The shofar is
a very important semel in our
masoret. The shofar reminds us of
akeidat Yitzhak — the binding of
Yitzhak, when Avraham Aveenu
was ready to commit the utmost act
of emunah and God substituted the
ayeel for Avraham's son, Yitzhak.
Rosh Hashanah abounds with
special minhagim that are all
symbolical and have their reason.
One of these minhagim is Tashlich.
On the first day of Rosh Hashanah,
in the afternoon, the minhag is to
go to the nearest nachal or nahar
and empty one's kissim into the
mayim. This symbolizes, of course,
getting rid of one's chata'eem and
opening of daf chadash in one's
life.
Another minhag is to dip a
piece of challah or of a tapuach in
d'vash, eat it and say, "Shanah
tovah umtulcah." The challot for
the chag are made in the shape of
sulamot because on Rosh
Hashanah a person's place is
determined — some will go down
and some will go up.
Last, but not least, is the
minhag of sending kartisey bracha
to krovim and chaverim to wish
them "Shanah Tovah," and
"Le'shanah tovah tikatevu
ve'techatemu."
ha'eevrit
the Hebrew Year
name
shem
beginning
raishit, hatchala
tradition
masoret
olam
world
birthday
yom-hooledet
yom ha-hooledet shel
ha'olam .the birthday of the world
chag shel simcha ...a holiday of joy
celebrations
chagigot
parties
meseebot
cheshbon-nefesh ....soul searching
thought
machshava
repentence
chazara bi-tshuva
hatchala chadasha . a new beginning
zikaron
remembrance
Ha'kadosh Baruch Hoo
The Holy One Blessed Be He
Sefer ha'chayim ...The Book of Life
time
zman
nation
am
the Bible
The tanach
a symbol
semel
our father
aveenu
Find Path To Teshuvah
Meelon (Dictionary)
ritz
NATHAN AND ALISON GOT INTO
A BIG FIGHT JUST BEFORE
Finish
calender
holiday
days
month
luach
chag
yamim
chodesh
ha'shanah
( 0 V
s i el° I
belief, faith
emunah
ram
ayeel
customs
minhagim
Throw out!
"Tashlich"
a brook, a spring
nachal
a river
nahar
pockets
kissim
water
mayim
sins
chata' eem
a new page
daf chadash
a hallah
challah
an apple
tapuach-
honey
d'vash
sweet (fern)
m'tukah
Shana Tovah
a good sweet year
Um'tukah
a ladder
sulam
. ladders
sulamot
kartisey bracha
greeting cards
relatives
krovim
friends
chaverim
Le'shana Tova Tikatevu Ve'
techatemu .. May you be inscribed
and sealed for a good year
ROSH HASHANAH. HELP NATHAN
FIND HIS WAY THROUGH THE
MAZE OF JEWISH STARS SO THAT
HE CAN SAY HE IS SORRY TO
ALISON.
H
te6v ;
Mavens
September 12
The community is invited to become 90
Minute Machzor Mavens at an Adat Shalom
workshop at 7:30 p.m. with rabbis Efry Spec-
tre and Elliot Pachter. Sponsored by the
synagogue's Adult Study Commission. 29901
Middlebelt, Farmington Hills. Phone:
851-5100.
September 20
The Jewish Parents Institute invites the
community to its Rosh Hashanah celebration
in Shiffman Hall of the Maple-Drake JCC at
2:30 p.m. For information and reservations,
call 661-1000, ext. 333.
September 26
Adat Shalom will hold The Great Sukkah
Build Off at 7:30 p.m. Master sukkah
builders will provide practical information for
first-time sukkah constructor. The public is
invited. Sponsored by the synagogue's Adult
Study Commission. 29901 Middlebelt, Farm-
ington Hills. Phone: 851-5100.
October 5
Star+
PUZZLE BY
JUDY SILBERG LOEBL
Temple Shir Shalom will have a Shabbat
family dinner and service. 5642 Maple Road,
West Bloomfield. Phone: 737-8700.
October 7
Shaarey Zedek's Beth Hayeled will have
a sukkah program at 10:30 a.m. For addi-
tional information, contact Linda Jacobson,
356-4629; or Shelly Kieran, 661-8245.
Answer on Page L-7
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS L-3